My Lupus Story
It all began in:1989 Began having issues with carpel tunnel. Doctor wanted to operate, but I declined since he stated the issue might return. I was working in the bank vault dealing with large heavy bags of cash.
The hours were long and
became increasingly stressful.
1991 In October my mother passed which took a toll on me. I experienced,
swelling, little aches here and there. Nothing to send me to the doctor as
my feet were not happy wearing heels to work. One day, an extremely
stressful event occurred, and life was never the same. This triggered
something in my DNA, I did not know it at the time.
1992 Physical for a new job revealed that I was slightly anemic in February. No problem. I told the doctor that the last I was anemic; I was pregnant and simply took iron pills. She said that should be fine. Nothing else was said about the matter. March 1992, I miscarried. November comes, it has been year since my mothers passing and I wanted to gather the family to celebrate thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Evewas typical predinner preparation. I went to sleep and awoke to a new world of pain that began in the right ankle, migrated upward to the left knee then the hips. This became more and more painful to the point that I could not stand or walk without leaning on the wall or furniture. By Christmas, I had to always have someone with me to get around. We were all perplexed. I went to the doctor right after new years.
I’m here advocation for additional funding for lupus research – to increase awareness of the disease in order to reduce the time it takes to get a diagnosis and get people the care they need as soon as possible.
Lupus Warrior: Mary Sias
1993 The doctor said that sometimes we deal with the loss and pain of mourning in various ways. Some people occasionally experience pain that comes and never returns, not for me. He had me to take 4 to 6 Advils every 4 hours to help with the pain. Yeah. After day three, I called and told him that it was not making a dent in the pain. I went and tests were run. Three days later the doctor called me at 8.15am and talked to me about the results. I burst out crying on the phone, I had to leave work that day. I could not handle another tragedy in my life. I was barely over my mother’s passing in 1991 and now this. I felt like life was over. He recommended that I see a Rheumatologist. The rheumatologist confirmed that I had both lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I was basically normal Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving Day it all changed. I began to live a new normal life. I went from zero pills to 30 a day in less than two months.
2000 It became necessary to have a hysterectomy, all went well until cancer was found. Had I waited an additional 3 months like I wanted to, I would have had less than five years to live with only morphine to ease the pain. Nothing would have helped with the cancer they found. 2001/02 I developed iritis. I was totally blind, twice.2015 Here we go again, something else, I was barely able to stand. I had to walk on the side of my feet. It was not easy. The bottom of my feet felt like fire ants biting me while walking over hot coals. I was diagnosed with gout.
2016 Diagnosed with thinning bones and osteopenia, early onset osteoarthritis. I was given a pill so costly; the insurance would not cover it. I bought it; after all, it was just my health. Lost my job February 2017.2018 Hospitalized for the first time with blood pressure so low it could not read, potassium and magnesium nearly nonexistent. I was in bad shape. Being without insurance I was place on Harris Health. I met the most horrendous doctor that refused to honor my prescriptions stating that Iwas over medicated. I was floored. I spent New Year’s Eve in the hospital.2019 After one year and other incidences I returned to private care. I now have osteoarthritis. Had I been given the high-priced pills; I could have delayed the osteoarthritis until my late 60’s.
Through the years I have had flares where I cannot get out of bed, cannot pick up a Kleenex, cannot open a can good or even clean myself in the restroom or comb my hair let alone dress myself. I am still standing. We need more research on lupus. At the University of Houston, a research scientist, Dr. Mohan, was testing saliva as a means of detecting lupus. It is a hard illness to detect. And that’s one of the reasons I’m here advocation for additional funding for lupus research – to increase awareness of the disease in order to reduce the time it takes to get a diagnosis and get people the care they need as soon as possible.
