Hello Family and Friends! For those of you who may not know the details of my story, here it is from beginning to present.
My journey began one year ago, March 2010. I had recently given birth to a beautiful baby girl and was determined to lose the extra 20 pounds of left over baby weight. My husband, being supportive, suggested we join the local gym. We began exercising 3-4 times per week, eating healthier, losing the pounds, things were going great. Until one evening, while running on the treadmill, I was suddenly light headed, nauseous, my vision was blurred, and I had a tingling sensation in my head and neck. I nearly fainted and I fell off of the exercise machine. I thought maybe I didn't drink enough or eat enough that day.... But the light headedness and blurred vision continued for several days. We had planned a weekend trip to the ocean with the kids. I ended up in the ER a few hours before we had planned to leave. The ER doc said I had vertigo, gave me some pills and sent me on my way. I spent the entire weekend in the hotel room, sleeping, worrying, and in pain. My general physician suggested that I might be exhausted due to exercising, work, and having a new baby, he sent me on my way. It rapidly progressed and within a week I had a constant tension headache, fevers, chills, constant sweating, balance issues, spontaneous vision loss, and complete numbness of my arms and/or legs on occasion. I made MANY trips to the emergency room for fear of a possible stroke or heart attack, tests were always normal. Lupus affects my central nervous system, which can be devastating if it's not carefully managed and closely monitored. Two months after the initial symptoms began, my joints started to ache and burn severely and I began having trouble holding my hair dryer up for more than a couple of minutes because my muscles were extremely weak. Some days it felt impossible to get out of bed. After 4 months of ER visits, cat scans, EKG's and doctors who wouldn't listen to me... I took matters into my OWN hands. I spent many hours googling symptoms and searching for possible answers. I had never even heard of lupus before last year. I narrowed the possibilities down to three conditions, multiple sclerosis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. I demanded my general physician test me for those things and I received my results within 5 days. Positive for lupus. That was July 18th, 2010, the day EVERYTHING changed. Finally my symptoms had a name, finally I could begin fighting for my life. The many medications I take to control this disease come with their own nasty symptoms. They also have major side effects on my body and my mood. I have developed asthma and other secondary conditions as a result of lupus. My wonderful husband and children have been forced to adjust to a new life as well. They are amazing and I would be so lost without them! I will not say this disease is easily managed, mentally nor physically, but I have learned to LIVE my life with lupus and life is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for your continued support throughout this journey, thank you for the encouragement and thank you for walking alongside me to create awareness, raise donations, and pray for a cure!
My journey began one year ago, March 2010. I had recently given birth to a beautiful baby girl and was determined to lose the extra 20 pounds of left over baby weight. My husband, being supportive, suggested we join the local gym. We began exercising 3-4 times per week, eating healthier, losing the pounds, things were going great. Until one evening, while running on the treadmill, I was suddenly light headed, nauseous, my vision was blurred, and I had a tingling sensation in my head and neck. I nearly fainted and I fell off of the exercise machine. I thought maybe I didn't drink enough or eat enough that day.... But the light headedness and blurred vision continued for several days. We had planned a weekend trip to the ocean with the kids. I ended up in the ER a few hours before we had planned to leave. The ER doc said I had vertigo, gave me some pills and sent me on my way. I spent the entire weekend in the hotel room, sleeping, worrying, and in pain. My general physician suggested that I might be exhausted due to exercising, work, and having a new baby, he sent me on my way. It rapidly progressed and within a week I had a constant tension headache, fevers, chills, constant sweating, balance issues, spontaneous vision loss, and complete numbness of my arms and/or legs on occasion. I made MANY trips to the emergency room for fear of a possible stroke or heart attack, tests were always normal. Lupus affects my central nervous system, which can be devastating if it's not carefully managed and closely monitored. Two months after the initial symptoms began, my joints started to ache and burn severely and I began having trouble holding my hair dryer up for more than a couple of minutes because my muscles were extremely weak. Some days it felt impossible to get out of bed. After 4 months of ER visits, cat scans, EKG's and doctors who wouldn't listen to me... I took matters into my OWN hands. I spent many hours googling symptoms and searching for possible answers. I had never even heard of lupus before last year. I narrowed the possibilities down to three conditions, multiple sclerosis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. I demanded my general physician test me for those things and I received my results within 5 days. Positive for lupus. That was July 18th, 2010, the day EVERYTHING changed. Finally my symptoms had a name, finally I could begin fighting for my life. The many medications I take to control this disease come with their own nasty symptoms. They also have major side effects on my body and my mood. I have developed asthma and other secondary conditions as a result of lupus. My wonderful husband and children have been forced to adjust to a new life as well. They are amazing and I would be so lost without them! I will not say this disease is easily managed, mentally nor physically, but I have learned to LIVE my life with lupus and life is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for your continued support throughout this journey, thank you for the encouragement and thank you for walking alongside me to create awareness, raise donations, and pray for a cure!
My Personal ID Number is WAS-720035
You can make a donation to my personal fundraising page by clicking on Donate Now or "Make a Gift." I hope you will join me in my fundraising
efforts.
CLICK HERE to view our walk invite on Facebook
To join Sisters Against Lupus CLICK HERE & 'LIKE' our Facebook page
CLICK HERE to view our walk invite on Facebook
To join Sisters Against Lupus CLICK HERE & 'LIKE' our Facebook page
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