Thank you for visiting my Personal Fundraising Page.
I will be walking the Oct. 2009 walk for Lupus now walk in Union County, join me on my walk or help show support through donating to support me and the millions of others affected by Lupus.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts. Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
A little bit about my story...
I first began to show early signs of Lupus in my early 20's 2001, it started with joint pain and extreme fatigue, I had been a relatively active teen despite my childhood fight with sever asthma, and was even an athlete participating in everything from basketball, T-ball, baseball, to softball and track from an early age. The amount of fatigue I was suddenly afflicted with was unusual for me, emotionally devastating in fact. Working full time as a florist, suddenly became increasingly difficult. My days ended and began in pain. I spent years going to doctors, test after test after test, with no definitive answer for my sudden onset of symptoms. Suddenly afflicted with extreme left side weakness, I began to loose the ability to hold myself up and ended up in need of a wheelchair for mobility. I spent about a year struggling with no answers as to why an otherwise healthy 21 year old could no longer walk. It was devastating in ever seance of the word. With physical therapy and a few good doctors I was up and about again by the time I turned 23 and had finally been diagnosed with Lupus, due to high ANA levels in my blood. it was a relief to finally know some of the cause. I still had no solid answers for the sudden left side weakness and loss of motor skills, but had improved them due to shear determination and lots of physical therapy.
March of 2007 was a turning point for me in a lot of ways. I suddenly suffered 2 pulmonary embolisms and massive DVT's (blood clots) in my left leg. Doctors then discovered that I had something called antiphosholipid syndrome (lupus anticoagulant) not only had it caused the blood clotting problems in 2007 but there were signs that I had suffered a series of mini strokes some years ago, which explained the left side weakness and other related health struggles in my past. (they had not done tests to look for blood clots in the past, as it is highly unusual for a 21 year old to have blood clots) I was placed on blood thinners for an extended time.I am doing for the most part well these days, as well as someone with SLE can be.
I am lucky to have the answers I have and that I am alive. Every day is a struggle for me with pain and fatigue being my worst symptoms right now, but I feel lucky to be one of the few people that has survived PE's and DVT's and I am able to share my story and help spread lupus awareness that one day hopefully will lead to finding a cure for lupus.
It is through events such as these that I find other stories of encouragement and hope in many people living with lupus...I am and always will be a survivor of Lupus and never a sufferer. I have learned over the years to live every day to its fullest, even the painful ones...and I am truly thankful for every step I take and every breath I breathe. I may have a disease that makes things more challenging for me, but the disease will never take from me my joy, or take from me who I am.
It is not who I am it is something I have. I do not "suffer" from it, I instead have chosen to LIVE with it.