Dealing With Lupus Part 1

So, I was sixteen... I kept having wierd things happening with my body. My salivary glands would swell up so bad that I looked like I had mumps and the pain, the pain was horrible. They'd hurt worse when I'd eat and I was already too skinny. I'd also have random boughts of pink eye, allergies so bad that my eyes would itch until I rubbed them raw, and if I pet a cat, I'd almost instantly have ring worm. My parents were at a loss. They'd taken me to just about every doctor in our small town and nobody had answers. My mom finally took me to her doctor, who lived in an even smaller town (he even raised llamas!). We live in Idaho, which at the time,was probably a quarter of the population it is now. Her doctor ran some blood tests on me and then we waited. By this time, I was seventeen and a junior in high school. We finally got some answers though. My now, llama raising doctor, figured out that I may have some sort of an autoimmune disease and he thought it was Lupus. He referred me to a pediatric rheumatologist at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. By this time, I was so sick and anemic, the doctors were very worried and told me to pack a bag because I could be in Salt Lake for a while. I had a very rough go at first. By the time we made it to Salt Lake City, I could hardly move and my mouth had become so raw, I couldn't eat. The doctor ran tons of tests and I felt like a lab rat. The U is a teaching hospital, so my room was surrounded by my parents, the students, and the doc. It was pretty scary as a seventeen year old girl. I didn't have to stay on Utah, thankfully. The downfall was they did come to the conclusion that I had SLE Lupus and another autoimmune disease called Sjrogens, which causes you to have a severely dry mouth (which is what caused my mouth to be so raw & my eyes so itchy). They sent me home with several prescriptions to fill and off we went. We were glad to finally have some answers. One of the prescriptions I had to take was prednisone. For those of you that don't know it, it is a steroid. They put me a very high dose and the side effects really set in.... paranoia, insomnia, weight gain, and best of all, "moon face. Your face pretty much retains water so your face looks fat. It was really fun as a young teenage girl. I did miss a couple months of school, because I was so anemic and could hardly get out of bed, but I stayed caught up at home. When I did go back to school, it was tough. Lupus was not a well known disease at the time, so it was hard to explain it. Plus I had this wierd fat face and an extra twenty pounds on my 90 pound body (built like my grandma & great grandma, who was 90 pounds her entire life, even after having ten kids!)! Thankfully, I stayed strong and I have the Lord to thank for that. My loving parents raised me up to know Jesus Christ and with Him, I probably wouldn't be alive today. I'm going to stop here for now, but there's a bunch more to come. If anyone out there has Lupus or any other medical issues, feel free to contact me if you are feeling down or just need a friend and a prayer. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13. “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit …” Ephesians 6:14-18

EVERYONE NEEDS A "CHEERLING SQUAD"

So I'm going to brag about myself for a minute and I don't like to, but I'm very proud of myself right now. A few years ago, I got really sick, really really sick and ended up losing the ability to walk. I had to stay in Salt Lake for months. First I was in the hospital & then their rehab facility. I came home and slowly but surely got back on my feet again. It was a long road and during that I gained more weight than I have ever in my life! I'm built like my grandmother, which I've always been 100 pounds and small. I hated that 30 pounds! I had days where I'd cry because nothing would fit! So I got a Fitbit and started goals for myself. I started slow, would do maybe 300 steps a day (still hard to walk long distance). Than I kept increasing and this year I started doing yoga and some cardio. My goal was 110 before leaving for Florida, I got to 111.4, which was great! I am now walking anywhere from 5,000-11,000 steps a day. When I got back from Florida, I had an appointment at the doctor, I weighed 108.3! We walked so much, I lost more & in a healthy way! Yesterday, i weighed 107 at the doctor! I'm just very happy to be back to my normal self. And I'm healthy! I might still be on oxygen, but i don't let that effect my physical activity or my life! I also started taking apple cider vinegar pills everyday and I really think they got my metabolism back to normal. I lost somewhere between 8 and 10 pounds within a couple weeks of taking them religiously. I want to give a shout out and many thank yous to you ladies who have inspired me to do this! Kylie Jo, you are one of them! You are looking so amazing and you are doing it right! Keep up the great work! My mom has always been a huge motivator in my life and she isthe best mom ever! And without my husband's encouragement all the time, I don't know where I'd be today. He an amazing manà One more thing.... set goals for yourself and get yourself a "cheer sqad" (ie. Friends, family, whoever) and tell them you need encouraging or if you're having trouble sticking to your goals, talk to someone or pray (or whatever your preference). I rely on my family and friends to cheer me on & they are a huge part of why I did this, but most of all I rely on God, I trust in him completely. If anyone out their is struggling to find themselves or want to set goals, but can't figure it out, Facebook or Intagram me. I'm no professional that's for sure, but I can tell you how I've gotten over the many hurdles in my life! God bless!

