The Special Power of those who Serve

“…freely, you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8

May 10: International Lupus Awareness Day

May is once again upon us and it is a month in which we celebrate things that are very dear: Mother’s day, National Prayer Month, Memorial Day…May is the grand harbinger of hot Summer Days and also, on May 10, it is  International Lupus Awareness day.

I must confess that at first, when I was diagnosed with Lupus, I didn’t even want to talk about it, as I related it with all that was negative and down turned in my life at the moment. However, I have learned that educating ourselves is the best way to partake in the control of our condition, and educating others is a call and a privilege that keep us emotionally healthy. Knowledge is power and to share it is a responsibility.

It is not only a matter of sharing info within ourselves (those affected by Lupus) but with others as well. On this day, as  it is dedicated to awareness, you might catch a glimpse of purple butterflies, be it in brochures, posters, t shirts, walk for the Cause, speeches, blogs, or another promotional medium.

The main goal for us Lupus patients on this day and always is to focus on healing, first and foremost the physical and emotional aspects of our condition and then share our experiences with others.

Maybe not all of us are ready to give a speech on a public forum, but we can always find a way to do an outreach.

When my attitudes were negative, I used to think “why me?” Now that my perspective has changed I see that every trial just allowed me to grow, live and learn while shaping me into someone string enough to survive my circumstances and come on the other side with a story to share. The pain is but momentary when you compare it with the things that are truly everlasting: the blessings, the opportunity to touch someone else’s lives and say “hey, I’m here, I’ve been through this. I’ll lend my ears, my shoulder if you need it and I’ll keep my eyes open for those things we might learn from one and other at the end of the day.”

So, let’s be open to dialogue, even if informal conversation. Let’s have a word with members of our family, let’s make sure they know about our condition and understand our limitations. That combination of love and understanding will help us all get through.

Let’s talk to our employers, if they understand our condition, it will help productivity, as our needs and those of the company can be aligned.

If you are willing to take dialogue a step further, keep working through church or the Lupus Foundation by doing volunteer work; let’s put our ability to serve to the test. Volunteering is a wonderful complement to your therapy! If you focus on the bigger picture, then those pesky details (read, painful, dark days) won’t hurt as much. I love the idea of freely giving what we have received. Even when going through a condition like ours, let’s make life a blessed event and face the day with renewed faith.

Last but not least, let’s keep in our prayers those who are going through crisis related to our condition, hospital patients, people who have been recently diagnosed. Let’s pray so they can experience effective treatments and let’s also keep their families in our thoughts and prayers as they too are going through a transition that is sometimes confusing and even emotionally draining. Let’s give our support to those who are grieving over family members that lost a battle against this condition as well. We all belong to one family and must care for one and other.

Love to all and keep on walking down the path to healing!

Pregnancy and Lupus

From Web M.D

Doctors once advised women with lupus not to get pregnant due to the potential risks. But while pregnancy with lupus still carries its own set of risks, most women with lupus can safely become pregnant and have healthy babies.

If you have lupus and are thinking about getting pregnant, here's what you need to know about the possible risks and complications. Here's also what you and your doctor can do to help ensure the best outcome for you and your baby.

Preparing for Pregnancy

The first steps toward a healthy pregnancy and baby begin before you become pregnant. If you are considering pregnancy, it's important that you:
Ensure your lupus is under control. The healthier you are when you conceive, the greater your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. Pregnancy places additional stress on kidneys. Having active kidney disease can cause problems in pregnancy and may even lead to pregnancy loss. So if possible, avoid getting pregnant until your lupus has been under control for at least six months. That's especially true for lupus-related kidney disease.
Review medications with your doctor. Some medications are safe to take during pregnancy. Others, though, can harm your baby. Your doctor may need to stop or switch some medications before you become pregnant. Drugs that should never be taken during pregnancy include methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, leflunomide, and warfarin. Some drugs need to be stopped months before you try to become pregnant.
Select an obstetrician for high-risk pregnancies. Because lupus may present certain risks -- including pregnancy-induced hypertension and preterm birth -- you will need an obstetrician who has experience with high-risk pregnancies and is at a hospital that specializes in high-risk deliveries. If possible, you should meet with the obstetrician before getting pregnant.
Check your health insurance plan. Inadequate insurance should not keep you from getting the treatment that you and your baby need. Make sure your insurance plan covers your health care needs and those of your baby, as well as any problems that may arise.

Managing Problems of Pregnancy

Regular prenatal exams are important for all women. But they are especially important for women with lupus. That's because many potential problems can be prevented or better treated if addressed early. Here are some problems that can occur during pregnancy that you should be aware of:
Flares. Some women report improvement of lupus symptoms during pregnancy. Flares during pregnancy are not common. Periods of increased disease activity occur more often during the first few months after delivery. Research suggests that waiting to get pregnant until your disease has been controlled for at least six months reduces your risk of a flare during pregnancy. Most flares, when they do occur, are mild. Your doctor can treat them with low doses of corticosteroids.

