By B. Tiffany Markins
Footprints in the Sand!!!
In January 1991 I was diagnosed with Lupus.
Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease ~
that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems – including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. I was devastated that I cried for many days wondering what is Lupus? Where did it come from?
Am I going to die?
I’ve always been healthy up to that year.
It all started when I attended an outdoor “God and Country” event at the Tanglewood Park Golf Course at Clemmons, NC. It was an event held by my Church (First Assembly of God). That day was brutally hot. Without thinking, it never crossed my mind that I needed to wear a hat or bring an umbrella. Few days later a rash appeared on my face (a butterfly shape). The rash also was on my shoulders. And at that time, in order to be diagnosed with Lupus, I had to have three types of symptoms out of seven. I had two. With Lupus it can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms often mimic those of other ailments.
With that being said, the dermatologist questioned the disease, but recommended:
I be on prednisone to help control the rash from flaring up more.
Being on Prednisone scared me. I had to take 14-15 tablets per day for a week, and that was on top of other medications that I already were taking. I felt like a walking pharmacy. But as the weeks went by, my doctor gradually reduced the dosage. Reason for that is because it is important that I do not stop “cold turkey.”
This can cause an acute withdrawal reaction that can lead to a crisis situation.
Prednisone must be slowly tapered under doctor’s supervision.
Within a month, the rash started to ease off. Thank God for that.
Having that awful rash on my face looked awful. I didn’t want to go out of the house.
It made me feel uneasy and I know people would feel the same. But when I did go out, I was stared and questioned. People looked at me like I was a disease or something. And basically, I did, but I didn’t know what to say. The next day (Monday) I called my friend Veronica (Dr. Romulo C. Jacinto ‘s wife and assistant)
to make an appointment for me as she recommended.
When the doctor saw me, he had an idea but since he didn’t specialize in that type of disease, he recommended I see a dermatologist. When I did see the dermatologist, he right away put me on Prednisone. When the rash got controlled, he told me that I needed to see a specialist. In the meantime, Dr. Jacinto held his private practice in Winston-Salem, where he practiced in Internal Medicine with a specialization in Pulmonary Disease
and Geriatrics. Sadly, on January 2001, Dr. Jacinto passed away. He was 66 years old.
To make a long story short, my friend Veronica asked her husband (Dr. Romulo C. Jacinto, MD, CMD),
“where would you send me if I had the lupus?” He said to her – Duke in Raleigh, NC. She asked him why?
He tells her, Duke University is one of the top ten clinics/hospitals in the world. Therefore, they have the best doctors. According to the President and CEO (2012 Directory) of Duke, he says to his colleagues, “among the world’s preeminent academic health care and biomedical research institutions, Duke Medicine is dedicated
to delivering their very best to every patient they serve. At every level, from primary care to the most sophisticated subspecialty services, their faculty and staff are committed to providing evidence based,
multidisciplinary care in a patient-centered environment.”
The doctor that I saw at Duke was Dr. John R. Rice MD. His particular Clinical interest
and skills is Rheumatoid and Immunology, specializing in arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus,
giant-cell arteritis, vasculitis, gout, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis.
I remember the first visit at Duke. I spent half the day in his office being questioned and examined by his assistant. I was getting antsy. But I understood a thorough examination was needed to be diagnosed correctly. After the examination, I finally met with Dr. Rice. After talking to him he recommends me to be on Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine), twice daily But let me tell you about him a little. I can’t stress enough to say Dr. Rice
is the best doctor a patient could ever had. The way he cared for his patient is something I never heard of.
He told me that his patients is like his own family.
And hearing those words made me feel special. I love it!
With Plaquenil, he recommends I see an ophthalmologist.
Her name was Dr. Laurie K. Pollock MD. Her interest and skill are general ocular problems
and eye examinations, medical management of eye disease urgent eye care.
Being on Plaquenil means frequent eye examination to see if there were any changes.
This medication can cause serious eye and vision problems.
The risk for these side effects is increased with long-term use of the medication and with taking this medication in high doses. It can cause blindness and if any changes were seen, I would be off the Plaquenil.
Also seen at Duke was a dermatologist. His name is Dr. John C. Murray MD.
His interest and skills are Demographic, etiology and treatment of keloids, clinical trials and phototherapy for psoriasis; tele dermatology. Bless his heart the many prescribed creams did some good until
the second phase of the Lupus returned. Again, I was faced with the rash on my face.
According to WebMD.Com Plaquenil aka Hydroxychloroquine is used to prevent or treat malaria
caused by mosquito bites. Plaquenil is also indicated for the treatment of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, systemic lupus erythematosus, and the treatment of acute and chronic rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
In my case, the use of the drug did not give me serious effects.
Although, there are many side effects to the drug, I am doing very well. Thank God I am able to do things for myself without any assistant. Yet, the disease may slow you down and affect you, but, I believe if we change our way of thinking, to think positive, we can live a normal life. Also, common sense plays a big part of my life because your body would tell you what you can and cannot do. I understand everybody’s body is different.
And by all means, I’m not trying to tell you what to do.
We have been giving a God-giving choice to make our own decision.
In 2003, the rash returned. I’m not sure what caused it. Dr. John Murray, my dermatologist,
tried to treat it with many different creams. After 2 years straight, I started to get frustrated because it seems that the creams didn’t help. I was at a point where I wanted to give up. Don’t get me wrong,
Dr. Murray is a great doctor but I lost faith when none of the creams worked.
In the meantime, I had to think of something that could help get rid of this ugly rash.
“Don’t feel guilty for doing what’s best for you.”
In February of 2005, I was really desperate. I couldn’t stand looking at my face.
