Lupus hit my family almost a year ago coming up here! Lupus hit hard! It hit my sister-in-law! I could not believe how ill she got within just a few months. She went to the doctor's just in time to save her kidneys. She was very lucky! In the process of her being sick I helped out watching their 2 kid's all through the summer and they even slept over many nights. It was a sad thing to watch the kid's go through as well because they wanted to be home so badly.




    Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's natural defense system (immune system) attacks its own tissues instead of attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. This causes inflammation. Inflammation causes swelling, pain, and tissue damage throughout the body. If you develop severe lupus, you may have problems with your kidneys, heart, lungs, nervous system, or blood cells. Lupus is the common name for systemic lupus erythematosus, also called SLE.


    Although some people with lupus have only mild symptoms, the disease is lifelong and can become severe. But most people can control their symptoms and prevent severe damage to their organs. They do this by seeing their doctors often for checkups, getting enough rest and exercise, and taking medicines.

    This topic focuses on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common and most serious type of lupus. But there are four other types of lupus: discoid or cutaneous lupus, drug-induced systemic lupus, neonatal lupus, and subacute cutaneous lupus.











     " Dear Family and Friends,


    My nightmare of Lupus started this last year. It's been life changing experience for my family and I. Lupus is nothing to experience and nothing that I wish anybody else to experience. Having Lupus changes everything in your life. The way you feel, the way you think, the things you are able to do. I now know how important life is. My two girls mean the world to me. It was so hard for me not being able to take care of them for months. With my kidneys not working I gained 30 pounds of water. It was so hard for me to do anything. Right after I found out how sick I was, I had a kidney biopsy. Then I started chemo for 4 months once a month. Going through chemo is not fun. I am doing much better after the treatments, taking my pills, getting lots of rest and with all the many prayers. I still get very tired fast and have to take it easy. Lupus can be life threatening, but I am not going to let it take me down. I have so many dreams in life that I still want to experience. It has been a very long road and I know that I still have a long road a head of me. I will have to live with having Lupus the rest of my life. Being sick is not fun and it is hard. I will never give up. My hope and dreams are that some day we can find a cure for Lupus.

    I want to thank all my family and friends for all of your support and love. I have had so many prayers on my behalf. I know that they have been answered. I want to thank my husband Nate for all that he has done for me. I love you all. Let's all walk for Lupus together.

    Love Emily



    On May 1st here in Salt Lake City their will be A Walk For Lupus Now to help find a cure for Lupus!