INTRODUCTIONS

Hello all!!!!! I am Barbara, also known as californiacat and I want to welcome all of you to Living with Lupus, a new site and I am certain it will be a good, positive site where we can all learn,share and help to support each other.I have had lupus for 23 years and also have fibromyalgia,raynauds and Ra.I am from San Diego, California.I was Dx at 26 years of age so am now 49 and still trying to understand lupus!!!!I am in the midst of a very severe flare that has been active for 9 months now.I am on lots of medications and struggling but have not lost hope as I know this will pass one of these days.I am single,live alone but do have 2 kitties whom I love very much!! I look forward to getting to know all of you and am so excited about this new site.I am one of the Moderators and always happy to help anyone at anytime.We can all get through living w/ this disease, together, one day at a time!!! Warmly, Barbara

Hi,

I am Maz (Marianne), otherwise known as maidmaz! I was diagnosed with SLE and Raynaud's 2 years ago and have just come out of a severe 8 month flare! Understanding this disease is very very hard, that is one of the reason we decided to start this forum - to help other sufferers cope and understand and to also learn to cope and understand in the process!

I live in Mt Gambier, South Australia, Australia, I am 38 yo, married to a wonderful Man and have 3 wonderful children.

I am an Administrator/Moderator on this site so if there is anyway I can help please feel free to ask.

Take Care
xxxMaz

Hey all! Kerry (aka kerrysnoopy). How did you ever manage this??? GREAT idea and GREAT job! I am computer dumb, so I never would have been the initiator, so....Kudos to you!

Chat w/ you all soon!!!

OH...BTW, for those of you who dont' know me I am Kerry and I live in Southern New Jersey. I am 37 and was diagnosed in 2004. I have a BEAUTIFUL 3 year old little girl who is my heart and the light of my life..........but then there are times I don't like her so much
Just kidding..kids will be kids! I am married and I must say I have it pretty darn good. He takes care of it all so I can focus on me and my child.

Hi Everyone:

I'm Poppy- I was diagnosed in Feb. 2008 with SLE. I, also, have Raynauds - was dx about 20 yrs.ago - it didn't start bothering me until the winter of last year. I am 55 yrs. old, married, have a dog, named Jack (miniature poodle) and I live in Atlanta. I love gardening, watercolor painting, music, poetry, reading, bird watching and animals.

I am so glad this new forum is available for us. Congrat's to Barb and Maz on getting this up and running!! I agree with Kerry, you ladies are awesome.

Hello everyone! This is Beth from Minnesota. I am 43 (almost 44 ) and was diagnosed with UCTD & Raynaud's in July 2008.

I am married to an incredible man, have two boys (12 & 16), 1 cat, 2 dogs and a "flock" of parrots.

I am soooo excited about this forum!! Woo Hoo!!

Hi Everybody,

My name is Chris and I was diagnosed with sle/arthritis in April 2008. I am 56 years old and married and live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I worked until 2005 when I got sick (not related to lupus) and spent three weeks in the hospital. I am now "retired" (and "tired" from the fatigue). I want to congratulate Maz and Barbara for putting this site together in such a short period of time - amazing!!!
Thank you both for caring so much about others to make this forum available to all. Great job!!!!!

Hi I'm Monica, you may know me as cmmb916 from the other forum. I am 36, I'll be 37 in a couple of weeks, married to a wonderful man, I have two kids, daughter in high school, son in kindergarten. My son is also type 1 diabetic so he keeps me hopping. I have a bouncy yellow lab and a lazy black cat that knows when I don't feel good. I live in California, about 30 miles north of LA. I was diagnosed with SLE in Feb 07 but realized I had symptoms going back and had a flare in my early 20's, just had no idea it was lupus back then. I have been in a flare for 2 months now feeling lousy and waiting for the day that I wake up feeling better. I know it will come one of these days. Glad to be invited on this site and look forward to chatting with you all!!

Monica

Hello, hello!! This is Karen here, from No. Cal.
I am 48 years old, been married for almost 27 yrs and am the mother to 3 sons: 22, 19 and 13.
I was diagnosed with SLE, Sjogrens and RA in sept 07. I always knew there was some arthritis, but Lupus!!
I still am having a hard time wrapping my head around having Lupus but for the fact I take Plaquenil 2x/day and occasional stiff/sore joints, I wouldn't know it.
I work as a certified education sign-lang. interpreter at a wonderful elementary school. I love my job and I pray that this disease will stay as mild as it's been and allow me to do what I love!! I do worry about sun exposure, but so far so good. (fingers crossed).
Barb and Maz, you have been great for helping me get off my stinky pity pot! You two have been educational and very helpful.
Good luck on the site! and thanks for the invite!!
plan on being around for a while

KK

I think this site is a great idea. I didn't post a lot on the other board, so I will try to post more on this one. I read the posts all the time, just not too great about posting. Will try to do better this time. It is very important to me to meet others who know what I'm going through and understand how I'm feeling without having to explain every little detail.

