Conquering the Wolf - Fighting Lupus One Symptom at a Time

It's the second half and the players are getting tired. The cheerleaders keep cheering them on as they pass the basketball left to right hoping to get the three point shot to win the game. I'm sitting on the second row of the stands, waiting in anticipation for my favorite cheer to begin. The girls start pumping their arms. I'm smiling and clapping with them, most specifically for my friend, the captain of the team, as she goes for her jump. She lands a little wrong but its ok, right? We realize that she's hurt her knee and won't be able to cheer anymore that night. It was ok though. Our team lost anyway.

The overprotective friend that I was that Junior Year in High School, I was concerned that her doctor, who had seen her for her knee, had requested more tests. Why would you test a sprained knee? Why would anyone think twice about it? Because on that night that she fatefully hurt herself, she opened the doors to her impending fate: She was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

'Sixteen year olds don't get Lupus.' 'Old people get Lupus.' 'Don't touch her!' 'She's got Lupus!' 'What's Lupus? Is that like AIDS?' I watched her slide the slippery slope of the horrible genetic disease with which there was no cure, and listened to the ignorant questions whispered in the halls. No one wanted to touch her in fear they would get what she had. AIDS was still a new thing for us in the small town we lived in and no one had heard of Lupus. No one knew that it was a chronic inflammatory disease that developed (reasons unknown) when the immune system attacked its own body's tissues and organs. We soon found what an aggressive disease it was when it targeted her joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells heart and lungs. She had her ups and downs, and over the years I watched her suffer Arthritis, Rheumatism, extreme fatigue, Shingles, kidney failure, hair loss, severe rash, and any other ailment a person's vanity could not endure.

Although Lupus can happen to anyone at any age, being a female over 30 with a history of Lupus strongly heightens your chances. Also, no two Lupus cases are the same. It's the equal opportunity disease. So if one thing happened to the girl next door, the chances of it happening to you are 50/50. Reassuring, I know. One thing that most Lupus sufferers have in common is 'flares' of the disease. For example, all would be well, then all of a sudden her hair would start falling out, or things would quiet down and the next day she would have shingles. The both of us noticed that it was generally connected to the stress level in her life.

Symptoms of Lupus can be, but are not excluded to: sensitivity to sunlight, brain or central nervous system problems, heart and lung problems, Mucosal ulcers (generally painless sores that develop in the roof of the mouth or in the nose. Generally you wouldn't notice it unless you ate spicy foods or had recurring nosebleeds. Blood vessel disorders, Raynaud's phenomenon, fever, swelling, digestive issues, and depression are also all part of having Lupus. Sounds like the disease that just keeps on giving, and being the consummate overachiever, my friend managed to have almost all the above symptoms.

Although Lupus is not the terribly debilitating disease it once was, many newly diagnosed are frightened by the fact that is a terminal disease. Let me assure you, Life is a terminal disease. When put in that perspective, Lupus doesn't seem so bad.

Through amazing breakthroughs, cutting edge technology and a tiring amount of studies on new drugs and treatments, many women (and men-yes, they can have Lupus also) live very normal lives. On the downside, almost all of them (the women specifically) live with the threat of being unable to bear children or a difficult pregnancy. Lupus increases the risk of miscarriage and complications such as high blood pressure, pre term birth, and diabetes. None of these deterred my friend though. She was determined to have children and made it her challenge to get better.

Staying healthy is a mantra for all of us, but most specifically for those with Lupus. Her skin was ultra sensitive (she had her Irish/Scottish heritage to thank for that), so the sun was a big no-no. Making sure you protect yourself above and beyond the norm is one step towards a healthier you. Exercise and a well balanced meal are also key to controlling your Lupus. She changed her diet and got out more and by doing that she changed the course of her disease. The diet can be altered to fit your lifestyle and of course consult a physician or a nutritionist to find out what's best for you.

Lupus is already a terror on your kidneys, lungs, and liver, alcohol and smoking will only enhance it. Sufferers should stay away from both. My girlfriends' flare ups seem to worsen when she was under stress. Come to find out they go hand in hand. If you can handle your stress, you should be able to handle your Lupus a little bit better. Although it was a downer (she was always the first to sleep) it seemed to make a huge difference when she slept more than the average person. Sometimes, she couldn't help it, she was extremely tired, but in any case more sleep is a definite positive in the fight against Lupus. Eight to ten hours a night with naps or breaks during the day is recommended.

After all her drug treatments, her self care, and finding what worked best for her both mentally and spiritually, she has come full circle with the disease that made both of us feel gloom and doom was eminent. Fourteen years after the disease had changed the course of her life, she was blessed with her first pregnancy. I remember when during one of our chats when I asked what her plans were that day, she said she was going to her specialist. Puzzled I asked why. She said, of course, because she had a disease. I freaked out "what disease?!" She said, "Lupus, silly!" That was when I realized, we had finally gotten to the point we had hoped for where we said, "Lupus? What Lupus?" With all the new and cutting edge ways to beat this disease, maybe one day we'll all be able to feel like Lupus is a faded memory.

For more information, visit the Mayo Clinic's website. There is a plethora of information there. Also, by doing a search on any search engine, keyword: Lupus, you will be sure to find an immense amount of information to help you fight and win the battle against this disease.