An overview...
For those who are clueless on what Lupus is doing to my body (mind you, it affects everyone differently), here's a detailed list of what happened starting in October 2010.....
October 2010.. returning from a football game, I strained my knee going down the ramp. I thought I could deal with it but it was affecting how I walked and putting more stress on other joints. So I went to see my GP and she had me get an ultrasound and found that it was a Baker's Cyst. I was Rx some noninflammatory drugs (600mg) and rest.
A week later, I started to feel like crap. I thought it was change in the weather and stress from classes. Monitored my temperature and it was 102.8 to 103.5. I didn't have any aches or pains but just a fever. Odd so I just pushed onward thinking nothing of it. After 2 weeks (+/-), John told me to make another appointment to my GP. Reluctantly, I did.
I told the GP my symptoms (which was just a fever) and she knew I had Lupus as well. She asked me if I was tested for meningitis and if I had pains in my back. I told her only symptom I have is this fever. So I baffled her and asked me if there was someone that could take me to the ER to get more tests done.
Lucky for me, John (at the time) worked from home on Mondays. So I called him and asked him to come up to the GP's office (about 5 to 10 mins from the house) because the GP wanted to admit me to the hospital. My only thought was REALLY?! What a pain in the ass!
So we went to St John's. After being in the ER room for hours with doctors and nurses asking me the same questions, I had my lungs x-rayed, blood drawn from my crook of my arm, placed with an IV, and given Motrin to reduce the fever. I had one doctor ask me what my symptoms are and again, told them I only had this high grade fever but I also have Lupus. I honestly do not think they heard me. Unfortunately, they had me stay overnight.
John stayed with me as long as he could but he had to get home. Not much he could do anyways. So here I am, in a room with another patient who had her TV up and I am tethered to an IV. Going to the bathroom was an adventure since I had to be ultra careful with these damn tubes in me. So the next morning, I was awaken to a rheummy who knew the rheummy I was seeing. This rheummy gave me prednisone and also a script for home. He noticed how swollen my hands were and how I couldn't extend my fingers at all.
Then the fun part came when another doctor came in. I forgot what his specialty was but he had a gang of interns with him. They were asking me so many questions and I answered them and even showed them my alopecia and swollen hands. I was finally released about 11am on Tuesday. I couldn't wait to get home!
I never had any real problems with Lupus until that day and after that, things got steadily worse. My blood work came back with markers that were showing that Lupus was attacking my joints big time and urine sample was showing my kidneys were not functioning ok. At the time, Dr. Leisen (rheummy), decided to try Cellcept to see if it would help with controlling this disease and perhaps get me off Prednisone.
About March 2011, my feet started to have the pins/needles feeling. Again, I thought nothing of it but after a week, I have had enough! I called the rheummy up and told him of this. He said let's see if the Cellcept will help but we have to wait for it to kick in. UGH!
So after monthly visits of my rheummy I come to find out on June 24th that he took another position and referred me to another rheummy. That made me real nervous since I did have a good connection with Dr. Leisen.
So the first week of August, I had my 1st appointment with the new rheummy. My mom did some Internet research on her and this rheummy is about my age and was up on all the new drugs and methods. Ok, the last thing I really want is to be a lab rat but if it will help with my feet, I am willing to try!
So the meeting with Dr. Bishnoi... first let me say, I LOVE HER! She listened to all my problems and is very proactive when it came to my numb toes and feet. I get to see the nuerologist on Sept 23 at the Henry Ford in Troy. Not sure what they are going to do but it sounds like they just may zap and find out what is going on. Then I get to see Dr. Bishnoi in October for a followup.
I think I covered pretty much what happened with what Lupus has done to my body. It is a serious disease!! I wish I never knew of it but I do. I do what I can to raise money to help others who are in worse shape than me, I belong to a couple of support groups since others really have no clue what I go through, and just listen to my body on what I can and cannot do.
October 2010.. returning from a football game, I strained my knee going down the ramp. I thought I could deal with it but it was affecting how I walked and putting more stress on other joints. So I went to see my GP and she had me get an ultrasound and found that it was a Baker's Cyst. I was Rx some noninflammatory drugs (600mg) and rest.
A week later, I started to feel like crap. I thought it was change in the weather and stress from classes. Monitored my temperature and it was 102.8 to 103.5. I didn't have any aches or pains but just a fever. Odd so I just pushed onward thinking nothing of it. After 2 weeks (+/-), John told me to make another appointment to my GP. Reluctantly, I did.
I told the GP my symptoms (which was just a fever) and she knew I had Lupus as well. She asked me if I was tested for meningitis and if I had pains in my back. I told her only symptom I have is this fever. So I baffled her and asked me if there was someone that could take me to the ER to get more tests done.
Lucky for me, John (at the time) worked from home on Mondays. So I called him and asked him to come up to the GP's office (about 5 to 10 mins from the house) because the GP wanted to admit me to the hospital. My only thought was REALLY?! What a pain in the ass!
So we went to St John's. After being in the ER room for hours with doctors and nurses asking me the same questions, I had my lungs x-rayed, blood drawn from my crook of my arm, placed with an IV, and given Motrin to reduce the fever. I had one doctor ask me what my symptoms are and again, told them I only had this high grade fever but I also have Lupus. I honestly do not think they heard me. Unfortunately, they had me stay overnight.
John stayed with me as long as he could but he had to get home. Not much he could do anyways. So here I am, in a room with another patient who had her TV up and I am tethered to an IV. Going to the bathroom was an adventure since I had to be ultra careful with these damn tubes in me. So the next morning, I was awaken to a rheummy who knew the rheummy I was seeing. This rheummy gave me prednisone and also a script for home. He noticed how swollen my hands were and how I couldn't extend my fingers at all.
Then the fun part came when another doctor came in. I forgot what his specialty was but he had a gang of interns with him. They were asking me so many questions and I answered them and even showed them my alopecia and swollen hands. I was finally released about 11am on Tuesday. I couldn't wait to get home!
I never had any real problems with Lupus until that day and after that, things got steadily worse. My blood work came back with markers that were showing that Lupus was attacking my joints big time and urine sample was showing my kidneys were not functioning ok. At the time, Dr. Leisen (rheummy), decided to try Cellcept to see if it would help with controlling this disease and perhaps get me off Prednisone.
About March 2011, my feet started to have the pins/needles feeling. Again, I thought nothing of it but after a week, I have had enough! I called the rheummy up and told him of this. He said let's see if the Cellcept will help but we have to wait for it to kick in. UGH!
So after monthly visits of my rheummy I come to find out on June 24th that he took another position and referred me to another rheummy. That made me real nervous since I did have a good connection with Dr. Leisen.
So the first week of August, I had my 1st appointment with the new rheummy. My mom did some Internet research on her and this rheummy is about my age and was up on all the new drugs and methods. Ok, the last thing I really want is to be a lab rat but if it will help with my feet, I am willing to try!
So the meeting with Dr. Bishnoi... first let me say, I LOVE HER! She listened to all my problems and is very proactive when it came to my numb toes and feet. I get to see the nuerologist on Sept 23 at the Henry Ford in Troy. Not sure what they are going to do but it sounds like they just may zap and find out what is going on. Then I get to see Dr. Bishnoi in October for a followup.
I think I covered pretty much what happened with what Lupus has done to my body. It is a serious disease!! I wish I never knew of it but I do. I do what I can to raise money to help others who are in worse shape than me, I belong to a couple of support groups since others really have no clue what I go through, and just listen to my body on what I can and cannot do.
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