WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — According to health experts, lupus affects mostly women who are African American, Hispanic, or Asian American.
Taylor Joseph said she was diagnosed with lupus at a young age.
Though she has dialysis every week, she keeps having a positive attitude, wanting to encourage others to push through difficult times.
"I think it's important for everyone to know that lupus is a treatable disease," said Taylor's doctor, Steve Goodman of Arthritis Associates of South Florida. "It absolutely can be fatal. Patients with lupus can be more prone to infections, cardiac disease. There can be serious outcomes. There are often complications with blood clots. Other unfortunate outcomes."
Taylor admits some days are harder than others.
"Mainly I feel weakness in my bones. Iust like stiffness in my bones as well. I feel very fatigued and tired and just can't get a lot of things done. The main thing that does help me are the steroids that they put you on, because that suppresses your immune system, kind of lowers the symptoms of the lupus," Taylor said. "Living with lupus, you just never know how that person might feel one day to the next. And it does affect a lot of parts of your body. And the main reason why I wanted to get this out there is how it affects your kidneys."
Taylor said both of her kidneys are “destroyed" and she is now waiting for a kidney transplant.
Dr. Goodman said there are support and resources for people with lupus, especially for children, such as the Lupus Foundation of America. You can learn more by clicking here.
