From Michele:
Life is so unpredictable. In one moment everything can change. When it does, it can be difficult. It may seem impossible to move on. But in spite of all fears and in spite of all desires to give up, you have to keep going. I mean, how else will you find a life that you love?
Today, hear from Jasmine. She’s a mom, a girlfriend, a daughter, and a Lupus warrior. While her life hasn’t been easy and she’s struggled, she’s been taking it one day at a time and using her experience to advocate for others.
Read her story below and be inspired!
I was about to start my senior year of high school. The specific details of the day are a blur to me, all I remember is what I felt. I woke up with a rash all over my body and was unable to walk. My joints felt as if they were on fire, and any movement caused pain…I was scared. When I saw the doctor, they immediately prescribed me Hydrochloroquine, a medication commonly used to treat Lupus, but it wasn’t until almost 2 years later, that I was officially diagnosed.
During the course of my time living with Lupus, I have struggled with managing my symptoms.
The worst being when I became pregnant. I did not plan with my doctor about becoming pregnant, so I was unaware of the dangers of certain medications to the developing baby, and was not prepared when instructed to stop my medication. I was hospitalized, had hair loss, lost so much weight I was almost under 100lbs, and could not keep any food or drinks down.
This was without a doubt my lowest point.
I was consumed by fear about my baby’s development, I struggled with accepting my pregnancy journey (I had always imagined having a “easy and healthy pregnancy”), and wrestled with guilt and self-blame. Thankfully, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy and have recovered physically from my pregnancy complications.
Now, I am on a stable “cocktail” of medications that effectively treat my symptoms.
I am also trying to make the necessary changes in my lifestyle, in order to assist with decreasing both the frequency and severity of my Lupus flares. Even with improved management of symptoms, I still have my good days and bad days. Some days I am full of energy, ready to take on the world. Yet other days I struggle to get out of bed, and even carrying my 8 month old is a painful feat.
But, I take it one day at a time, and try my best each day, which I have learned, is something to be proud of.
I now try to educate people as much as possible on Lupus. Not just about symptoms, but also about the difficulty in diagnosis, the impact it can have on fertility and pregnancy, and on how having a chronic illness can affect your mental health. For a time, I struggled with accepting that this is a part of me, a part of my journey. I was angry, confused, depressed, and anxious. And I felt as if I was being punished for something, and I allowed my diagnosis to define who I was as a person. I was the girl with Lupus. But that isn’t true.
I am so much more than that. I am Jasmin. I am a mother, a girlfriend, a daughter, a friend…and I am a Lupus warrior.
Jasmin
Connect With Her:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasmin.calvin/