I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE Lupus) in May, 2008. I had been fighting various illnesses for quite a few years and my family doctor finally said that he could not help me anymore and I needed to see a specialist. So he sent me to see a pulmonologist and during the course of his testing to find out why I was so sick, one of the tests came back abnormal. He called me in and told me that he although it was not his field of specialty he was fairly certain that I had Lupus. I had no idea what Lupus was! So he referred me to another specialist but in the meantime I got on the internet and found The Lupus Foundation of America (www.lupus.org). There is so much stuff out on the internet I was thinking that this was probably a fairly reputable site to get information from. While it was a little overwhelming it was a great resource for what questions to ask my doctor. I still refer to it every once in a while to see what might be happening as far as treatments or education. They have a great Resources tab with all kinds of information from Local Resources to clinical trials. Their whole existence is devoted to helping people with Lupus live a better, easier life.
May is Lupus Awareness Month. There will be a Walk for Lupus and a 5k Run on May 6, 2012. The money raised will help in the education of the public and research development of new treatments. You can create your own Walk/Run team or join one already existing. All of us with Lupus will appreciate your support.
~ Kristi Lovett
Do you know Lupus?
Most people don’t. It’s not one of the “popular” diseases that you hear celebrities talking about (but hopefully that is changing). It’s also not a “glamorous” one that gets a lot of fundraising efforts. But hopefully that will change also. In 2011 the first drug specifically developed to treat Lupus in over 50 years was approved by the FDA. 50 years! So for over 50 years people with Lupus, like me, have been treating the disease with medicines made for other diseases that “just happen to have some effect on Lupus”.
The Lupus Foundation of America is fighting the fight every day for more research, better education and more financial support from the government as well as from corporate and individual sponsors. This education and support goes a long way to bringing better treatment, and hopefully, someday, a cure.
May is Lupus Awareness Month. Each day the Lupus Foundation of America shares a fact about the disease on their website (www.lupus.org) or on their Facebook site to better educate the public. There will also be a Walk for Lupus and a 5k Run on May 6, 2012. The money raised will help in the education of the public and research development of new treatments. You can create your own Walk/Run team or join one already existing.
What is Lupus
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.
Facts About Lupus
