Lupus Awareness

Many of you know, and many of you don't know, that over a year ago I was diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, Lupus, and it's a disease that I will live with for the rest of my life. What is Lupus? I don't really think I have ever officially addressed that question. It basically means that my immune system attacks itself. It's not cancer or anything, and it's not contagious. You know when you're sick and your immune system is working really hard and you just feel like crap? You feel achy and tired, and you just want to sleep. That's what a Lupus flare-up feels like for me, but 100 times worse. Ok, maybe not 100 times worse, but definitely worse!! You get tired doing the smallest things, like showering and getting ready. By the time your finished showering, you're ready for a nap. I remember, in the beginning, that pillows felt HEAVY. It was exhausting!!

But Lupus isn't the same for anyone, and it's hard to tell what someone with Lupus is going through just by looking at them. A lot of people with Lupus downplay their symptoms because they don't want people to think they are being lazy or antisocial, and that just makes them feel worse in the end. Everyone with Lupus has different symptoms. Some people are really sensitive to the sun, some have fatigue and joint pain, and some have it way worse off because it starts attacking their vital organs. For those people, it is life-threatening. Luckily, mine hasn't progressed that far.

Things have definitely improved in the year since I was diagnosed, with the medications keeping my worst symptoms at bay for now. I still have my bad days, but I am doing good for the most part! At first I was scared to do anything too crazy, or have too much fun, because I thought it would cause another really painful flare-up, but I have been pleasantly surprised at how much I have been able to do with my life recently. I went to Disneyland for 5 days last month. It was SO fun! We woke up early, spent all day at the park, and then came back late each night! I got pretty tired, and it got worse everyday, but I did not have ANY flare-ups! I couldn't have handled another day though, and I came home and slept A LOT, but thats more than I could say a few months ago! My rheumatologist told me that is a really good sign. I have also been nanny-ing now for 4 weeks. I wake up at 5 am each morning, leave my house at 6 am, and stay until around 6 pm at night. I'll admit that the first week I woke up crying a couple of times because I was so tired, but it's gotten a lot better! I'm also excited to start school at Weber State in 2 weeks! I just feel like I am getting my life back on track! I know I will still have my bad days, but I don't think it will ever be as bad as it was in the beginning, thanks to my medications!

I actually didn't really write this post to catch everybody up on my life, although it may seem that way. Currently there is no cure for Lupus, but hopefully one day people will not have to rely on medications to feel even remotely normal, or have a life-threatening disease that has no cure. It affects a lot more people than you even know. I didn't even know anything about it until I was diagnosed! Now I know of multiple people who also have Lupus. This blog is read by many of my family and friends, which is why I decided to write this here. On May 2, there is a Walk To End Lupus. It is to help raise money to find a cure for Lupus. It's no ice bucket challenge or anything, but it would mean a lot to me, and many others, if you would donate for the cause, or at least educate yourself about autoimmune illnesses.

My mom has very nicely created a donation page for us. The link is here: https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/MelissaLytle/WELN2015

I would be so grateful if you would donate! Thanks!