How to live with lupus

My Story: My Struggles And Victory In Living With SLE (Lupus)

Diagnosed With SLE

I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the year 1991. Two days before Christmas, I felt really sick but could not make time to see the company’s doctor due to my heavy work schedule. I finally dragged my body to the clinic just before lunch time. Even with the 2 days medical leave given by the doctor, I still had to returned to work. I just had to make do with the medication given. Just within two hours, red tiny spots began appearing all over my arms and neck. I panicked and telephoned the doctor and had to return to the clinic. The doctor suspected it could be dengue fever as I was also running a fever and called for an ambulance but I declined it. I had to finish some work first and promised to go to the A & E department at the hospital. I finished my work at about 6.00pm and went home to take a shower hoping to feel better. But instead I felt weaker than before. I took a cab to the hospital myself.

By then, the red spots were all over my body when I arrived at A & E department. I had to be admitted immediately but I asked the doctor for permission to go home just to bring my pajamas & toothbrush! Actually, I really didn’t have the strength to walk anymore as I felt pain in my bones & joints and was also feeling feverish. That night in the ward, the pain became unbearable. Painkiller was administered to me but it did not help at all. A few hours later, the doctor reported that my blood platelets plunged to a very low level and confirmed what was suspected as Dengue Fever! The next 3 days of my life was excruciating painful.The blood platelets were still going dangerously low. On my fifth day, the doctors confirmed that besides the dengue fever, I also had what they termed as “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus” (SLE). After all the explanation given on SLE, I still couldn’t get it! Simply because I have never heard of SLE.