Great Day to ALL!
My name is Mrs. Tracy V. Evans and I'm first a vessel for the LORD the daughter of the most high GOD. Then an earthly mother, wife, daughter, friend, community activist, Deaconess & Mother of Charity Church, Executive director of " Charity Inc. Young & 'REFINED (30+)' Mother's Group.
Now as a 3 year ago diagnosised LUPUS SLE (The most sever, of several different types) I've added "SURVIVOR", I choose to make other's aware of this "Invisible Disease also known as the silent 'Kute Killer' (yes I spelled it with a k purposely :)). Most people you have grown up with family, friends plus the new people you've just met uses this frustrating to us conquering this disease. Which is, "But You Don't Look Sick?!?!" (Which is also a very informative website along with "The Spoon Theory (for Lupus). I use the term "k.k." (written out above) but giving it no merrit, control or usage out of my language, usually but today I want you to experince a pinch of my daily walk (if I'm able to walk that day unassisted).
Every since I was a child my Daddy and maternal Grandmother constantly worked together, taking me to specialist after specialist including Health food Specialist which my (Maternal) Grandmother, Muriel Winston, whom I grew up living right next door to with my Mother, Father and 1 Sister. She was very much into eating healthy waaaaay back then. With an entire menu of home cooking "Soul Food Family Meal!" Even with them changing my diet, I still had shortness of breath (having to sleep at an acute angle, in which I still do today), bone pain off and on from out of no where. Then my "common colds"! My gosh, they would have a 4-7 day fever EVERYTIME! Not being able to walk to the bathroom right next door to my room without holding on to furniture and walls to get there. My Dad a couple years before our eldest son graduated high school. Gave our sons last report card from my 8th grade final report. In one semester I had missed 28 days of school. Yet, still graduated and maintained my honor roll state. Having Final marks for the year of 4-A's and 2-B's even though my absences were extreme. My health has been a challenge most of my life. Most "Health professionals" would say I was just lazy, she wants attention or It's all in her mind. Then I would be the one to save them from the RAGE of my Dad. My Dad knowing he had to be creative with me to get me to sit down on the porch to catch my breath, while the other children including family were still running around playing freeze tag and hide-go-seek. I was going skinny but, I loved to eat and my Dad is from Canton, MS and was and is the best cook ever, in my world! He also knew I was a tomgirl. LOL! We had a locked gate to enter the backyard. My Dad and Granny would say, unlock that fence and stop scaling it! I was very active as a youth and so was the unknown lupus I carried to this present day.
LUPUS:
Lupus Erythematosus (LUPUS) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system treats the body's own healthy tissue as foreign and produce antibodies to attack one's own body. Symptoms include a characteristic butterfly-shaped rash on the face, headace, extreme fatigue, arthritic joint disease, heart damage, shortness of breath, and impaired kidney function. There is presently no cure. Lupus follows an irregular course of remissions (inactive time) and flare-ups (active times, and may often be incapacitating. An estimated 500,000 to 1.5 million people in the United States live with the daily, painful , challenges of LUPUS and the disease strikes women nine times more than men. Lupus affects each individual physically. It also affects the person and those that love that person emotionally.
I have 3 cousins, 3 Aunts and several friends and associates affected by Lupus, none of us having any completely Identical effects of it. The hospital and several types of specialist doctors (depending on where the lupus flares-up at the time), the medications just to keep your body to mere basic daily functions, even with insurance can run from $300+ per month. I have two prescriptions right now I just can't afford to get! One is $300.00 a 3 month supply or $210.00 for a 30 day supply! The other is $90 ($30 each bu,t my insurance will only cover for a 90 day supply. Equaling $172.00 for heavy medicated pain patches!
Maybe the cure may not be made quick enough for some of us but, I'm still living and conquering this disease piece by piece. If not for me for the families to come. For some women with Lupus they weren't able to carry and some ever conceive a baby. I PRAISE GOD continuesly for loaning my husband and I "3" of his heavenly loaned children.
Help us find a cure and have some fun, food and FAMILY FUN to end the summer with a purpose. At the "18th Annual Lupus Alliance of America Michigan Indiana Affiliate Walk! Walking as long or short as you want at Lake St. Clair Metropark, Saturday September 29, 2012 and raise more money for LUPUS research and help with medical care for lupus "SURVIVOR WARRIOR'S!" Any amount you can donate to this cause for me and ALL my fellow LUPUS FAMILY around the United States, Would be 'MORE' than appreciated!! (The picture shown is of 1 of my Aunts and myself wearing my sub-group team's, T-Shirts, "Tracy's Lup~Legger's!" This year the shirts are still $15.00each but also front and back. Youth 5/6-14/16 sizes to Adult XL sizes are the same price.
*Each additional "X" is $2.00 per "X". Example: 5XL T-Shirt=$23.00
***T-Shirt funds MUST be paid directly to me (Mrs. Tracy Evans), my husband (Mr. Artis C. Evans) or sister (Ms.Tiffany Williams!) Shirts must be "Prepaid". It can not be taken out of your online donation here.
***Sweat pants (unisex) with pockets are also available "Tracy's Lup~Legger's" in purple down one pant's leg. Sizes are X-small to 2X all one price $20.00 per sweat pants. Both have a percentage to go to Lupus Alliance of America.
**REMEMBER TO REGISTER UNDER TRACY'S LUP~LEGGER'S or TRACY EVANS.
September 22, 2012 at Applebee's on Gratiot in Roseville, the Alliance will have an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT pancakes & sausages for $6.00 per person! $6.00 ALL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN EACH FOR ONLY $6.00 a person. Ever tried breakfast for dinner? It's the GREATEST ;D!
Registration for the walk begins at 10:00am, stretches and warm up's, at 10:30-11:00am and the walk begans at 11:30am.
There is raffles to win some FANTASTIC prizes through the LUPUS Alliance @ 1:30pm and you don't have to be present to win!