Living with Lupus

LIVING WITH LUPUS MY STORY-MY JOURNEY KIARA HERBERT

Hi, my name is Kiara and I’m 28 years old. This is my mom and no, she was not happy at all. lupus story. As a child growing up, I did not have eve-

rything I want but I did have everything I needed. My mom always took care of me. My dad had been in and out of my life ever since I was a baby. As I got older, I began to understand that my dad did not care about me at all. Growing up I was very smart, always quiet and shy. I began dating very early, and at sixteen I became pregnant by the boyfriend I was dating. When I told him I was pregnant he was very much surprised yet happy at the same time. Eventually, my tummy started getting bigger and bigger until I finally told my My boyfriend and baby’s father was in and out of my life. I went through planning a baby shower but by the time I reached my 8th -month, he did not even come to the baby shower. A month later, I gave birth to my healthy baby girl whom I named Sarah. She weighed

in at 5 pounds 13 oz., and 17 inches long. She was full term and beautiful. I was so happy to be a mom although a teen at that time. I’d given birth to my first born and I was so happy to go back to school. I was still doing all of my homework and getting A’s, B’s, and C’s and, my attendance was good.

Soon, I was feeling overly tired and a little stressed hospitalized for 5 days. Afterward, I was released. I

out. I had to think about making the hardest choice was so happy to get home to my baby girl. As I read of my life. I told myself that I had to drop out of the hospital discharge papers, it was written that I school. I could always go back I told myself. I just was to follow up with a rheumatologist. And so I did. wanted to be the best mom I can be to my first born Every three months I went to see this doctor about child. So I did! Now here I was, a teenaged mom. I what was going on with my body. One day I went to knew everything would not always easy, but I was a my appointment and the doctor sat me down. She good young mom. So two months after my daughter’s birth, I was sitting on the living room couch, and good news is you are a beautiful person and you are I could not feel the whole right side of my body. I strong. The bad news is you have Lupus SLE.” yelled for my mom. Immediately she called 911 and I asked her said what is Lupus and what is SLE? She the ambulance came in got me. Within 8 mins they said Lupus is an illness. I said OGM!!!! Am I going to rushed me to University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio die? She said oh no, you are not going to die. Then where I lived. They ran test after test after test. she said SLE is an inflammatory autoimmune disease They did an MRI, X-ray, Cat scan, and they even drew that affects the functions of many different biological blood from my left arm. After all the tests came back systems and occurs when the body creates antibodthey said I’d had a stroke, and blood clots. said to me, “I have good news and bad news. The ies that attack its own tissues. The four types of luImmediately I was admitted to the hospital, where I pus are systemic lupus, erythematosus cutaneous lupus, drug-induced lupus, and neonatal lupus.

The doctor then prescribed medication to take every in other places. Then one day I received an email from day. I went home and began doing my own research a big magazine editor who wanted to put my Lupus about lupus. Months went by, and I started being story in their magazine. I was so happy, but I thought healthy by eating fruits and vegetables and drinking it was a joke. Turns out, that it was not a joke, but lots of water. I began doing healthy things to combat very real. this illness. For a couple years things were very good. But I will never forget November 4, 2008; the worse day of my life, being diagnosed with Lupus SLE. Years, months, days and weeks went by. I started pany. They did a big photo shoot with me and my two keeping my body as healthy as possible and as much as oldest daughters. It was great and it was a very happy I could. Then I got pregnant again, for the second moment. A couple years later, I was pregnant again time. At first, I was so happy. I was also scared and with my third child. Again, I happy. And on February 1, worried. This was a different guy, whom I had been 2017, I gave birth to another beautiful baby girl. She dating for two years. I was pregnant and he was hap- was very big, very pretty and healthy. Again I was so py. I was growing very big and very fast until finally, happy to be a mother of now three daughters. Yes, I the day came and I gave birth to another beautiful was a single parent forced to take care of all my daughter, on May 26, 2010, whose name is Shyla. She daughters all on my very own without any help from was so tiny and so little that she had to stay in the Neo their fathers. I was not about to force any man to take -natal intensive care unit for five days until she could care gain more weight. At birth, she wore 4 pounds and 4oz. She was healthy but so tiny. I just loved her so much. After being in the hospital for what seemed like

forever, we were finally able to bring her home, at 5 pounds. At that point, I was so happy to be the mother of two pretty daughters.

