Lucky Lupus Liver

     When I was pregnant, I was unbelievably sick.  I really can't even describe how awful I felt.  I suffered from chronic headaches and eventually started twitching.  My head and neck would move uncontrollably.  I was told by one doctor it was nerves and hormones.  My mom, bless her heart, did so much research.  That summer she figured out that I had Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS).
     The morning my son was born I went into the hospital with vomiting, high blood pressure and massive swelling.  It turns out my kidneys and liver were shutting down and Little Man's heart rate was dropping.  I had really, really bad Preeclampsia.  I ended up having an emergency c-section two months before my due date.  My son was 3 pounds 11 ounces when he was born...the reason why I call him Little Man.  It took over a week in the hospital and I was finally well enough to go home.  A hematologist diagnosed me with APS and prescribed me blood thinners.  I just celebrated my five year anniversary with my blood thinners this summer.
     A few years later, I saw a rheumatologist and he diagnosed me with Lupus.  Most likely, my APS is just part of my Lupus.  This is a super fast version of my diagnosis!
    Living with Lupus is a lot harder than being diagnosed.  I have arthritis in both hands, my right knee, and left foot.  I have extreme fatigue.  I have flares about every three-four months.  My flares usually put me in bed.  There is no way of knowing when a flare will jump up or how long it will last. 
    Not everything is bad though.  I have a built in excuse to not do stuff.  I have a better appreciation for good days.  Oh and I was on the show Mystery Diagnosis when I was 18.

Love (can) = Life

     My love story starts with two stupid teenagers...like a lot of love stories.  Mr. O and I met when we both in a musical in high school.  He was the lead and I didn't even have a speaking role.  In my defense, he was a senior and I was a measly freshman (which makes a huge difference in casting).  The love part didn't come until later after he graduated.  He asked me out on a date and I said yes...duh.  We went to get pizza and then off to the arcade (my idea).  I think he started loving me that night because of the arcade idea.  I'm a goofy chick what can I say?
     That summer went by pretty fast.  Mr. O and I had a wonderful time but he was getting ready to go off to college and I was stuck in our home town.  I was crushed the night before he left.  We talked on the phone every night and he came home as often as he could but our relationship suffered.  I often felt left behind and neglected. 
    Fast forward a few months and I was pregnant....and 16.  I told you it was about stupid teenagers.  The relationship had ended but I was forced into communication with Mr. O because of the baby.  We had broken each others' hearts.  I won't go into the details but things did not end well.  Our son was born in July of that year and we placed him for adoption.  That is a totally different post that I will go into another day.
    Mr. O and I saw each other once after that.  He brought a birthday present for Lil' Man.  The sighting lasted all of two minutes and ended with him saying "Good luck" and walking away.  It still hurt to see him leave.  But my life moved on, I graduated from high school and went on to college.  Mr. O finished college and went on to graduate school in Philadelphia.  Mr. O continued to infiltrate my mind and I missed the boy I knew when I was younger.
    The summer before my junior year of college he seemed to be ever present on my mind.  All of a sudden I got an email from him that he wanted to see him when he was home visiting from Philly.  I knew I had to see him but everyone around me including myself was anxious about the meeting.  Mr. O and I didn't get along and there were still raw scars.  The day of wasn't too bad until I was sitting there waiting for him.  I saw him walking towards me looking really good and then he bumped into a table.  Oh yeah, he was still my Mr. O.  That night ended in a kiss which I can still feel when I close my eyes.  The feelings were still there and somehow I knew things were going to change dramatically. 
    Fast forward...again...over a year this time and I'm not pregnant! Yay!  (Have to celebrate the small stuff).  Mr. O and I are still happily together.  He is my best friend and the absolute love of my life.  He finished grad school and is still in Philly working and I am sort of closer to being down with school here in Iowa.  We talk on the phone for at least an hour every night, waste time IMing each other during the day, and webcam regularly.  We see each other every three months(ish) with me flying out to Philly or him coming home.  
    Stay posted for how we keep our relationship strong, healthy, and full of love!