I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus) when I was fourteen.

I’ll be turning 21 this year. Have you ever heard the misconception that men don’t get autoimmune diseases?

As a family caregiver or medical professional, you may find yourself facing a range of new responsibilities that can be unfamiliar or daunting. It’s common to feel overwhelmed and isolated at times.

If you’re a caregiver for someone with a chronic illness, you can see the physical effects: fatigue, flares, weight fluctuations, and overall appearance. But do you know what they’re going through emotionally?

After months of hospital visits, numerous malaria treatments, and countless lab tests, I was finally diagnosed. Hearing the doctor say he knew what was wrong and prescribing medication felt like a solution.

When I was first diagnosed at 37 Military Hospital, I thought I was the only one, and this made me cry almost every minute until I met Dr Dey and my Rheusolute family. I realised God has a reason for everything.

When life throws lemons, you make the best lemonade possible! In my making of lemonade, l devised my own way of making life comfortable and less stressful despite the many challenges that come with RA.

Diagnosis was a relief when it finally came because it was wonderful to finally know that there was really something wrong with my body. It was also a relief to my family because they didn't have to be helpless anymore.

I was admitted at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for two months. During my admission, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) which is a chronic remitting and relapsing autoimmune disease.

After several trips to hospitals, I was finally transferred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where I run a lot of laboratory tests and x-rays and was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

My journey started after the delivery of my first daughter. I started experiencing sharp pains in my wrist so I couldn’t carry my princess without support and my husband had to support me with the house chores. 

In 2016, I shared my diagnosis with members of another group that I belong to and had Dr Dey come to educate them about Autoimmune Diseases in general.

The next day, a lady sent me a private WhatsApp message to find out how I was doing. She didn't stop there and kept checking up on me afterwards intermittently. 

One day, before my diagnosis, I had driven myself to work when all of a sudden I felt the pain building up in my hip so I drove to a nearby clinic. The doctor, after seeing my condition, gave me the day off but by then, I could barely walk to my car.

In 2010, I started feeling unwell. Nothing specific, just a general feeling of being off. One morning, I woke up and my roommate told me that half of my face was swollen. Later, I noticed swollen lymph nodes (hard like balls underneath the skin) in my neck, armpit, and pelvic area. It felt like everywhere lymph nodes could be found.

My journey started with skin thickening and tightening. I assumed it was the skincare products I was using, the soap and body creams, so I changed them. My skin continued to lose its pigmentation (colour), causing white patches on my face, elbows, toes, and the backs of my palms. This made me look aged.

I used to spend a lot of time in front of my mirror, I loved to see myself. I took such great care of my skin; the spa treats and the best skin products.  At 25, I was in my prime, having completed my tertiary education and finally landed my first job. My life was taking shape. I was looking good, I was strong, I was ready to take on the world. Or so I thought.

About six months ago, after returning from a funeral in my village, I noticed rashes appearing on my face. At first, I thought they were the usual flare-ups I had come to understand. But this time, they developed into patches that spread more quickly than I had ever experienced before. It was difficult to watch, especially as it extended to my arms. Still, I held on, trusting that healing would come—and last month, it finally did.