What is LUPUS??

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory multi-system disease of unknown cause. Most commonly it occurs in women during the childbearing years, ages 15-45. Women are affected ten times more often than men in this age group. However, younger and older individuals can develop lupus, but when children or those over 45 have lupus women are affected only two times as often as men. The disease is commoner in Orientals and Blacks.

Although the cause of lupus is not known, there is a genetic predisposition to developing an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Lupus can present with symptoms for the first time in the setting of an environment trigger such as an infection, medication, or sun exposure. These triggers can also cause a flare of lupus in those with the established disease. But most of the time, we cannot identify the specific trigger for an individual patient. Sex hormones, such as estrogen, likely contribute to the appearance of the disease in the susceptible host.

Maybe, you're wondering why i posted this kind of topic. I have a friend. since H.S. She's white pale, curly long hair, talented and most of all an intelligent one. We did not expect that she is suffering from a disease called lupus w/c is an alien to us. We really don't know what kind of sickness is that thing. All we know is that Lupus is dangerous when it involves the kidneys, brain, heart and the blood elements and many of its signs and symptoms are commonly seen in other illnesses, including infections and malignancies.

We graduated. Months have passed, again I met this girl, a transferee. When I first saw her, I knew there was something in her that is usual to me. SHe's pale, always wore those jackets even though the heat of the sun is striking. After couple of days, hindi ko napigilan and i asked her : Excuse me, Bhem, if you don't mind, me lupus ka ba? then she said yes.

and this is her story :

Weak I was, slaved of my emotions. Tears fall easily, my heart wounds deeply... But everytime I got so down, I always have the strength to rise yet inevitably not all the time...

My life flows simple yet everything is satisfying. A girl who can dance every beat, can play each game, can go every place and can do, not everything but lot of things. Like a healthy being who doesn’t have limitations. My family could give me what I need, physiologically or financially. My friends-How could I enjoy my life without them? I have my friends for better and worse…I live my life normal yet not now anymore.

A year had passed already but it happened like it was just yesterday and always been yesterday. I know I’m a fighter but sad to say I’m not yet winning this game. The tiring run started just after I reached 16,November 30,2007. Lupus came to me, unknown, unexplainable and unexpected. I never knew it until the doctor told us. That was the first time I heard about it and I didn’t have any idea what it’s all about. I even didn’t feel worry since, the time I was first confined to hospital, my joint pains was gone brought by the high doses of prednisone. Besides, the findings was not yet final since the city lacks a lot of laboratory tests. After I came home and try to attend classes until graduation, I felt even worst. I can’t tolerate the pains anymore. I can’t even stand from bed everyday, every hour. As a remedy, we tried every herbal leaves. But it didn’t relieve the pains. And so we went to Cagayan. I was not confined there because the doctor never suspected that its Lupus. According to him, it was just allergy, fever and lack of calcium and exercise. After a week, we’re on the way home but my fever went even higher – and so we had to stop in Pagadian. The next day I was confined again because my WBC got very low. The doctor released me for my graduation but I was not yet fine that time.

My great desire to be in the graduation night was the medal and valedictory speech I was struggling so long. Though I looked so weak but I made it. After that, I was rushed again to hospital and that time I was really giving up. I felt weaker each day, it got more painful, so hard to move and I cant even rest on bed for long hours, my back would surrender. And my head was almost breaking and everytime I took pain relievers, the next day the pain doubled. So we just tried to relieve the aches in other ways. I even felt insane, and my hair fell a lot. I was just keeping faith. I was referred to Cebu and so, we went there immediately, and was finally diagnosed of SLE with positive ANA test and above normal ESR. We stayed in Cebu for almost two months. By June, we got home. I was not able to study for the first semester, I was still recovering and so hard, I cant even expose myself to sunlight.

I enrolled myself the next semester to take up BS accountancy. I’ve got flares because of stress and fatigue.. I just call my doctor and then she tells me what to do. I just dream for a happy life, can be a good writer, can play well my fave songs with guitar, continue my studies, be a successful CPA someday and do everything I want. I’m not sure of tomorrow, I maybe rushed again to hospital and we maybe got no money anymore to feed even ourselves, though sometimes I feel so despair for this failure and thought of resting, yet my faith keeps me standing still with this wolf of my piece..If this crisis I face everyday is a run, how I wish the finish line is near already..

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