FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES
Flight of the Butterflies is a lupus awareness campaign sharing stories of the brave lupus warriors. Many don't understand lupus until they hear the walk of a warrior. Flight of the Butterflies is dedicated to sharing those stories every Friday in the month of May for lupus awareness month.
Flight of the Butterflies Begins.....
Week 1
May 2, 2014
Olga Marichon
I was diagnosed with Lupus SLE in the summer of 2007 at 19 years old. I remember waking up with swollen feet and sensitivity to light. I really didn't pay attention to my symptoms, until one day I woke up very very sick. My face and feet were really swollen and somehow I felt as if my heart was going to come out from my chest. My mother took me to the hospital and that's were they told me that my blood pressure was really really high. They did a bunch of blood work and the only thing they could tell me was that my kidneys weren't working properly. Later that day they did a kidney biopsy and indeed results came back positive. I was diagnosed with Lupus SLE stage 4.
I remembered staring at the wall and trying to figure out what Lupus was. It didn't hit me until I googled it and read everything about it. I cried for days and days asking God why. I remembered my doctor asking me if I had plans in my future to have babies. I asked her why and she just stared at the floor wanting to cry. I knew something bad was going to happen. She said the only choice I had was getting chemo the strongest dosage there is in order for my lupus to get it under control. That's when she told me that if I do take chemo I wont be able to conceive.
That hit me the most. So at 19 years old I was told that I wasn't going to be normal. That I will have a disease for the rest of my life. That I will not be able to be a mom. While all my friends went clubbing I was at the hospital seeing how day by day my body was changing. Weighing 125lbs to 160lbs and back to 90lbs. Losing all my hair and not being able to do simple tasks by myself.
Seven years later here I am in remission for for 6 years weighing 135lbs. Happy that I have my hair back and doing all my tasks by myself. And most important, I have a 2 year old healthy son.
One thing I have learned was to never lose hope and understanding what lupus is and listing carefully to your body.
Live each day as if it were the last. Enjoy every second you have with your loved ones. It wont be easy but we will get through this.
Lupus In Color is excited to present Olga's story to the world. As a Lupus Warrior she is actively promoting lupus awareness and wearing the armor of strength in doing so. Lupus In Color Salutes you Olga Marichon.
YOUR BUTTERFLY WINGS ARE FLUTTERING, YOUR CHIN IS UP, YOUR ARMS ARE EXTENDED AND YOUR CHEST IS OUT! FLY ON BUTTERFLY! FLY ON!
PLEASE SHARE OLGA'S FLIGHT ON YOUR WALL AND START HER BUTTERFLY JOURNEY SPREADING LUPUS AWARENESS!
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