May-Allan S. - Diagnosed at age 18

I was diagnosed in 2008. Lupus changed my life. It took a few years to get diagnosed, doctors treated me for eczema which made my skin worse. I was diagnosed with SLE mostly skin lupus symptoms, the butterfly rash and joint pains. Some mornings I had to wake up hours before the time in order for me to be on time for school. I had to change my lifestyle, as well as my wardrobe. Lupus is very sly and can get you down at any time. The symptoms that I experience now are brain fogs, headaches, joint pains, and stiffness. I can't make plans ahead of time because I don’t know what my body would tell me at that time, we should always listen to our body. My strong support system and my daughter give me hope to get up and fight every day. I have lupus but lupus doesn’t have me.