Pregnancy and Lupus

(continued)

Managing Problems of Pregnancy continued...

Pregnancy-induced hypertension. High blood pressure brought on by pregnancy can increase your risk of preeclampsia. This is a serious condition in which there is a sudden increase in blood pressure or protein in the urine or both. It occurs in about one out of every five lupus pregnancies. Preeclampsia requires immediate treatment and often delivery of the baby. It is more common in women with kidney disease or high blood pressure and women who smoke.
Miscarriage. Approximately one out of every five lupus pregnancies ends in miscarriage. Miscarriages are more likely in women with high blood pressure, active lupus, and active kidney disease. Miscarriage can also be the result of antiphospholipid antibodies. These are a type of antibody that increases the tendency to form blood clots in the veins and arteries. That includes those in the placenta. For this reason, it is important to screen for the antibodies. It's especially important for women who have miscarried before. If the antibodies are found, your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner. That will help prevent the formation of clots. With the use of such medications, about 80% of the women will not miscarry.
Preterm delivery. About one out of every three women with lupus delivers preterm. That means before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy. This is more likely in women with preeclampsia, antiphospholipid antibodies, and active lupus. It's important to know the symptoms of premature labor, including:

• Backache
• Pelvic pressure
• Leakage of blood or clear fluid from the vagina
• Abdominal cramps
• Contractions occurring every 10 minutes

Let your doctor know right away if you experience these symptoms.
Women with lupus may have a greater risk of pregnancy complications. They do not, though, have greater chance of having a baby with a birth defect or mental retardation compared to women without lupus.

Caring for Yourself During Pregnancy

In addition to seeing your doctor regularly and following your treatment plan, there are many things you can do to care for yourself and your baby:

• Get plenty of rest. Plan for a good night's sleep and take breaks throughout the day.
• Eat healthfully. Avoid excessive weight gain. Have your doctor refer you to a dietitian if needed.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• If you have any unusual symptoms, speak to your doctor right away.

Managing Delivery and a New Baby

Your doctor will decide the method of delivery -- caesarian section or vaginal. He'll do this by taking into account your health and your baby's health at the time of labor. Many women with lupus can have vaginal deliveries. But if the mother or baby is under stress, a caesarian section may be the safest and fastest way to deliver. If you have taken steroids during pregnancy, your doctor will increase your dose during labor to help your body cope with the added stress.

Resurrecting your Dreams

“I’ve come so you’ll have life and life in abundance” John 10:10

This is week; we celebrate the most important week for those who follow the Christian faith. It will culminate next Sunday as we celebrate the Resurrection.

I have been thinking about the importance of understanding that Christ died to give us abundant life. For people like us, who suffer chronic conditions, this concept is hard to grasp, as we need to deal with our conditions and go through life either with limited resources or few opportunities to live plenty. We let ourselves go, and for those of us who believe in the concept, it does not pertain to our current condition, but to something only attainable at the end of our journey; a promise to be fulfilled.

However, the word of God gives us all certainty that our abundant life can start here and now. We can have a plenty and abundant life, here and now with Him and through Him.

Healthy or not, we have found ourselves thinking, well, if had the right amount of money, or if I had the means or the health needed, I would accomplish this or that. In my opinion, the first step towards accomplishing what is expected of us is to start a personal relationship with God. He will open our eyes to the beautiful, fulfilling things that require not money, means, and lots of time and will allow us to experience what it is to be healthy, even with a condition.

As a patient of a Chronic Condition, I remember clearly as I was diagnosed, on a month of April some years ago. My initial reaction was to put aside my dreams and expectations. The diagnosis occupied the whole frame of my mind. I gave a lot of thought to the things I could no longer do. I allowed it to take over. Eventually I understood that I was being selfish, in a certain sense, closing myself to experiences that yet awaited for me, shutting door to the people who loved and cared for me.

I learned to make it through, with God’s grace and now, looking backwards, it is all but a collection of bitter sweet memories. There were dark moments, but there were also breakthroughs.

I will always cherish the moment in which I realized, time was being wasted and that I needed to reestablish contact with family and friends that I needed to allow me to dream and believe in possibilities once more. I started reaching out to people I haven’t seen in a while, visiting those little restaurants I loved, planning trips, going back to that goal of having a family of my own, looking at my new diet restrictions in a positive light- you know there is always a chance to lose a couple of pounds J.

Start setting goals, big and small; Happiness is not as elusive as it seems to be. Sure, no one is promised a perfect life, but with God as our guide, there’s a chance things will be better. Dream big, act swiftly, when your mind is set on an attainable goal, even the pain seems lessened.

On this week in which we celebrate a risen Lord, unpack your long forgotten dreams, and make them spring back to life.