Back to Blogging II

Recap: Hospital admission, Paracentesis, and Lupus Positive Diagnosis

After I was discharged from the hospital comes a lot of almost bi-monthly visit to the Rheumatology doctor, new other symptoms and other kinds of diseases accompanied my Lupus. Medicines to take care of the symptoms; medicines to take care of the side effect of the main medicine used for my symptoms.

Well, I can't really do anything about it really, just need to swallow the pills, drink my water and move on with life, anticipating the next time I need to drink medicine. Which is usually after 8 or 12 hours.

Life with lupus can be tiresome, devastating to some, but it is definitely life changing to all inflicted by it. It is hard at first, you go through all the stages of grief.

Grief doesn't only imply to the loss of a loved one, in my case, it is a loss of good health. We must recognize that we all are grieving, once recognized, I know we will all be level-headed, and will move on in bettering ourselves. 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE is the most common lupus. The type that affects every single organ of the body.

I had the textbook SLE, Lupus, from the very beginning. I had the malar rash or butterfly rash to some. And the accompanying joint pains that is experienced by more than half of the people with lupus. I actually have a tell-tale spot, that when it hurts, it means I need to increase Prednisone just for that one day, or at the minimum, drink a pain reliever. When my right heel hurts, I am about to have a flare. That is my tell-tale spot.

I think people with lupus should listen more to their body, and notice the differences that happen before a flare up. I have one, my right heel pain, maybe you have one too!

I am actually really lucky to have the most common symptoms of Lupus. They were able to diagnose me easy, and not like other people who had to wait and some wait for months or even years just to find out they have lupus and not some other disease their doctor was treating them for before. Even with this, it is still not easy to deal with lupus. The most annoying part with Lupus, in my case, is when one thing is better, another messes up. This is the summation of my 4 years diagnosed with lupus. 

SLE positive diagnosis -- labs are good -- lab found protein in urine -- c4 almost at normal, kidneys not so much -- admitted to hospital for feeling sick -- kidney biopsy -- LUPUS NEPHRITIS 5 -- kidney doing good -- PULMONARY EMBOLISM (1 day before my birthday on 2013) -- Kidney doing better -- managed kidney a lot better -- DIABETES (because of weight gain and being on prednisone for years) 

Awesome right, something positive happens, something bad happens next. It feels that I can't get a break. Seriously!! :(


References:
Definition of SLE: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000435.htm
Definition of Malar rash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malar_rash
Malar Rash photo: http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/what-your-looks-say-about-your-health/10/
Definition of Lupus Nephritis: http://www.webmd.com/lupus/lupus-nephritis
Definition of Pulmonary Embolism: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/basics/definition/con-20022849
Definition of Diabetes: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/basics/definition/con-20031902

It's done... Not going to be bothered by it...

So finally it pushed through after a long time of asking for it to be done..

I finally have my kidney biopsy done...

I was taking Coumadin for at least 6 mos now, and I was hoping of not taking it for the rest of my life... My INR is finally on good levels recently, (that's what they said) so I am hopeful that it is not for my entire lifetime.

They are holding my Coumadin for now... I hopefully I do not need to take it.

So... At exactly 1:30 pm I was on my belly being ultrasound. So they could find my kidneys. They had to poke my at least 3 times. It sucks knowing a bit of medical terms and it gets frustrating when this medical students do not know cephalic, and caudal means. And it's awesome for them to use adipose instead of fat.

Apparently, my back has too much adipose that they hit that a lot... I get it I am fat OK? Goddammit! I was in the hospital for already 3-4 days and I was already starting to swell up.

It wasn't a fun time. It was numb but i still feel it for some reason, I mean the pressure no pain. It really wasn't a fun time. After the biopsy thing, I had to be on my back for 24 hours, meaning I need to use the bed pan. I do not like bed pans, the are weird. And I really do not like asking someone to help me pee. Why would I want that?? I am a grown woman!! But I got no choice.

Oh well... now that is done... :) results next blog... :))

LUPUS...

You have greater chances of having Lupus or any autoimmune disease when one in your family or relatives has it.

Sucks... my sister has it too... I got SLE, she has nephritis. Why Lupus??? Why?