Lupus Warrior of the Month: December (2013)

Cassandra Smith is our beautiful lupus warrior for December! Here is her lupus story: 

Cassandra was diagnosed with lupus in 2006. She had a positive ANA, an elevated Sed rate and blood clots in her lungs. After using oxygen and blood thinners for a while, she got better.

Although she was being treated for lupus, she wouldn’t claim the disease. It wasn’t until April when she knew she had the disease after experiencing increased pain in her ankles. Cassandra spent most of the summer in the hospital and faced kidney problems. She developed diabetes while living with lupus complications. Cassandra was on so many medications that everything was reacting, causing another obstacle. She is taking a cyclosporine regiment and is being considered for chemotherapy treatments. Despite the obstacles Cassandra faces, she fights with a positive and hopeful spirit. Cassandra attended her first support group meeting with Lupus CSC in August after being released from the hospital.

Struggles: “My biggest struggle is with healthcare and doctors. They don’t understand the suffering of a lupus patient and sometimes we aren’t taken seriously.”

Best coping mechanism: “My best coping mechanism is my faith and my son. Without my faith, I would be nowhere. Having the knowledge that God won’t put more on me than I can bare keeps me going. My son is also my biggest inspiration. He encourages me and keeps me going."

Thought: “I have lupus, but lupus doesn’t have me!”

THANK YOU CASSANDRA!