LUPUS IN COLOR PRESENTS
THE 4TH ANNUAL FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES
Flight of the Butterflies is a lupus awareness campaign sharing stories of the brave lupus warriors. Many don’t understand lupus until they hear the walk of a warrior. Flight of the Butterflies is dedicated to sharing those stories in May for lupus awareness month.
Flight of the Butterflies Begins…..
Flight of the butterfly Onike Decker
Before year 2014 everything was normal my mom was taking care of us on her own. I’m 21, next is an 18 year old, 13 year old, and 9 year old. My mom was a hardworking woman that would go out of her way to help others in need around her even when she didn’t have anything.
My mom was working at a Government job at the time always exceeding in everything she did until February. January came and her job started to notice changes in her actions, so they had her get tested by a neurologist. Once that was done they had my mom go on medical leave and a couple of months later my mom lost her job became forgetful, tired, and not in the right state of mind. She wouldn’t take care of her appearance, she would lay in bed all day and things became really weird.
I started to reach out for help and step up in my house and be the mom. Long story short, finally my other family members noticed and my mom was admitted in the hospital. She was misdiagnosed with psychosis but that November I had a church pray for my mom because it seemed to be a spiritual thing. My mom got delivered and the doctors then diagnosed my mom with lupus. I was left to be a temporary guardian for my siblings. I couldn’t do it on my own so I asked for my siblings father’s help. They now live with their dads and it’s just me and my little sister.
My mom was being treated for lupus transferred to a rehabilitation center in 2015 for a year because she couldn’t walk anymore. She had developed bedsores from the previous hospital. She was left in bed at this rehabilitation up until January 2016 because my family and I thought it wasn’t right for her to be left like a vegetable that long.
In January 2016 my mom finally moved to a new rehab center where the physical therapy was awesome they got her in the wheelchair the same day! And now, May 2016 I got a call that in 3 weeks my mother will be leaving the center and my sister and I will have to find a place for all of us to live so that we can get my younger siblings back and be a family again and no longer be separated from each other!
Lupus In Color is excited to present Onike’s story to the world. As a Lupus Warrior she is actively promoting lupus awareness and wearing the armor of strength in doing so. Lupus In Color Salutes you Onike Decker. YOU ARE BRAVE, COURAGEOUS AND AMAZING TO SHARE YOUR STORY.
YOUR BUTTERFLY WINGS ARE FLUTTERING, YOUR CHIN IS UP, YOUR ARMS ARE EXTENDED AND YOUR CHEST IS OUT! FLY ON BUTTERFLY!
FLY ON!
PLEASE SHARE ONIKE’S FLIGHT ON YOUR WALL AND START HER BUTTERFLY JOURNEY SPREADING LUPUS AWARENESS!
#LupusInColor #ButterfliesofHope #FlightoftheButterflies #Brave #Courageous #Strong #SpreadLupusAwareness
