Crystal C. - Diagnosed Age 38

It started back in May of 2019. I was having my sons 13th birthday party when I noticed my hands and legs were swollen – which was odd, I thought it was the heat. For years I had rashes on my neck and face, but I thought it was psoriasis. Then the left side of my back was killing me at work, I thought I had a kidney infection but it was causing my legs to hurt really badly.

The pain got worse so I decided to go to the doctor. She gave me a blood test. After a week of still being in pain she calls to say I have lupus, something I never heard of before. I broke down in tears, I thought to myself I’m young, I don’t deserve this. So I had to educate myself on what I had. I knew I had become more tired then usual and I just didn’t have the strength to do what I’ve always done. Its effected me a lot. I get depressed and have anxiety, my hair is coming out, I’m so tired and I hurt a lot even though they have me on medicine – it just doesn’t seem to help.

I try to be happy but I have lost all confidence I’ve ever had. We need to get the word out and do more for this chronic disease. We need to be more educated. I’m a preschool teacher but my energy just isn’t there anymore but I don’t want to quit. I’m a single mom, I have to work. Let’s pull together and get the word out.