On September 5, 2017,  I was officially diagnosed with Lupus & Sjogren's Syndrome.

The road to this diagnosis had been pretty brutal. It really started to manifest itself heavily in June 2017 and progressed pretty rapidly. I had a rash that spread all over my arms, chest, and face. I probably lost 60-70% of my hair during this time, which led me to shave the hair that I had left off the day before my diagnosis. 

I am currently on medication for both. The medication is slow acting so results can take up to 6 months. These conditions have brought about other issues as well which require specialists in other areas: Allergist, Ophthalmologist, and Gastroenterologist to name a few. 

Medical expenses can be pretty costly even with insurance. Seeing specialists, lab work, procedures, and so on and so forth really begin to add up. Not to mention the transportation costs when you do not have a car. To date there has been $57,000 worth of claims made on my insurance. While I am thankful I do not have to foot that entire bill, the out-of-pocket expenses continue to grow as I still have medical testing for other conditions. 

My insurance plan resets on December 1, which means my deductible resets. All money raised will go towards paying the continued medical bill that come in, as well as my continued specialist treatments and appointments.

Anything you can contribute is truly appreciated! Thank you from the top of my bald head to the tips of my toes!!!