I felt unwanted, and unsecured. I cried thinking “Why me God?”
What have I done wrong to deserve this disease?
With that kind of thinking, I just realized why anybody? But that is another story.
Suddenly a thought crossed my mind that changed everything. What do I have to lose?
I saw a flyer on a car window at CVS drug store in Wilmington.
Nobody was in it but minutes after, she showed up. We talked a little and we exchanged numbers etc.
Two weeks later someone else contacted me. I was okay with that because I didn’t care who it was.
All I cared about was getting help. And out of desperation, I had to do something that may or may not help me.
I was at my last straw.
Her name is Lynda. She was one of the directors of a company that could possibly help with my skin problem.
I say that because I used to use the products but due to the cost, I stopped.
When she finally called me, I shared my problem with her. I told her I had lupus and that I was on many different creams that didn’t help. She told me that she may have something that could help me.
Without any hesitation, I invited her to my house.
After two years straight, I didn’t care anymore. I was desperate to try anything.
It may not be the miracle you may have expected but it was my miracle that did wonders on my face.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was excited with joy and I couldn’t wait to tell everybody. In fact, I couldn’t wait to tell my doctors at Duke University Clinic. Dr. John Rice was happy for me. He even mentioned that his wife used the same product. Dr. Murray on the other hand was not enthused. He acted like he didn’t want to hear what I had to say. Instead, he told me that I should continue using the creams. In my mind,
I said why would I continue with the cream when for two years it never did a thing.
My Miracle
SURPRISE! The miracle I am talking about is the “Timewise Miracle Set” by Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Yes, you read it right! I was 21 years old when I first got introduced with Mary Kay Cosmetics. At the age of twenty-one years old, the only product I was interested in was the make-up. Being a young girl, the skin care products never interested me because I felt I didn’t need it. My face was flawless then. Besides, to go through the entire steps would take longer for me to get ready for work. I was not ready for that
even though I knew the product would be better for me in the long run.
Mary Kay Inc is a dedicated company that advanced the science of beauty, which is why the company’s scientists are passionate about creating products that will surprise and delight you – from the latest skin care innovation to the perfect shade of foundation. According to Dr. Lucy Gildea (MK Chief Scientific Office), “Innovation is in the DNA of our Company. We are dedicated to discovering the trends and technologies that enable us to create products no one else has.” On top of that, we are to protect our skin from pollution. Pollution causes an increase in age-accelerating free radicals, which is why Mary Kay scientists spent years developing a complex of ingredients that would defend skin against environmental damage.
By collaborating with Columbia University and Dr. Liang Liu, the Company has been able to show that the patent-pending Age Minimize 3D” Complex reduces the effects of pollution on skin.
Within three days, the rash disappeared. Yes, there were a few scars here and there but with daily use of the Timewise Miracle Set, it cleared it all completely. I was stunned! Within the month, I became a Mary Kay consultant myself. This year (2020), I’ve been with the company for fifteen years. Since the product did wonders on my skin, I decided to sell the product. After all, I am a true testimony of the product and with that,
I could do good. Unfortunately, moving back home to Hawaii changed that. I am now using the product for personal use but if anyone is interested in trying the product, please contact a local MK Consultant in your area. Trust me, the product is awesome and it may help you if everything you tried fails.
My Attitude Came From Prayer
I like to say it has been at least ten years since my way of thinking changed. I was involved with someone
who I thought the world of but only to be disappointed by his action. I won’t go into details because it still hurts a little. But I am doing great thanks to God who directed me to get out of the relationship. No regrets!
Since then I changed my entire perspective on how I live and how I think.
All these diseases that came upon me throughout the years, doesn’t matter anymore. Why? Because I have put God first in my life. God is my healer and even though the doctors tell me differently, I know God has healed me. In many ways God has blessed me abundantly, more than I could ever imagine. No diseases can stop God’s plan for me. I know I may sound like I am preaching and I don’t mean to, but I don’t know any other way to tell my story without including Him. God is the reason why my attitude changes. Regardless, the pain I go through at times. I won’t allow crimplenes stop me from doing anything. I just deal with it quietly.
Many years ago, I wrote a blog that I thought could help many.
And because it pertains to attitude, I found this blog appropriate to add in this story. The title of the blog was called: “THE BEST TIME TO GET INVOLVED AGAIN IS WHEN YOU FEEL YOU DON’T HAVE TO!”
For the first time in my life, I find that this is true. After my recent break up, I was so sad. But, at that same time, I have already made a decision that I wasn’t going to sit around the house and feel sorry for myself. Instead, I continued to attend my church and made it known that I would be available for any church activities. When that fell in its place, my life had completely changed. My business started to boom and before my eyes
I felt that I didn’t need a man in my life, meaning I didn’t need someone to make me whole.
At 51 years old then, now at 64, LIFE IS GREAT! I couldn’t be happier than I am now.
If you are a person that can’t pick up the pieces after a break-up, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are worthy! Tell yourself that you are beautiful or handsome. Make changes in your life and live your life the fullest! Nothing is worth it if you can’t feel good about yourself. Believe me, YOU CAN DO IT! Also, you must have God in your life. Without Him, things won’t change. You will face the same-o, same-o headaches.
But when you are healed and ready, God will bring that special person in your life.
With God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).
If there was one thing you want to know about me is my attitude.
For many years, I have faced many trials and tribulations that it’s not funny. I had often wrestled and struggled with Him, trying to do things my way. It just doesn’t work. And when you realize your way does not work,
you might as well get over it and allow God to come into your life.
Thank you Jesus for all you have done in my life.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Amen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vSjqpbHxdc&feature=youtu.be