Some people say that hospitals have an unbearable smell, but to be honest, in the fall of 2009, the only thing I could smell was nothing. Nothing at all. Something must have been concealing that intolerable smell. Perhaps it was my chaotic nerves, going crazy thinking of the worst possible thing that could happen, or the pounding of my cold heart, which was beating out of my chest at ninety miles per hour, or maybe it was the distinct look on my mom's face, which seemed like the world was ending right in front of her when the doctor informed us that I have lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue; and I have it.
Who would have thought that I would get lupus? I thought I was flawlessly healthy, besides my asthma and allergies; but to be diagnosed with a disease like lupus, I thought, was out of reach. But then I realized that before I had some symptoms of the disease. My ankles and wrists were always inflamed and my joints would lock constantly. I also got the butterfly rash. But something's were more painful than others.
After that doctors visit my mom told me, " your life is going to change," I just didn't know how. Fortunately,there wasn't a colossal of negative effects. My doctor did prescribe me several different medications that I would have to take and suggested that I make a journal to keep track of any more symptoms that might later come up. I had to get a lot of blood work done; I would almost go every week. Lupus can take years to fully diagnose, but my doctor is almost positive I have it.
Coping with lupus isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Of course the joints locking and pains in my chest are vexatious but not impossible to bear. Sometimes I do feel like it's the end of the world. For example, at cheer practice my joints will lock and it is extremely painful, but no one understands why I get these random pains, so sometimes it is hard and i feel alone; but like my mom said, " It's just another obstacle you'll have to get through."
Just that one trip to the hospital made such a big difference in my life. I now have to be careful with the things I do and I do get treated differently because I have lupus. I've just learned to keep moving on with my life. This experience just taught me how to live with changes.
Who would have thought that I would get lupus? I thought I was flawlessly healthy, besides my asthma and allergies; but to be diagnosed with a disease like lupus, I thought, was out of reach. But then I realized that before I had some symptoms of the disease. My ankles and wrists were always inflamed and my joints would lock constantly. I also got the butterfly rash. But something's were more painful than others.
After that doctors visit my mom told me, " your life is going to change," I just didn't know how. Fortunately,there wasn't a colossal of negative effects. My doctor did prescribe me several different medications that I would have to take and suggested that I make a journal to keep track of any more symptoms that might later come up. I had to get a lot of blood work done; I would almost go every week. Lupus can take years to fully diagnose, but my doctor is almost positive I have it.
Coping with lupus isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Of course the joints locking and pains in my chest are vexatious but not impossible to bear. Sometimes I do feel like it's the end of the world. For example, at cheer practice my joints will lock and it is extremely painful, but no one understands why I get these random pains, so sometimes it is hard and i feel alone; but like my mom said, " It's just another obstacle you'll have to get through."
Just that one trip to the hospital made such a big difference in my life. I now have to be careful with the things I do and I do get treated differently because I have lupus. I've just learned to keep moving on with my life. This experience just taught me how to live with changes.
