Devyne

My name is Devyne and I am 11 years old. I was first diagnosed at the age of 9 in January 2013. It was really difficult at first because I was really scared. I didn’t really know what was going on or what was wrong with me. All I knew was that almost everyday that I woke up I wasn’t feeling good and something was wrong. It was really hard going through all of the changes and taking a whole bunch of different medications everyday. It really sucked. I was always in pain and was really sad. I was depressed and sometimes felt like giving up. I thought that I would be in pain for the rest of my life. But as time passed I found hope.

As I got more educated on my condition I learned that I was really in control of my lupus and that my lupus didn’t have to control me. So I started taking better care of myself by making smarter decisions and I learned how to avoid and cope better with the pain. It was still very hard, but as the days passed, I grew stronger and stronger and I knew that I was going to be okay. My mom really helped me throughout this journey. She was always there by my side whether it was to comfort me or to just motivate me. She helped me keep my hopes up and would always remind me that I was going to get through this.

I really felt my best since I started seeing Dr. Joe at Upper Cervical Hawaii. I used to have a very hard time sleeping at night and just didn’t ever sleep good. Since my treatment with Dr. Joe I sleep so much better. Now it feels so good to sleep and I don’t wake up sore anymore. My goal is to be on very little medications or none at all so we started eating healthier and treating food as our medicine. We eat more fruits and vegetables and I stay away from foods that I know will make me flare like bread, rice, processed foods and too much sugar. If I have anxiety or stress some of the things that I do is listen to music, meditate and my breathing exercises. It really helps me relax. I also learned how to listen to my body and not over do it.

I have faith that one day it would all be over. No more medications, no more doctor appointments, no more pain. I’m not afraid anymore, I know what to do and I know that I will get better as long as I stay healthy. Lupus has taught me that I am a fighter and that if I can get through this, I can get through anything. I would like people to know that medicines aren’t the only things you can do to feel better. It’s also important to heal your spirit, keep your body healthy and always have a positive mind.