I have a disease called SLE Lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect the skin, your joints, your kidneys, and your other organs. I was diagnosed in March of 2011 when I was only 19 years old. I was away at school my 1st year at college and I was having a lot of pain in my wrists. The doctors ran a bunch of tests and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. It was a Thursday afternoon when I got a call from my doctor. It was a call that I was relieved but also terrified to get.
The doctor told me that I had SLE Lupus and that’s all she said. I knew a little bit about lupus but not a lot. Being away at school and two a half hours away from my parents made me feel like I was all alone. I called my mom right away and told her what the doctor had said, she told me to relax and that it would all be okay.
It was hard for me to comprehend what I had just been told. My friends were really supportive, but I wasn’t ready to deal with it. For about a month I refused to talk about it and didn’t want to deal with it. Once I got past the initial shock, I started doing better.
The first two medicines the doctors put me on made me violently ill, so on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I started having to give myself Methotrexate injections (low dose chemo) on a weekly basis.
Lupus has changed my life a lot but I haven’t let it stop me. I started dancing when I was 5 years old and figure skating at 10. Everyone said I should give them up but they are my 2 things that allow me to process and accept everything. I am still helping coach Special Olympics figure skating.
My disease doesn’t own me. I fight it everyday, but I will not give up and I will keep fighting!
Alexandra
Michigan
Submitted 8-24-2012
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This article is intended to convey general educational information and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.