Should We Send Our Kids To College?

I have seen so much craziness on the news about colleges! I just cannot believe these kids and the way they are allowed to behave! Then there is the professors... oh my goodness!I just saw a quote from a processor in Boston. "Northeastern University economics professor Barry Bluestone purportedly says on the tape that "sometimes, I want to just see [Trump] impeached. Other times, and I hope there aren't any FBI agents here, I wouldn't mind seeing him dead." I just can't believe that is acceptable at a university! The liberals are going crazy on gun control, while people are saying things like this! People like Ann Coulter are getting shouted out of colleges because they don't want to hear someone talk that could possibly make them think! What happened to free speech? If my son got a scholarship to one of these so called, ivy league schools, what should I do? I'm afraid he'd be beat to death for not thinking like these evil children and being pro-Trump. For shit sake, my son doesn't need a hug when he hears something that may "hurt" his feelings! He gets a grip and either argues his point or takes it like a man and says, "yeah, your right, sorry". My son would love to get a basketball scholarship to somewhere like U.C. Berkley, but I just cannot see myself letting that happen. That place is completely crazy! Riots of kids lighting stuff on fire and going crazy trying to break windows! It just makes me so sad. I just saw an article about Ben Shapiro going there to speak and the liberal little punks got so crazy that arrests were made and there were hundreds of protestors. Shapiro is a great speaker and knows his stuff. I'd love for my son to go see him, but dang,he might get the crap beat out of him. What do we do in a world like this? Do we send our kids off and hope for the best? I know I need to "trust in the Lord with all your heart" and all I can do is pray about it. I just hope the best for my boys and want the best for them. Keep your eyes on God and pray for our country. Pray for the future of our children and future generations. James 1:9 says, " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go".