All I wanted to do was be a good mother to both of my children and to focus on going back to school. I started

this adult home-based program. I had to take a couple of tests and about a month later on May 28, 2014, I received my High School Diploma. I was so happy, all my family and friends were very happy too. In 2015 I began telling my Lupus story all over the internet and I sent her my story and a couple of months later my story was in the Fall 2015 Lupus Now Magazine Worldwide. It was one of the biggest magazines in the com-

derful mother to all my children, and I did not want healthy lifestyle. any more children after my third child. I love my three Sometimes having lupus, I don’t feel normal at all. I blessings from God, and me being a mother has made can’t do a lot of things that other people do. One day me wiser and happier than I’ve ever been. I love eve- in May 2018 a magazine Editor/CEO reach out to me ry part of being a mom. by email and asking if it was okay to publish my Lupus Having Lupus is not something I ever dreamt. I never story, and of course I said yes. The magazine is called thought I would I would have to take medication every Fighting for Her Life Magazine out of Houston, TX. day of my life. Sometimes it is very stressful dealing with Lupus. I have been in the “ER” over 60 times in the past couple of years. I have been dealing with Lupus for ten years long and strong. I have rashes all over my body, my hair has fallen out little by little because of Lupus. I have headaches and body pain, joint pain, chest pain. Sometimes its hard to breathe and I even have dry eye disease. I have skin issues and take medication every day. I don’t like it but I have no choice. Since having Lupus I have gained lots of friends

that have Lupus SLE. So, I know I am not alone.

Sometimes I do battle stress and depression. Sometimes I am not able to get out the bed because the body pain is that severe, and I am sick at times. Lupus messes with my bowels and even causes me to have back pain, leg, arm pain, neck pain and face pain too. I’ve been taking Plaquenil 200mg since 2008 when I They put all three of my daughters Sarah, Shyla, Rodwas first diagnosed with Lupus. I have to take two pills micka in the magazine. It just came out in this year in a day every day. I have asthma and I use an inhaler June. I was so happy but surprised cause they wanted when needed. Living with chronic illness is very tuff. to put the girls in the magazine. It was a wonderful Lupus has changed my whole lifestyle. This particular thing they wanted to do. Having lupus made me feel type of lupus is pretty much like arthritis you’re always hopeless and sad sometimes-just emotional. in pain. I always tell people, never give up hope. One entertain negative people. I like a happy, clean, and

I am very smart and outgoing. I always lift others up, body knows the tuff life I live with lupus except anencouraging them to be happy, not sad. I’ve been other Lupus survivor. That is why I share my story through ups and down with Lupus, but I am still every chance I get. Sometimes people say “You don’t here. I am a single mother of three and I want to be look sick.” I always tell them that I don’t have to look able to show others with lupus or any type of chronic sick. I’m sick on the inside of my body, not the outillness how to keep being strong and positive. As a side. Lupus cannot be questioned. I used to live in mother, I teach my girls to be happy and to teach fear of my life but not anymore. I just stay happy and them the right things. I teach them to be and do as healthy as possible. Being stress-free is very imwhatever it is they want to do in life that will make portant. Yes, sometimes I do have flare-ups from the them more independent little young ladies. I read to Lupus and it’s not always easy dealing with it. I my kids every night before bed and I tell them I love pretty much just do what I have to do for my girls them every day. I love my girls and I give them what I cause they are my world. Whatever I do in life will did not have growing up. I love to bake and I love to not stop me from anything because I'm going to alwrite poems. I am very overprotective when it comes ways be beautiful and honest and a good sweet perto my daughters. Being a single mom with Lupus is son and woman and mother that I am and that’s my always tuff, but I am stronger than that. I try not to life lupus story let Lupus get to me.

Back in 2011, I was in a domestic violence relationship. It took so long to get out it. I'm glad I did. I take multiple pills a day for lupus SLE. I always try to sit and explain it to others that don’t have Lupus. I try to tell them what it’s like living with Lupus and

how it has affected me. No one knows what causes Lupus. It is invisible to them and to date, there is no cure. Millions of people that have Lupus fight for

their lives every day. I fight every day living with lupus. If I did not have Lupus my life would have been very different. But I live for me and my kids day by day. It’s not easy but I do it, I want to inspire others to be strong, to never give up and let’s fight this thing called Lupus in all its forms. I always wanted to know what causes Lupus but I really don’t know. No-