THE 9TH ANNUAL FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies of Hope Warrior Stories
Flight of the Butterflies, Butterflies of Hope Warrior Stories 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, Butterflies of Hope Warrior Stories is dedicated to sharing those stories in May for lupus awareness month.
Flight of the Butterfly Julisa Molina
My name is Julissa. This year I will turn 40 years old. Growing up, I can remember hearing about how Lupus continuously affected my paternal Aunts and Grandmother. Never did I stop to think of how much more it could affect me. In September of 2014, I began to feel pain in my fingers, wrists, elbows, ankles and even toes. I could barely open doors without pain. Long story short, after blood work and a rundown of my family history, I was given an easy and quick diagnosis of SLE. I was 33 years old then. After a few months, my Lupus symptoms became manageable and the new norm for me. I was learning to live with it.
In October of 2018, Lupus was back only to hit me harder. My son, Matthew, who had just come home from a long weekend of travel soccer, walked into my bedroom and quietly told me that he had been having some pain in his fingers, elbows and knees. My husband and I looked at them, and could see the inflammation in his joints. Fear hit my heart. I scheduled appointments. It was a familiar routine. The blood work was done and within a few weeks we were in front of a Pediatric Rheumatologist hearing the same news I had heard a few years before. Lupus does not discriminate. My son was 15 then.
He missed out on a lot of soccer, missed school, checked out early, went in late. It was different. He had to hold on to the railings like a fragile old man to go up and down the stairs. He’d plant himself on the couch and not want to move. It all happened so quickly and I felt guilt. For nearly two years, it was trial and error. Every morning started with “How are you feeling? Any inflammation?” He just now has found the right medication to control his pain and inflammation so that he can live a some-what normal kind of High School senior life.
I have no doubt that when we hear the saying “God knows how much we can handle”, that it definitely applies to my son. He has never once asked Why? And he has never whined or complained about what he has had to go through. Sure, there are days when he stands in front of his pill box and sighs or breathes deeply, because I know that frustration all too well, but he takes it all like a champ. He gives his own injections every Friday, most definitely something I probably could not do myself. So I am proud of how he has tackled this situation.
As his mother, I worry about what the future holds for him. Matthew graduates High School in less than 4 weeks with an Advanced Diploma. In August, he will make his way south to Texas A&M in College Station, some 1,413 miles away from me. My worry list has grown to almost just as long as Santa’s Naughty and Nice list, but I have faith that things will be fine. There will be good days, bad days, rainy days and sunny days… but the one thing I have always told my son is to remember it could always be worse, so be thankful for every day that we get to wake up and enjoy.
We may have Lupus, but Lupus does not have us.
Lupus In Color is excited to present Julisa Molina’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 and your son Julisa Molina . YOU BOTH ARE BRAVE, COURAGEOUS, AMAZING and STRONG 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 Julisa Molina’s FLIGHT ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND START HER BUTTERFLY JOURNEY SPREADING LUPUS AWARENESS!
#LupusInColor #ButterfliesofHope #FlightoftheButterflies #Brave #Courageous #Strong #SpreadLupusAwareness #LupusWarriorStories
