Lupus Shmupus

I found out last week that I have Lupus. It's an auto-immune disease. Basically, the antibodies in my blood can't tell the difference between foreign invaders and normal, healthy cells, so they just attack whatever & where ever they please. It all began a few years ago when I started having this terrible pain in palms of my hands. It would last for a few weeks, then go away for a few months. I hate going to the doctor, so I just tried to ignore it. The last time I had the pain was a few months ago, and it was worse than it had ever been before. I just cried and cried. My hands started going numb & the pain spread into my wrists, so I decided it was time to see the doctor. I assumed it was some form of arthritis, and my doctor said that she thought so too. She drew some of my blood to have tested. When the test results came back the rheumatoid arthritis panel came back negative, but the ANA panel was positive suggesting that something was abnormal. I would tell you what ANA stands for, but all of the sudden I can't remember. She referred me to a rheumatologist who ran some more specific tests and subsequently determined that I have Lupus.

The strangest thing to me is that my sister also has an auto-immune disease (MS). They are treated much the same. She & I always used to joke about how when we are old ladies we will buy a motorcycle with a side car and travel the country. I have to ride in the side car because I am a notoriously bad driver. When we learned that she has MS I told her that maybe I should drive. Now neither of us will be able to drive! We'll have to get an extra roomy side car & hire a driver! We will be taking applications in 40 years, so mark your calendars =)