In Loving Memory of Charlene
It's been nearly 8 months since losing my wife. Charlene was diagnosed with lupus at age 28 and we began our relationship at age 30. For the first 3 years she had no symptoms, then the seizures started and at this point she was taking 12 prescriptions at any given time. Her neurologist never considered lupus being the source and over the next 3 years she battled daily seizures. She also battled depression, migraines, joint pain, rashes, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, tremors, slurred speech, memory loss and then her kidneys began to fail. Before she passed, Charlene was in stage 3 kidney failure with dialysis/transplant both on the horizon.
She had a negative reaction to her prescription medication, had a seizure, which rolled her on her side and she suffocated while trying to recover from the seizure. At least this is what the official record showed. At the end of the day, I watched my wife suffer from this disease for nearly 8 years before it finally took her from this world. I am making lupus awareness my focus and reason for living. I miss my wife and can't help but think if lupus was viewed in its true light with a focus on awareness in the medical fields, my wife would still be here.
By Travis Rowley, Charlene's Husband