my nephew’s lady love is going thru the hell
\nof being diagnosed with lupus<\/p>\n
she’s 21 years old
\nand hurts as much as an 80 yr old
\nlike all of us living with chronic illness
\nshe has good days
\nand bad…<\/p>\n
today she wrote this…<\/p>\n
“this is it.<\/strong> I am in awe of her strength.. she’s real my nephew’s lady love is going thru the hell of being diagnosed with lupus she’s 21 years old and hurts as much as an 80 yr old like all of us living with chronic illness she has good days and … Continue reading
\n I wake up. I crawl to the edge of the bed. I sit, head in my hands, tears on my face.<\/strong>
\n I struggle to stand and walk, I stand in the shower and I let the heat work its way through my body. I feel better. I determine what pain medication to take for the day. I take it. I wait.<\/strong>
\n I put my makeup on, I stretch my body now that the aches are less. I bend, turn. Stop.<\/strong>
\n He kneels in front of me and massages my legs and feet. “be careful, baby.” I tense, flinch.<\/strong>
\n I drive to work, flex my hands on the steering wheel. Hide my skin and eyes from the sun. I love the sun although it burns my eyes and sickens me. I sit in my car, close my eyes. I am strong enough to walk. I am. I know I am.<\/strong>
\n I work, I flex my hands. My head aches and my nose feels as if its been scalded. I laugh and smile and cringe inside. I am exhausted. My fever rages, my skin itches. My bones ache. My insides ache. I fear whats making them hurt. I fear my future.<\/strong>
\n Leave work, see doctor. Test after test. Look for problem, fix. Seek and destroy. Wait.<\/strong>
\n Go home, try and eat. Sick to my stomach, I struggle up the stairs.<\/strong>
\n I snuggle, I laugh. My life is good, I am lucky.<\/strong>
\n Rest, laugh. Love. Be calm and prepare. One day down, One day at a time.<\/strong>
\n This is my life, the life of 2 million other men and women living with my disease. We are at war with our own bodies, the very immune system that is supposed to heal us, is killing us. Lupus is a disease without a face. It has no tests, no outward appearance, no cure. Few treatments.<\/strong>
\n We hide from the sun, from our favorite foods.<\/strong>
\n We never bear children.<\/strong>
\n We replace our organs with hope for a few more years. We take harmful medications, because there is no other choice. There is no help for us, no hope for a cure, little hope for pain relief.<\/strong>
\n But what else can I do. I must live, so I do. To the absolute best of my ability<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n
\nshe has a long way to go
\ndealing with what for many would be a life crushing blow
\nher motto is
\n“can’t fail”<\/p>\n
\nI’m proud to know her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"