Living With Lupus: A Litttle Autobiography

So, I thought I'd write a little about myself, so if anyone reads my blog they can find out a little about me. I was born in Texas, but we moved to Idaho when I was still pretty little. I've now been in Idaho for about 32 years. It's a great place to live, and no, everyone does not grow potatoes in their backyards. Ha ha! We have close to 50,000 people in our town. As a teenager, I had a lot of problems being sick a lot. After several years of seeing just about every doctor in town and having every test known to man-kind, I was diagnosed with lupus at seventeen and another autoimmune disease called sjogrens syndrome (dry eyes/mouth). I had to spend a lot of time in Salt Lake at the University Hospital because we didn't have any specialist here that could help me. I missed several months of school (junior year), but once they found the right meds for me, I got back to a some what normal life. Having lupus did make me have to grow up faster than most, but having God in my life kept me positive. Lupus mostly effected my skin; it effects everyone differently. I ended up getting bad sores on my legs, hands, and arms (similar to diabetic ulcers). I had a very difficult time fighting infection, so I hsd to go to Boise and see a wound specialist. I had to endure a lot of pain and suffering with all of it. The doctor would have to clean them with a scalpel and I had a ton of skin grafts. I also lived in Boise for a month to do hyperbaric oxegen therapy. It helped, but the skin grafts were the best treatment. I did lose my big toe on my left foot and have horrible scars on my legs and arms, but have after a couple years of all this, I finally quit getting sores and then sort of went through a time of remition. I did end up have knee surgery when in was 21. Years of taking prednisone depleted my bones and they had to do a bone graft. The graft didn't take, but it was in there good enough, that I could go a few years before a total knee replacement. They did not want to replace it since I was so young. I went on with life. I worked at a dental office and my boss was knew my situation and was awesome about me having surgery or if I need to be off because of my illness. I started working there when in was a senior in high school. I did filing and helped out with whatever they needed. A couple of years later, they needed someone in sterilization, so I did that full time after I graduated. I decided to go into culinary arts the next year, but still kept my job at the dental office. I absolutely loved my job and loved cooking, so I did both! A year and a half later, my knee quit working, so I had to get it replaced. I only needed one more semester of school, but just couldn't do it. I had my surgery and went back to work as soon as I possibly could. We ended up having a front office position open up, so I took over. I also learned to some dental assisting, xrays, and other stuff. It was a really great job and I loved it so much! My orthopaedic surgeon told me that this knee replacement had to last because I could end up having my leg amputated if the knee replacement didn't last or if I got an infection. Well, about 13 months later, I got a bad infection, but luckily they were able to pull out all the hardware and back it with antibiotics. I couldn't walk on it or out any weight on it for weeks and then went back and they out a new, much bigger knee in. In 2007, I met the most wonderful man in the world! We were married in 2008. He knew all about my health issues and also the fact that I couldn't have children. I had to have my fallopian tubes out when I was 19 due to endometriosis and lupus. I was heart broken when it happened. I was very much planning on having many children when I was younger. I babysat many kids in my teen years and loved babies, but my illnesses stole that from me, however, God put August, my husband, in my life. He already had two sweet boys from a previous marriage, so now I am "mom. We got full custody three years ago. I love these boys as if they were my own. I know I'm bouncing all over the place, but I've been through so much! So, about eight years ago, I ended up getting very sick and quit working. I was puking all the time and ended up weighing about 80 pounds (I was usually about 100lbs). I applied for disability and was finally approved after having a ton of tests to figure what was causing me to be so sick. We finally, after having my gall bladder out, found out I was having esophageal spasms. That was causing me to puke up everything. I got on the right meds and got back to a normal weight. So, I was good for about four years. Then 2012 rolled around and once again, more problems. I was very weak and having a very difficult time breathing. I was sent to a pulmonary clinic and found out I have pulmonary hypertension, and needed to be on oxegen 24/7. This was a very upsetting thing for me. I have always been a very active person and this really brought me down. Luckily, with the help of my husband and family, they reminded me that God gives us trials, but we can over come them with His help. Romans 5:3-5 says, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us". After about six months on oxygen, I was still very sick. My husband took me to the hospital and they immediately admitted me. Unfortunately they had no clue what was going on and they thought I was dying. They contacted the University of Utah hospital and life flighted me there. They ran test and I seemed to get better, so I was only there for two days and they sent me home. Two days later, I was not well and had major swelling and red hot skin in my right leg (where I've had my knee replaced twice). My husband ran me to the hospital and once again, I was life flighted back to SLC. I had gotten septic and I truly was dying. I had been so weak and atrophied that I could no longer walk or hardly move. They had to pull out all the hardware in my knee and clean it out. I was super lucky though, I didn't loose my leg and they got me there fast enough that I got the treatment I needed. However, I found out I now have many autoimmune diseases, like 8 or 9. Most of them I can't even pronounce like,ITP. I also got a bad sore right where my Achilles tendon is because the knee brace they put on me was rubbing. It was terrible! I had to have intense wound debridment and major skin grafts done,but after time, it healed. I also ended up having to stay in a rehabilitation center at the University of Utah, once they got me feeling better. It was intense therapy. It was three hours a day and they worked my butt off! It was really tough to have to be there so long. I missed my family so much. My kids were in school, so I didn't get to see them at all while I was away. My husband was able to be there quite a bit, but he also had to work. It was a huge motivation though. I knew I had to get walking and moving if I was going to go home, so I did. I worked harder in those three weeks, than I think I ever have before. And sure enough, I was released right on time. So, it took a while for me to actually be back to normal, but every year since that, I've just gotten better and better. My heart has almost gone back to its normal size (pulmonary hypertension cause it to enlarge) and I've even gone deer and elk hunting the last two winters and played some golf last year. Isaiah 41:31 says, "31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." This is one of the many verses I try to remember when I'm sick or not feeling up to par. Someday I will be in a perfect place, Philippians 3:20-21 " 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." I cannot wait for that day, but I will be patient because I know there are more people around me that I can tell the gospel to and hopefully they will listen and be saved. Without God, I don't know where is be today? I've had so many people over the years ask me how I always have a smile on my face and I tell them, it's because of the one and only true, Jesus Christ our Saviour! Thanks for listening, I know this is a long one, but I really wanted to share my story. If anyone had comments or questions, feel free to leave them. In fact, is love it if you would. God bless you all!

