Vania N. – Diagnosed at age 17

October 2017, I started feeling weak joints and it became very hard for me to walk. My mom took me to a chiropractor and that didn’t seem to relieve my symptoms. We went to a blood specialist, and he recommended I see a rheumatologist. When we called, they were booked until March and my symptoms became to worsen. I had rashes on my arms, my fingers and legs were swollen, I could not walk up the stairs or even put on my own clothes. We got a call about a cancellation on January 16th 2018 and that’s where I was diagnosed with lupus.

I spent 5 days getting treated including a kidney biopsy. It has been 4 years since my diagnosis and I am healthy and happy. There are days where I feel worse than others, but I live a very normal life. Following lupus.org has been very informational and something I always look back to reference. What gives me hope is hearing stories of people who also have this condition and how they were able to start a family and how their symptoms have lessened as they have gotten older. I just graduated college and my health is very stable. I am very blessed! (I’m on the right in this picture).