Local woman requests help in Walk for Lupus

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
A local woman and her cousin have a special interest in a Walk for Lupus that will be held in Grand Prairie on Sunday. The walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Lone Star Park.
Tamara Stern of Daingerfield was diagnosed with lupus in 1999 and her cousin, LaKeithdra Bryson, also of Daingerfield, was diagnosed two years ago. 
“The walk is to raise money for lupus research,” Ms. Stern said. “We do not have a local chapter here, so our team, Team TOS, will go and walk and raise money to give to the Lupus Foundation of America North Texas Chapter in Dallas.”
Ms. Stern said lupus is difficult to diagnose. 
“In 1999 I was being treated for inflammation,” she said. “I kept swelling and didn’t know what it was. One day I had six seizures back to back and was rushed to Titus Regional Medical Center, where I stayed for two weeks. During the course of two weeks, it had attacked my nervous system already where I didn’t know my family or my children. I was rushed to University of Texas Medical Center in Tyler and that’s where a team of doctors diagnosed me with SLE, which is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.  
“Later on in 2012 I was diagnosed with DLE, Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, which is not as bad as SLE, but now I have two different kinds of lupus. SLE doesn’t recognize good cells from bad cells and your body basically attacks itself, and your body attacks its joints, organs, nervous system and causes increased fatigue and hair loss.  DLE causes discoloration in your face and causes permanent hair loss, and it alters your physical appearance.”
It has taken many adjustments, but Ms. Stern has learned to live with lupus.
“It takes some getting used to, having two kinds of lupus,” she said. “When you are used to being healthy and working, it’s difficult; the DLE doesn’t hurt, but the SLE does. I take different pills by mouth and a shot twice a week that I administer at home, and every four weeks I go for an hour-long infusion in Tyler. 
“I have pain daily. It makes it hard to do everyday tasks, even tasks as simple as opening a bottle of soda.  I have had surgery on my right knee and surgery on my right hand. My body wasn’t strong enough for the surgery. They did the surgery to see if they could get the scar tissue out. It left my hand too weak to be able to be used properly. The prognosis is that I would have it the rest of my life, and it is controlled by medicine.”
Miss Bryson has poly articulate rf positive JIA, that is juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which belongs in the lupus family.
“She is having problems with physical movements, and she stopped some school activities,” Ms. Stern said. “However, after medicine and changing routines and diet, she is better.”
Ms. Stern has participated in the Walk for Lupus previously.
“The research to me is important because my cousin was diagnosed at age 16 and with her being diagnosed and being so young, it is important to give to research to help find a cure not only for myself but for her and for the thousands of people out there,” she said. “More and more people are being diagnosed with lupus.
“To get a chapter here, I need to call Washington to find out how to have a chapter. I emailed, called, and wrote a letter and have not received a response. If anyone is interested in the walk in Grand Prairie or to make donations, they can call me at 903-717-4180.”
The Walk for Lupus Now is a 5K fun walk, benefiting the local programs and services for the Lupus Foundation of America, North Texas Chapter. Funds raised also go toward lupus research. There is no fee to register for this event; however, the foundation asks that participants raise funds through pledges. For more information and to register, visit http://dallaswalkforlupus2012.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=48...