My very first.....

So, I'm new to all this. Blogging I mean. Never really thought I'd get into it, but I was inspired by a friend of mine who has a pretty amazing blog outlining her life with her family....challenges and all. I don't even know if I really have a lot to say, but I guess we'll see.


My other inspiration for starting this blog is my disease. Lupus. What a bitch she is too. I was diagnosed over 7 years ago.....sounds weird saying that....and I thought I would start something to talk about what it's like to go through it. I probably should've started the blog back then because oh what interesting stories I would have. But, no need to live in the past.....it's all about what lies ahead and building my future.

For the most part I think I'm pretty lucky when it comes to my Lupus. And by that I mean, how it affects me, how I handle it and how I learn from it. I know there are a lot sicker people out there than me and that makes me thankful. But that doesn't mean that I don't get pissed off about it at times.

I'll never forget my very first flare....the best way to explain it was I hurt. I hurt everywhere. My arms, my jaw, my neck muscles, my legs, knees and feet.....and I knew with my medical history (ITP and splenectomy when I was 17) that something was up…..before going to the doctor and doing my own research on the internet I was convinced that I had that disease that the call “the Stone Disease” because eventually you become like a stone figure. Well because of my crazy health background doctors were able to diagnose me rather quickly with Lupus. Which I’m so thankful for because I hear of it taking years for some people to be diagnosed with Lupus.

Originally I was put on Methotrexate which sucked…sucked, sucked, sucked. That’s when my Rheumatologist at the time suggested Plaquenil. So I went on Plaquenil and that worked for me very well. When I was better and not flaring for a couple months I decided to wean myself off of it. I don't know if that was the best decision to do, but for me then I thought it was. My main reason was because for one, I don't have kids and with all the health problems I've had I'm pretty scared to have kids....don't want to flare up during pregnancy, don't want to pass anything on to my little one and most of all I don't want to be dependent on any sort of drug when I do get pregnant. So I thought it was the best decision to not be on it if I don’t HAVE to be. Well, that worked for a while but of course I went into another flare a year or so later....so back on Plaquenil I went....then I weened myself off again. That cycle happened a total of 3 times. Yes, I said 3 times. And if you know me at all the stubbornness that exudes shouldn’t surprise you at all :)

Ok, again, enough about the past - present day....I started to flare again a few months ago....November 23rd....back on Plaquenil. Things are looking good, I still have a lot of pain at night, but at least right now it's not EVERY night. It's been rather cold the last few days so that makes it a little difficult.....and it's funny....every time I think about the cold and how it affects my arthritis even when I'm not in full flare, I could NOT imagine still living in Maine. I think that would just cripple me in the winter. And I can't imagine all of the Lupus sufferers who do live in cold states...craziness.

Well, this blog isn't only going to be about my Lupus...that'd get rather boring....but I do want to warn you that I will bring it up now and again, because as positive as I try to be about life, I have my bad days too and it is a part of my life. I want to get into a lot of stuff.....post a lot about nutrition, meditation, people who make me laugh, etc…..but I’ll get into that later.

In signing off on my very first official blog, one thing I will never take for granted and will remain thankful for in the conscious...is my life, my family and my friends. I know that no matter how hard it gets for me and that no matter what is thrown at me, there is someone out there....well actually a lot more someone’s out there who are worse off than me. So today I am thankful.