Monaye Etana's Blog, page 2

Managing Lupus in a Covid World

The year of 2020 introduced all of us to a pandemic known as Covid-19. As mask mandates, curfews, and hospital visits became the norm, panic also set in across the country. The everyday household items such as toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning wipes, disinfectant spray and hand sanitizer disappeared from the store shelves along with many food items. People were advised to keep a distance of 6ft. between each other.

The option to get vaccinated came about to help lessen the effects of Covid-19. There were some people who decided to get the vaccine and others who opted out. Of course, we have a right to choose what we put into our bodies. But with this pandemic, it became even more important to eat healthy, exercise, and drink water to promote a healthy immune system.

Many of the medications that people with autoimmune illnesses take tend to lower the immune system which aids in the management of symptoms. While this is beneficial towards flare ups and pain management, it puts us at a greater risk for sickness. Therefore, it is imperative that steps are taken to protect ourselves.

What protective measures can be taken?

Wear your mask. (Vaccinations do not prevent Covid-19)Wash your hands with soap and water. Use sanitizer as a backup.Use wipes or a napkin to open doors. Avoid touching your face.Avoid large crowds of people.Eat healthy and get the proper rest.Get tested and if your result is positive, self-quarantine.

As the Covid cases and death rates continue to climb with the emergence of the Delta Variant, we must all do our part to prevent the spread of the virus. Remember, not everyone will display symptoms. We should be considerate and think of one another. Covid does not care whether you are immunocompromised, healthy, young or old.

After all, prevention is better than cure.

Monaye

What’s New? Neuropathy

I was getting ready for dinner on a Saturday night many years ago. I had planned on wearing this cute outfit with some new heels that I’d purchased. Hair? check. Make up? check. Perfume? check. As I slipped my heels on, my balance shifted.

Something was wrong. My right foot felt weaker than my left. Since I had no issues with the shoes when I first tried them on at the store, I was confused as to what was happening. I didn’t have time to figure it out so needless to say, I ended up wearing flats. As time went on, I began to notice tingling in that foot and leg. I called my Rheumatologist and made an appointment.

After examining my foot, he said, “You have toe drop.”

Toe what?

He explained that toe drop or foot drop is the inability to lift the front of the foot. My big toe was being affected. This affects the ability to walk properly and is caused by nerve issues. He referred me to a Neurologist for further testing and I was later diagnosed with Mononeuropathy. I had nerve damage.

Were my heel wearing days over? I became frustrated. What else would Lupus take away from me? I changed my mindset and decided that I needed to research this new diagnosis so I could understand how to manage it. No quitting over here!

Mononeuropathy occurs when a nerve is damaged or compressed due to disease and inflammation such as with Lupus or other illnesses. It can cause burning, weakness, loss of feeling or a “pins and needles” feeling. Damage can occur in various areas of the body which eventually happened to me as my nerve pain spread to my legs, arms, hands and head.

Treatment for Mononeuropathy depends on where the damage occurs and the severity, but may include corticosteroids, surgery, splints, or treatment of the underlying disease.

If you are having symptoms, I highly suggest that you seek medical advice. Untreated Neuropathy can lead to permanent disability or weakness, unresolved pain, loss of sensation or other impairments.

Monaye

Self-Care Is Essential

What comes to your mind when you hear the words self-care? Often people think of massages, manicures/pedicures, or shopping. While these are definitely great forms of self-care, there are so many other forms that are equally beneficial for us.

Let’s look at the definition of self-care. It involves doing things that promote good physical, mental and emotional health. All of these areas are important in our lives and are the keys to overall wellness. When we don’t feel good, it impacts so many parts of our lives. Add in the daily challenges of life including coping with a chronic illness and you have a mounting amount of stress.

Practicing self-care is NOT selfish. It’s necessary! I like to think of it as maintenance. We have to be able to look at ourselves and notice when we need a little fine tuning. Don’t feel bad about doing what you need to do in order to feel better and function better. If you wait until you are depleted, you won’t be able to do anything at all.

Remember, it’s not just our physical health that matters. Our emotional and mental health matters too.

Do you often feel the need to say yes when you really want to say no to something?

Do you refuse to set boundaries?

What about ignoring your needs?

None of these are examples of self-care. As a matter of fact, they are just the opposite of what we should be doing. Learning to say no, setting healthy boundaries, and paying attention to what we need emotionally and mentally is saying yes to ourselves.

Self-care helps to balance us out. When you are feeling stressed or your emotions are getting the best of you, take a few minutes to breathe deeply. Maybe get outside for some fresh air and take a walk. Have a cup of coffee or tea. Practice positive affirmations. One of the biggest things for me has been having access to a counselor.

Yes, a counselor. Having someone to listen to you outside of friends and family makes a world of difference. It doesn’t mean that you’re crazy. With depression and anxiety increasing by the day, we need to normalize therapy. There are so many of us who need support without the fear of being judged. We all want to be heard right? Another thing that I’d like to remind you of, is to allow yourself space to just be. Embrace the quiet moments for they will often bring us back to our center. We all need love and self-care is where it should begin.

Monaye