Lupus Warrior of the Month: January (2015)
This month our beautiful lupus warrior is Molly Rowan. Here is her lupus story:
Molly was officially diagnosed with Systemic Lupus (SLE) in 2012 and subsequently labeled as fully disabled. “It was a battle in itself for the medical staff to get past my looks. I was often asked by nurses and doctors how often I work out due to my muscle tone and fit appearance.” Molly recalls, when several physicians told her, “You don’t look sick.” Although this is a common statement for lupus patients in their first stages of the disease, lupus is diagnosed in African American women two out of three more times than Caucasian woman. Many people who “look” like Molly are often passed over for being initially tested for the disease.
“I consider myself a strong, confident person but I find myself humbled by the devastation that this disease causes,” Molly avowed. Yet, during the beginning stages of diagnosis, she was barraged with a mix of emotions. Molly decided to take on the lupus challenge by learning everything that she could about the disease. She admitted that the shock was when she “realized how dangerous [her] path would be.” Molly affirmed, “I have to live with an incurable disease that is capable of negatively effecting literally every part of my body.” A resident of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Molly participated in her first Walk For a Cure event, orchestrated by LCSC Orangeburg Division in Orangeburg, SC on Saturday, May 24, 2014.
Struggles: “My most recent health issues include Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), Raynaud’s disease, Chronic Pericarditis, a thickened pericardium, a tachycardia arrhythmia, a blood coagulation disorder with vasculitis, Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA), difficulty walking, a tortured colon, and a weakened pancreas.”
Best coping mechanism: “I continue to vigilantly research my disease. I do all of this while continuing to teach and raise my 4 and ½ year-old son. No other person loves me like my husband. He is my best friend, my rock, and my true soul mate. Per my desire, and to give me a better quality of life, he uprooted our family out of the harsh winters of Ohio and moved us to the more comfortable climate of South Carolina.”
Thought: “All of us with lupus are warriors. Every day we open our eyes, take a breath, and tell ourselves to keep going we our being warriors. Only those held captive by this disease know how truly strong we are.”
THANK YOU MOLLY!
