Everything began halfway through January with severe migraines. On January 27, Blanca started feeling extremely sick due to a swollen lymph node near her left ear that caused intense pain. She went to the ER and was prescribed prednisone to help with the swelling, but unfortunately the medication only aggravated her symptoms. Blanca suffers from severe eczema, and the medication caused her face to swell with painful open wounds, and her back was also badly affected. Her condition continued to worsen. She developed intense joint pain to the point where she couldn’t walk or get out of bed, extreme fatigue that left her falling asleep anywhere, and high fevers reaching 104F. The pain kept her up at night. Her husband, Nathan, rushed her back to the ER when it became clear she was not improving. Doctors quickly discovered she had a serious blood infection and was going into sepsis. She was immediately admitted to the hospital. Doctors later told her that if she had waited any longer, she may not have survived. While hospitalized, extensive blood work revealed that Blanca has lupus. This diagnosis means her life will change drastically. She will need lifelong medication and careful management to prevent flare-ups. Lupus has severely impacted her immune system, making her highly vulnerable to infections. Following her diagnosis, Blanca began steroid treatment and underwent lymph node and bone marrow biopsies. Those results are still pending and will help determine why her white blood cell counts are so low. Nothing can prepare a family for such a sudden and heartbreaking change. Blanca was a healthy, active person who loved being in the sun and working at Brandon Elementary — a job she truly loves. Now, she must be extremely cautious with sun exposure and will be out of work for some time as she focuses on recovery. Even minor illnesses can become serious very quickly for her. Blanca and Nathan are always the first to show up for others, offering help and support without hesitation. It is not easy for them to ask for help now. However, for those who feel led to support them, any contribution will go toward mounting medical expenses and the lifelong medications she will need.Most importantly, please keep Blanca in your thoughts and prayers. This journey will be long, but with love, faith, and support, she won’t walk it alone.