Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hey all, my name is Mandi. I'm 21, from Savannah, Ga, and I was

diagnosed with both internal and cutaneous lupus in late 2001.

Unfortunately, that's about as far as I went with it. My parents are

the types who only care about themselves, so when they switched

insurance, they wouldn't " shop around " for an insurance company that

would cover a preexisting condition, so I am going on 3 years with no

doctor visits or meds. I've noticed things getting worse, my eye

sight is getting a lot more blurry and the sensitivity to the sun is

worsening. I've got at least 20 books at home on SLE, and good news:

my insurance kicks in next month at my new job! I know they won't

cover the preexisting, so the only thing I can do is just play dumb

and " forget " to mention it. I figure that's what's best for me

anyways, b/c then I can get re-diagnosed and a second opinion all in

one. Anyways ... more about me: I was attending Georgia Southern

University for Psychology, but had to take a year and a half off due

to financial reasons. Currently, I'm working full-time at the

Savannah Morning News in Customer Service as a distpatcher. I live

with my boyfriend, Joe (you'll see his name often as he's my support

group, bestfriend, and soulmate all in one) and our doggie Jack who

is a german shepard/jack russell mix. I plan on going back to school

in the fall to work on my Nursing degree and then working towards my

PA so that I can work in a rhumetologist's office. Okay, so I guess

I'll end this for now. I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new

friends and learing a bunch! Oh, one more little bit of info, I know

I shouldn't ... but I'll be getting my tattoo next month of a wolf

cub looking up with a butter fly on the tip of the nose -- it was

just too cute not to get, lol! Okay, read you all soon!

Ciao,

Mandi