Hello new blogging world

Hello friends!!!

So I have decided to create a blog so that I can share all the funny, sad, boring, weird, etc moments that happen in my life this summer since I do not get to keep in close contact with everyone that I would like. So some of you probably already know why I have decided to name by blog this, others might not be sure. And for those that do, may not know the entire story. Therefore I shall commence my new blog with the story of the name... here goes *ahem*

Almost exactly one year ago (on Saturday) I was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis, an auto immune disease that attacks everyone in different ways for myself- kidneys. How did I find all this out? Well last summer my family decided to go on vacation to St. Anthony Idaho so that we could ride that sand dunes (fascinating right?) well, I woke up on about the 4th day of vacation with my eyes swollen shut- it had happened before this summer, actually twice, but it was only one eye and less severe- this time it was both and my nose was so stuffed I could not breathe. My parents were like OMG what are you allergic to? So while my mom and my aunt Jenny stripped the bed of anything I could be allergic to I went back to bed ...for 2 hours, at 9 am....weird huh? Anyways they decided that I should go to the hospital, tell me what I am allergic to and then go back and ride some quads- sorry wrong answer- Dr. Redd (who happened to be the father of a good friend of mine from BYU) walks in and says hmm this looks like kidney failure- I stared at him and said umm I'm sorry I am only 18 and therefore this can not happen to me, he said I know but sometimes life works out that way. So I had to go down to the hospital in Idaho Falls because they had a kidney specialist there, so I rode in an ambulance, the sun glaring through the back windows directly into my eyes, with one of those nostril oxygen pumps in my nose 40 miles to IF. Well Dr. Rahim says "Oh you have Lupus Nephritis, you should go home and get it all taken care of down there, because it is a long process. We have a flight that

leaves to LAX tomorrow afternoon, but I want to make

sure you already have a bed lined up until I release you."

Luckily my pops works at USC University hospital so he

called a few people and BAM I had an appointment 2 days

later. Nothing exciting happened other than I had to sleep

with a stupid IV in my arm, not the most comfortable

thing I have ever experienced, but hey. Fast forward to

USC Dr. Akmal walks in sippin' his mocha frap, takes

one look at my miserable face and says "Yup you have

Lupus, lets get you in a bed" blah blah blah he told me

all the symptoms of Lupus and that I had probably

had it for 6 months which in hind sight makes sense

because I had lots of problems during second semester

of my freshman year.

Sign 1: Loss of hair- right after I donated my luscious locks I lost probably 50% of my hair.

Sign 2: Facial Rash- I had this hideous rash on my face and thought it was from pool chlorine- guess it wasn't

Sign 3: Sever stomach pains: Well I passed out at school taken to the hospital and told I had Pancreatitis- nope not that

Sign 4: Chest Rash- I got sunburned when I came back to CA for the summer, and it didn't peel it turned brown and purple-ew

Sign 5: Weight gain despite lack of appetite- yeah I worked out everyday and was never hungry and gained a crap load of unnecessary weight.

Sign 6: Tired- I slept ALL day, even though I did absolutely nothing.

Sign 7: Puffy feet- my ankle bone kinda disappeared, but I was still able to wear normal shoes ( not for long)

Sign 8: Being cold- we stayed in Provo one night and I had to sleep with three comforters I was so cold, and for those who have lived in P-town in the summer know that that is rare.

Sign 9: Butterfly rash- on my face, got my picture taken so it can go in a medical book

Ok back to the boring life I had in the hospital!! I had to wear I stupid hospital gown and had to have an IV put in my hand because I wanted to be able to bend my elbow for obvious reasons-texting- and that was the WORST thing my hand has ever experienced, I cried for 15 minutes telling my dad to make it stop, it eventually stopped. Let me just list everything that went down this whole week

- EKG

-Echo

-Daily blood tests

- Peeing in a little "hat" or in a cup- of which I am pro

- Kidney biopsy 3x

- Being woken up at 6 am to take drugs

- Being woken up at midnight to check my vitals -REALLY???

- Only eating potatoes- because that was the only thing that didn't smell funny

- Visitors

- Flowers

- Telling people I was dying ;)

Pretty much it.

After the kidney biopsy I was officially diagnosed with Stage IV Lupus Nephritis, and was released. So where did the puffy cheeks come from- these little guys PREDNISONE

it is of the devil, I took 60 mg EVERY DAY for 2 months, I have been off now for a little over a month- thank goodness. Not only did it make me look like a chipmunk it made every part of my body swell I could only wear these shoes:

not the cutest things I know. I had to buy some bigger clothes, I could not walk up stairs, I sweated after only walking 20 feet, life was miserable. I looked like a chipmunk up until the end of March. Pictures you say- um NO I ran from the camera, because I looked like a compleytely different person. Also I was on a low sodium diet, you would never realize how much sodium is in some things, and what things don't have it.

I take a shiz load of drugs 2x a day. One of which is an immuno suppressant, basically my immune system doesn't work. Sooooo I because of this I have had 2 Urinary Tract Infections, SHINGLES-effing worst pain/thing of my life, Folliculitis- hot tub contamination- lame I know. However there have been some pluses- priority registration, registered disabled student- teachers have to be nice to me when I need extra time for stuff, people bring you stuff when they know you are sick and blah blah. So yeah that is my current life, of which I will never be cured but in remission. So I pray daily that I will never get a flare up!! Sorry I realize this is long and the next ones won't be this long!!

xoxoxo

Lexi