My Lupus Story

When I first was asked to write an article, I really didn't know what to write. It really made me think about some things. So I told myself to write everything that motivated me to do better.

When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with lupus nephritis. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own tissues. For me, the tissue that it attacks is my kidney. With this disease my life changed tremendously. I did one year of chemotherapy, this caused me to miss a lot of school. My parents and I still managed to get my work done and turned in. My parents knew this disease runs in my family but they never thought this would happen to their baby girl. At 8 I had to become a “big girl.” I had to remember to take 20 medications twice a day and to not show too many emotions because that may cause me to get sick. I had to remember all the foods that I couldn't eat because that might cause me to go to the hospital. I had to remember to put on sunscreen everyday because the sun could make me sick. I had to remember my childhood was over.

I was basically sick all my life until I got diagnosed because my family didn’t know what was going on with me. When I was three years old, I had Bell's palsy. Bell's palsy is when one side of your nerves in your body shut down. My mom thought I had a stroke so she sent me to the hospital. But with all my treatments they always gave me the same medicine “steroids” (not ones athlete use- ones that actually heal your body). This medication always made my body feel better.

I always felt like this disease held me back from a lot of things, mostly my social life. I wanted to be a “normal kid” but I know no one is "normal."

After my lupus got better, I promised myself that I would do something to help others living with it in the world. I wanted to create mental health programs for kids with chronic diseases and illnesses in every hospital in America. From my research, a lot of kids with diseases go through some kind of depression. Most times it comes from no one asking them how they really feel about what’s going on with their emotions. Have you ever watched the movie My Sister Keeper? That is probably the best example of how we feel, no one really cares about what we feel on the inside. They care about getting you healthy and not how you really feel inside.

I went off to college to show that a disease can’t stop you. I want to let people know the things that I’ve been through have made me into the person that I am today. With my faith in God and my family, I have become a great human being. I want to show kids and other people (not just sick) that you can do it. I want to show that you can further your education and have fun with it.

Like I said, in the beginning,I felt like this disease held me back. I really want to let people know that you have a purpose in life. You might not know what it is at the moment, but you have one.

My goal is to let kids know that your dreams do not stop because of your diagnosis. Just because of what the doctor said that can’t be fixed.

In conclusion, with you reading this essay, I want you to understand how hard working and set I am on going to school. I have things to fill and prove in my life. I believe that with these goals, I will get very far in life and in college. I have been through a lot of things and as a firm believer in God, I know they are for great reasoning. As a human, most times you want to quit, you want to give up on your hopes and dreams. You feel your hard work is not paying off, but for me, I know that hard work will pay off. I have things to do and a great life to live. Like I said before, I want to show others what they can do in their future.

Sincerely,

Nahfy Gwynn

November, 2022