TO CARRY OR NOT CARRY

So, I've been torn with all the "gun talk lately. I've grown up with guns and learned from a very young age how to use them properly and safely. I also live in a smaller town and less populated state, so I haven't personally had to deal with horrible killings or murders, but I watch a ton of news and am well educated in politics. Now that I'm older and have kids of my own, I carry. I'm a young woman that has to be on oxygen because of several autoimmune diseases, so it sets my husband and my own mind at ease when I'm out and about, in fact a friend of mine posted something on Facebook today. And I quote,"I stand behind you in line at the store with a smile on my face...and a gun under my shirt and you are none the wiser, yet you are safer for having me next to you. I won't shoot you. My gun won't pull it's own trigger. It is securely holstered with the trigger covered. It can't just go off. However, rest assured that if a lunatic walks into the grocery store and pulls out a rifle, I will draw my pistol and protect myself and my family and therefore protect you and your family. I may freeze up. I may piss my pants. I may get shot before I can pull the trigger...but, I won't die in a helpless blubbering heap on the floor begging for my life or my child's life. I won't be that victim. I choose not to be. As for you, I don't ask you to carry a gun. If you are not comfortable, then please don't. But I would like to keep my right to choose to not be a helpless victim. There is evil in the world and if evil has a gun, I want one too..." This is how i feel. I also heard something the other night on a news show. They were discussing what schools could do to be safer and one of the guys said they should take retired veterans that either need a job or could use a job and train them to guard our schools. Have one to two well trained men or women at each and every school across America. Not only would it protect our schools and children, but it would give more Americans jobs. I just thought that was brilliant. If people knew there were armed guards at each and every school, I guarantee the little creeps that want to go shoot little innocent children and teachers, would think twice. There will always be evil in our country, no matter how much we protect it, but if there's a way we can protect it better, that makes everyone feel better. I also want to take a second and ask God to help protect our children and families and to ask Him to help our leaders make the right decisions. Also Lord, please help our country and the divide we have right now and to please lead more to know you God and to find peace in times of suffering and pain. Thank you for everything you have given us, even though we don't deserve it. You are a gracious and loving God. Thank you so much! Amen Thank you everyone for listening to me. If you have any comments, please leave them, or any ideas/ topics for me next time. Im new at this, so please forgive me if I am not the greatest writer quite yet. Thanks!

IF THERE IS A HEARTBEAT THERE'S LIFE!

I was just listening to Tucker Carlson (my favorite news show) and he was discussing the fact that a certain pro-choice group would like to advertise abortion as a "blessing". They would also like abortion to be a funny topic on sitcoms and how it is something that can be publicly joked about. I'm not a blogger, but lately I've felt like talking about how much these topics makes me sick! I'm a pro-life, christian, God fearing, 36 year old woman that could not have children of my own. In was diagnosed with lupus at seventeen and have acquired eight more autoimmune disease since. This may sound like a huge deal to some, but I trust in the Lord and He has blessed me with a wonderful and caring husband that had two beautiful boys that now call me mom. I've been through a lot in my life, but have always tried to keep my eyes on the Lord. Back to my main subject.... abortion is so wrong! When you can hear your baby's heartbeat at six weeks, that means life. Your heart is whay gives you life. Without it...we are dead. How can anyone argue that? One of the ten commandments is do not murder, and with God, as Christians, we cannot bend the rules to whatever we want. We all son and we all go through tough times, but," Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Good is always there to help us get through things. Instead of taking a life, give that life to someone who yearns for a little bundle of life. Im not just writing this to preach, but to maybe help someone stop and think before they do something they'll regret. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart". God knows the number of hairs on our heads, knotted everything that we will go through on life before we do. God is ALL KNOWING, BUT ALSO ALL FORGIVING! I just hate the evil that is going on in this world today and I pray constantly for Christ's return, but until then,please think hard before taking a life. I know people that have and it had really scared them mentally and physically in some cases. This is not a laughing matter; a baby is a blessing from God. In also want anyone who may read this that has had an abortion to know that I don't just or think poorly of you. God forgives everything. You just have to ask, and He gives. Please let me know if you would like any information on coming to know God. It is really quite simple. Love Him, read His word and ask for understanding in prayers or with a pastor, and ask forgiveness for your sins. God loves all!