Jackie

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#9999FF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06776ba3.gif"> <div> <B>YOU ARE NOT ALONE!</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="7a4b7ae0.jpg" border=0 width="183" height="174" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Butterfly by:</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.pixelating.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pixelating.com"><U><B><IMG SRC="14164140.gif" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06876ba3.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="614d43c0.jpg" border=0 width="468" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Jackie's Story</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="4a6352e0.gif" border=0 width="53" height="46" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> I was diagnosed with lupus one year ago.  I live in New Hampshire and had just returned from my son's wedding in Alaska.  It was a wonderful trip.  I had just met my two granddaughters who live there for the first time.  I can't tell you how happy I was.  Previous to my trip my PCP ordered bloodwork because my fingers were swelling and painful and my weight had dropped to close to 100 lbs.  And I was exhausted.   I was sent to a rheumatologist when I returned.  When I was led to the examining room I was told to remove my clothing and put on a johnny.  I thought "What the heck?  I have a problem with my hands."  The doctor came in and examined me.  He must have noticed the puzzled look on my face.  He asked if I knew why I was there and I answered that I was there for my hands.  He said, "No, you are here because you have been diagnosed with lupus."  It has been all down hill since that day.  I have done a tremendous amount of research on lupus.  I am mostly always frightened.  The fatigue is so very frustrating.  I can't seem to ever get enough sleep.  I have, at one time, slept for two days in a row and still felt fatigued.  My brain says to go, my body says no.  I fall asleep at my desk at work and fear I will get caught.   My attendance has been poor.  My employer recently gave me some forms to have filled out by my physician who is treating me for the lupus.  I brought the paperwork to his office and wanted to talk to him about the problem the fatigue has caused on my job.  He told me to do some very vigorous exercise (specifically arobics) and to sleep more.  He told me to fill out the paperwork myself and when I tried to talk to him he walked out on me.  His staff was very rude when I asked for a doctor's note for my employer.  They said they would call me when it was ready.  They have never called.  Needless to say, my employer probably thinks that I am a lier, that I am not sick.  I have been getting the cold shoulder from our manager.  I am struggling to keep my job because we wanted to buy a house this year.  Speaking of  "we", my poor soulmate.  I end up taking everything out on him and I try so hard not to.  We have come too close to breaking up twice in the past year.  I could go on but I don't want to further depress you.</div> <bR> <div> Life goes on.  Ughhh!  I am now trying to find another doctor.  Hopefully I will have a better week next week.  Or the week after, or the week after…</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="3cb50420.jpg" border=0 width="80" height="66" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="4170e0e0.gif" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="True Lupus Stories"><U><B>True Stories Main</B></U></A><B>  <IMG SRC="0fb0e0e0.gif" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </B><A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amys Story"><U><B>Amy's Story</B></U></A><B>  <IMG SRC="1150e0e0.gif" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lupus Links Rings"><U><B>next page</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>My Lupus World Index</B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="417" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Lupus World"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MLW Introduction"><U><B>Introduction</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Story"><U><B>My Story</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Lupus"><U><B>About Lupus</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 32 WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Family"><U><B>Family</B></U></A></div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Friends"><U><B>Friends</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Positive Mental Attitude"><U><B>P.M.A.</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Suggestions"><U><B>Suggestions</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Helpful Tips"><U><B>Helpful Tips</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Latest Topic"><U><B>Latest Topic</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="True Lupus Stories"><U><B>True</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="True Lupus Stories"><U><B>Lupus Stories</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <B>Reserved for Future</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 32 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lupus Links Rings"><U><B>Lupus</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lupus Links Rings"><U><B>Links & Rings</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Card Shop "><U><B>The</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Card Shop "><U><B>Card Shop</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddles Jokes"><U><B>Riddles</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riddles Jokes"><U><B>'n' Jokes</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Forum Guest Book"><U><B>Forum &</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Forum Guest Book"><U><B>Guest Book</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Your Chat Room"><U><B>Chat Room</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shop"><U><B>Shop and Help Lupus</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mail Room"><U><B>Mail Room</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="96"><div> <B>Reserved for Future</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>