I talked to my daughters school about having student wear purple on May 17. The guidance lady had a dog that actually died from Lupus. I was completely unaware animals got it too. Anyway, she told me she will be more than glad to have them do it and to send her an email about what it is and what she should say, so here is what I wrote:
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is chronic and potentially terminal. Your immune system attacks its own body, tissue, joints and organs. It cause joint pain, swelling, fatigue, headaches, hair loss, skin issues from photosensitivity and organ damage. Each patient is different in there symptoms and there are several different types of Lupus. While it’s mainly genetic, it can also be brought on from reactions to medication.
Lupus is more common than Muscular dystrophy, Cerebral palsy, Leukemia and Cystic Fibrosis. It took 100 years for the first Lupus medication to be created. I know that so many people are unaware of what Lupus is so I am trying to raise awareness so people living with this disease can find comfort in society and there own lives. The more people that are aware, the closer we can come to a cure.
Here are more symptoms caused by the disease to help you have a better understanding of it.
Symptoms:
Achy joints
(arthralgia), arthritis,
and swollen joints,
especially in wrists,
small joints of the
hands, elbows, knees,
and ankles
Swelling of the hands
and feet due to kidney
problems
Fever of more than 100
degrees F (38 degrees
C)
Prolonged or extreme
fatigue
Skin lesions or rashes,
especially on the arms,
hands, face, neck, or
back
Butterfly-shaped rash
(malar rash) across
the cheeks and nose
Anemia (oxygen
carrying deficiency of
red blood cells)
Pain in the chest on
deep breathing or
shortness of breath
Sun or light sensitivity
(photosensitivity)
Hair loss or alopecia
Abnormal blood
clotting problems
Raynaud’s
phenomenon: fingers
turn white and/or blue
or red in the cold
Seizures
Mouth or nose ulcers
Weight loss or gain
Dry eyes
Easy bruising
Anxiety, depression,
headaches, and
memory loss
More serious issues:
Kidneys - serious
kidney damage is a
primary cause of death
for lupus sufferers.
Central nervous
system - lupus can
cause headaches,
dizziness, memory
problems, seizures,
and behavioral
changes.
Blood and vessels -lupus causes an
increased risk of
anemia, bleeding,
blood clotting, and
vessel inflammation
Lungs - noninfectious
pneumonia and
difficulty breathing due
to inflammation of the
chest cavity are more
likely with lupus
Heart - heart muscle
and artery
inflammation are more
likely with the disease,
and lupus increases
the chances of
cardiovascular disease
and heart attacks.
Infection - lupus
treatments tend to
depress the immune
system making your
body more vulnerable
to infection.
Cancer - lupus
increases the risk of
cancer, especially of
non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma, lung
cancer, and liver
cancer
Bone tissue death - a
lower blood supply to
bone tissue leads to
tiny breaks and
eventual death of
bone. This is most
common in the hip
bone.
Pregnancy - lupus
increases the risk of
miscarriage,
hypertension during
pregnancy, and
preterm birth.
This is absolutely wonderful and my girls will be taking picutes of all the purple/purple out!