I'm a Fighter - Its in my Blood!

Well in case you missed it - I have Lupus! I've been diagnosed for years now. For those of you - which will be most- that don't know what the heck Lupus is here is a quick explanation given by the Lupus foundation: 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.


What does that all mean? Well it means my body fights itself and lets be honest here, that's no surprise since I've always been a fighter! I've fought against social injustice, against school boards, state legislators, doctors who said I could only lose weight with surgery, neighbors who said I couldn't be a runner and my constant fight against fat. Boxers and aggressive litigator say that fighting is in their blood... me too - but literally! haha Why am I sharing all of this with you? because for over a year now I've been off all the lupus medication and been doing so well. I had very few flair ups and no complications at all. My immune system was on the rebound after being wiped out by all the meds. Now and again I would feel tired or my hair'd start to get a little thin but it'd only last for a few days at most but this past week I've been experiencing the mother of all flair ups and I didn't even recognize it as Lupus ( because physical training has increased and naturally I'd be more tired and sore)but today a new sign popped up that landed me at the Drs and the news wasn't great. I have to be seen by the specialists ASAP and there's some question as to the health of my kidneys right now which totally freaked me out but then I remembered I am a fighter. I do not sit quietly and wait for things to happen in my life, I grab life by the balls and MAKE IT HAPPEN! Yeah the prospect on having to go back on steroids and imunosupressent drugs really sucks but I'll make it work and I'll make it fit into my lifestyle. No matter what the test results say, I plan to fight back hard and strong...because after all fighting is in my blood! :)

Please feel free to check out the links below to learn more about
what is lupus ? http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2232&zoneid=523

How's lupus affect the body?
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnaffects.aspx?articleid=2268&zoneid=526

Whats the Prognosis for Lupus Peeps? http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2238&zoneid=523