Re: Looking for an understanding person ...

[Guest guest]

,

Don't give up your dreams...just take them slower. I know this is hard as

we all do but it's so easy to get " stuck " in the sick mode with disease.

ALways remember you will have good and bad days.

We are all in this group for support....tears, laughter and joy and you

will feel soon. Just keep reading posts when you can!

take care,

gini

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:09:11 -0000, " "

wrote :

> Hello, everyone. This is my first day with this group. My name is

> Marie s and I'm a 21 year old African American

> female

> who lives in a little city called Valdosta in the state of Georgia.

> I'm single and don't have kids. I was diagnosed with Lupus

> (Mixed

> Connective Tissue Disease) in 1994. I was diagnosed with SLE May of

> last year.

>

> I was taking up Computer Information Systems at the technical school

> here. I was forced to stop because I was too tired to go to class.

> I was also working full time at a call center here in town. I was

> fired last September because I was missing too many days at work due

> to this illness.

>

> This Lupus has really been attacking my kidneys since December of

> 2002 and I'm still waiting to go into remission. Right now

> I'm

> undergoing chemotherapy (Cytoxan). This is my fourth treatment and

> I have two more to go. I'm also being treated for the depression

> that comes along with having a chronic illness.

>

> This is scary for me. I'm terrified beyond words because so far

> the

> chemo isn't working. This isn't fair and now I'm

> grieving over the

> life I had taken away from me. I feel alone and that no one truly

> understands what I'm going through. That's the reason that I

> joined

> this group … hoping to find someone who can relate to this with

> me.

>

> If there's anyone who can let me know what my options are

> please

> let me know. I can't help but look at my own mortality now and

> my

> future … I want to know what to expect but I don't and that

> scares

> me worse. You think you know yourself then here comes a doctor who

> tells you that there's something terribly wrong with you. He

> tells

> me that my body is attacking my kidneys. That makes me wonder

> why

> am I doing that, you know? I've blamed myself for this illness

> but

> I know it's not my fault. * Sigh * I just need a friend. I

> have

> nothing more to lose and I'm open to anyone.

>

>

>

>

>

> " The LUPIES Store " Come check out our store...

> http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies

>

> " The LUPIES Web Page "

> http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html

>

> " The LUPIES online photo albums! "

> Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...

> http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies

>

[Guest guest]

First of all .. welcome to the group!

Second .. quit blaming yourself for this disease!!!

No one asks to be " blessed " with this cruddy disease.. it just happens .. it is

one of life's crazy little quirks.

Your life is NOT over.. Lupus is NOT the death sentence some of the older

doctors and literature will tell you. People are surviving with

Lupus for years and years and years!!

Yes .. your lifestyle will change .. but it is not over! Not by a long shot!

and being treated by a psychiatrist is no biggie either!

Anyone who has a chronic illness that causes pain and disrupts a life the way

Lupus does is foolish if they DONT have either a

psychiatrist or a rheumotologist who is aware of how to treat depressino.

Your best bet for a doctor is a rheumotologist who deals with Lupus patients.

When you call to make an appointment .. ask how

many Lupus patients the doctor treats .. ask what kind of schooling the doctor

has had .. does he deal mostly with arthritis? or does

he deal with fibro and lupus patients?

You have a right to know what kind of doctor you are going to go to .. so dont

feel shy in asking!

" Rion "