FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES MAY 10, 2013

Ann Yeadon-McCoy

" Dont judge my path... If you havent walked my journey.." 

My name is Ann Yeadon-McCoy and I live in Spring Creek, Nevada but I was born and raised in Wheatland, Wyoming. I am 26 and I have 3 children, and a wonderful husband. I am a stay at home mom right now but I do have a degree in Criminal Justice. 

I was diagnosed with Lupus (SLE) in July of 2003, after months of not being able to walk, get out of bed or do anything that a normal teenage girl would want to do. My mom and I spent hours on the road going to different doctors until one wonderful pediatrician in Laramie, Wyoming ran my initial ANA blood test. After that blood test came back positive his office called my mom and told her that I needed to come in right away to get started on medication. From there he referred me to a pediatric rheumatologist in Denver, Colorado. When I went there he ran more tests, and took x-rays, from there he confirmed that I indeed had lupus and started me on 2 more medications to try to get it under control.

That is the day that he told me that if I wanted kids I had better start very soon. I laughed it off since I was still in high school, needless to say I didn't know that my lupus had started to destroy my reproductive organs. Thankfully almost 10 years later I have 3 healthy kids and as of right now none of them show any signs of Lupus.

Up until about a year ago I was in remission and didn't have a whole lot of problems. It seemed like after I had my youngest and had my tubes tied everything just kicked back up. We had just moved and thankfully we had finally gotten insurance so I was able to get back on medication.

I have my good days and I have my bad days, but I definitely refuse to give up and let lupus win. I was recently introduced to the Spoon theory and I use it every day now.

I have a wonderful support system but I wish more people would understand what I am going through and really wish my husband could understand and know why I have days I cant move. I am coming up on 10 years with this disease and I am still fighting and will continue to fight.