So life's been a little "on-hold" lately. Lupus has reared its ugly head and decided to take its place in my lungs (Lupus Pleuritis) Needless to say - not a fun experience. I've been in the bed for 4 weeks now...showing some improvement lately. Baby steps, but improvement none the less. Not to bore you with the ins-and-outs of this disease but if you don't know a lot about it - its something to behold. It's known as "the most misunderstood disease" because it mimics so many other diseases. It can take years to diagnose and no two lupus patients present the same way. It can attack ANY part of your body (lungs, heart, skin, kidneys, etc) It's basically an attack of your immune system on all your healthy cells, which causes inflammation, scarring and hosts of other issues. It comes and goes in a series of relapses and remissions so lots of people "look great" and are still very sick. As of today, I'm on 22 pills just to keep things at bay and most of the meds are toxic in their own right - causing a load of nasty side effects and putting me at risk for other diseases.
May is actually Lupus Awareness Month. www.lupus.org Some might say perfect timing for people to see how yucky lupus can really make a person feel. I know lots of you have been praying for me as I've been keeping things updated on Facebook. You have no idea how much it means to read your encouraging words and know that you are in my corner and are understanding of this disease as best you can. Amazing friends and family I have. :)
And with saying that- let me brag (just a bit) on my wonderful hubby, Chris. I love that man. He is my ROCK. He has been with me every single step of the way and loved me through it all. He knows just what I need when I need it ~ whether its something to eat/drink, hold my hand, give me a hug or to just sit with me and let me cry. Sometimes he's bossy and makes me sit down and quit talking but I know he's right. (Just don't tell him!) ha! In the midst of the past month, he has taken over and taken care of everything. The kids, the house, his job...all while not complaining, watching me suffer and knowing there is nothing he can do to "fix this". Hard for a loved one, I know. He's a very special Husband and Daddy and I am so thankful for him. We celebrated 14 years of marriage on May 9th and I honestly can say that I love him more today than I did on our wedding day! Thank you Chris for all your love and support.
Also want to say how thankful I am for Mom, Dad and Mandy along with all my wonderfully giving friends and family who have stepped up for car-pooling, dinners, breakfasts, phone calls, emails, love and prayers. The MacNicol House could not be functioning without every single one of you and your thoughtfulness. Always asking "What can I do for you?" We are overwhelmed by all the love.
Our boys ~ oh my they are growing up so fast! Just finished baseball season and unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the last few weeks of games, which I hated. But they are such troopers! Tucker wakes up every morning, runs to our room and says "Good morning Mommy! Are you feeling better today?" So very precious. They are my SMILES. Tate and Tanner have been so helpful - they even dusted and vacuumed the house for me this week! :) They have been handling this all remarkably well. Had a few worries and concerns (of course) but we are being honest with them and answering all the questions they have. This is the Mom they know, and I struggle with that, but I also know that God has a bigger plan and he is preparing them for their own lives one day. We are trusting the He will use these times to make them better Husbands and Daddy's in the future. :)
One more note and then I'm done. (I know this is a long one....)
On June 9th we are taking a stand against Lupus while participating in the Lupus Walk here in Birmingham. We would LOVE for you to join us! Even if you can't be present you can still help by making a small donation to help us raise awareness and to find a CURE!
For more info: LUPUS WALK FOR NOW BIRMINGHAM
Next time I post- hoping it'll be to tell you how great my health is doing and how we are enjoying the first of SUMMER!!
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