Showing posts with label lupus awareness month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lupus awareness month. Show all posts

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Lupus awareness month

 Hi Everyone!
 
I've been neglecting lupus awareness month. 
Image made by Margaret 
 
Over the years I have explained what lupus is. For those of you who are new.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system becomes over active and attacks healthy tissues and organs. This causes widespread inflammation that can also settle in different parts of the body.  That's the simple explanation. 
 
These are the everyday things. 

The deep horrible things are 

Did you know that people with lupus can have seizures? 3 kinds, Tonic Clonic which are grand mall and the most common type.  It involves two phases: the tonic phase (muscles suddenly stiffen, causing the person to collapse) followed by the clonic phase (rhythmic, uncontrollable shaking of the limbs).
Absence Seizure Petit Mall. These look like an absent stare. Stopping whatever they are doing.  
The other rare generalized seizures include myoclonic seizures. These are brief shock like muscle jerks and atonic where sudden loss of muscle ton causing the person to drop to the floor. 
I have experienced the first two.  

 
The most common types of heart disease for people with lupus are; Accelerated atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease), pericarditis (inflammation of the heart linning), Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), and various heart valve abnormalities.
 
If you would like to read more info on lupus and heart disease click here. Johns Hopkins Lupus center.
 
People with lupus can have one or all of the above symptoms. They can come and go making it difficult for doctors.
As for me, I keep moving, I keep my mind busy, I try not to think of what is wrong, rather what is working on any particular day. Because as you all know.
and

Nicole
 

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Lupus Awarness Month

 Hi Everyone!

Happy May Day.

image by lupus and me


May is Lupus awareness month. As most of you know I was diagnosed with Lupus 30 years ago, and Sjogrens 6 years ago. Autoimmune begets autoimmune. Once your body turns on you it leaves it open for other diseases to join in. Both of these diseases cause multiple problems in my body. Anemia and other blood disorders. Constant stomach pain. Body aches that just won't leave me alone. Right now, due to the Sjogren's I'm having real trouble with my eye sight. The symptoms never end, they come without warning, they multiply and hit you like a mac truck. But everyday I have to carry on.

Image from google

The challenges I face everyday with lupus are sometimes overwhelming to the point that I want to cry.  I just can't do that though and have to take a deep breath and go on. 

 
I have actually had people say to me, you don't look sick. Or, why do you walk with a cane today, you weren't last week. Or, why is your face so red? I may not look sick on the outside but I am screaming on the inside. Sometimes my balance is off and I need a cane to help me along. My face is red because I'm flaring.
image from google
It's Lupus awareness month. 
 
Nicole