About me, my name is Meg. I just turned 30 in May! I have been married for 6 years to a wonderful man. He works and I am at home with our wonderful daughter. I worked for a law firm prior to having my daughter and now am able to do some work for the firm from home. However, I am feeling so crappy lately that I haven't been doing much of that. My daughter, Erin, is 2 and a half and is the light of my life. She keeps me going on days that I just can't get out of bed. Lately she has started poking me in the eyes if I drift off while she's watching her morning cartoon! We live in Virginia. I was diagnosed in June of this year and am learning as much about it as I can. I think I am in a minor flare, but not sure if it's a flare or normal. My hubby has been very supportive and helpful, we went to a lupus seminar when I was first diagnosed and that really helped him understand what I am going through a bit better.

That's all I can think of right now. I really look forward to getting to know all of you.

YES...........our new board is really coming along and Maz and Barb want to say WELCOME to all of our new members!!We are soooooooo glad you are here.Please keep posting and feel free to ask ANY questions you have.We are all here for each other and are excited to get to know all of you!!!

Hello my name is Raymond (Ray) aka yardman417
Maz and Barbara thank you for the kind wellcome and i for one think you girls have a good thing going here.
I am 57 yrs young some days married to a wonderful lady for 34yrs, have two kids well their not kids now,girl 34 and a boy 33 nether one has ever been married.
I was dx with sle and all the bells and whistles that go with it in 2000. After finaly being dx i know now that i have had all the signs of it since i was a teenager. My main meds are plaquenil,prednisone,(metho pill form),folic acid, neurontin this is what i call my maints meds i have others that i take as needed.
I hope i can be of help to yall as yall are a very big help to me. I my not posts alot but i try to when i feel like i can help or just add my two cents . And anyone is wellcome to email me anytime.

See yall on the board from the yardman
everyone take care
RAY

Hi Ray:

Welcome aboard! So good to hear from you. Hope you are feeling good. I'm happy you joined us.

Thank you Poppy, Glad to be here

Take care
Ray

Hello All,
My name is Melody . I live in Good ole Georgia. 43 years old.. fixing to turn 44.. I have one son who is 18. husband which both were very understandingand help me thru the tought times. I was diagnoised with Lupus 3 years ago. Never really had any problems till March. I thought i was dying!!! When i would get home in the evenings from work, where i sat , is where i stayed till someone helped me up. . First i thought i was coming down with the flu, i had never felt so bad in all my life. Then i started reading the other message board and i figured i better get my butt back to the rhemy.. So of course he stated me on Metho and predisone.( which i hate)where i had just been on just plaquinel.. Now, 6 months late i feel great .. Down to 5 mg of predisone a day.. but still on Metho, and plaquenel or however ya spell it. Today i go back for my monthly check up and hope he says i can half the predisone.. Sorry to ramble, but thought i would introduce myself.
thanks for the support.
Melody

Hi Melody,
Welcome! I hope all goes well with your Rheumy appt. Please let us know how you go we are interested!!

Take Care
Love and Hugs
xxxMaz

Hello Melody

I just wanted to say wellcome and you will find everyone really nice
Take care
Ray

Hi Melody,

It is nice to meet you and have you with us! I'm 56 yrs old and was just diagnosed May 08. I'm married and live in Philadelphia, PA. We are a "rambling" bunch at times so you've come to the right place. It is so nice to have a "Georgia Peach" with us. Take care.

Hey yall,
Thanks for such the warm welcome...!! My rhemy halfed my predisone.. so now just half a day.. and after 4 weeks if no problems, i can stop.. but still on metho and plaqueinel.. Was told though, if i start to hurt not to be a hero, and start taking it again.
Predisone.....has made my face have a flushed look all the time. and i have gained 10 pounds.. YUKKKKKKKKKKK
yall's new pal
Melody..

Hi Melody,

Sorry you have been deemed a lupy too, but glad to have you here! The folks here are great! Many times they have offered me a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen without being judged. I hope your appointment went well.

Welcome....

Melissa

Hi Melody,

Here's another welcome and I too am glad you are here!!!I do hope you find these boards helpful,supportive and a place to vent and ramble all you want to!!!!! It is great that your prednisone has been decreased but I agree w/ your doctor that you don't have to be a "hero" and if you need to take more......do so!!!!!Keep us posted and feel free to ask any questions you have.Take care!!!

Warmly, Barbara

Hi Melody:

Hey, another Georgian! - I live north of Atlanta.

I want to extend a warm welcome to you.

Hope you continue to feel well!!

Welcome aboard Melody!!
This is a great place to get info and to just talk. Sometimes not everyone wants listen (ie. hubbys) , but here you are sure to find a sympathetic ear. And not just about lupus issues either.
I hope you come often!

Fondly,
Karen

Hi Everyone, I finally made it here. I'm so busy. These next three weeks are crazy around here so if you don't see me for a while I'm ok just out of town.

Anyways. I'm 38 (Today ) and have had a lupus diagnosis for 10 years. My lupus now is pretty well under control with medication at this point. But each day has it's own challenges.

Hi Findingflowers,

Glad you finally made it and Happy Birthday to you!!!!

As you can see our small community is steadily growing . I hope to see you post often when you are not so busy.

Have a wonderful day

Take Care
Love and Hugs
xxxMaz