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Lupus

It was December 1, 1980 (mom's 40th Birthday) and she had been diagnosed with "Systemic Lupus". She had never been ill before and the doctors said she would not live to see her next birthday because as unfamiliar to her it was to them as well until a nurse suggested testing her for Lupus. She had been in remission for most of her life. To make a long story short, the disease while in remission had deteriorated her organ internally and she had been place on dialysis because her kidney had failed and she died as a result in 1991. That is why I chose this topic for my research.
What is Lupus
As defined by the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA), "Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. The body's immune system normally makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against "self." These antibodies, called "auto-antibodies," react with the "self" antigens to form immune complexes. The immune complexes build up in the tissues and can cause inflammation, injury to tissues, and pain.
More people have lupus than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cystic fibroses combined. LFA market research data show that between 1,400,00 and 2,00,00 people reported to have been diagnosed with lupus. (Study conducted by Bruskin/Goldring Research, 1994.) For most people, lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. Thousands of Americans die each year from lupus-related complications.
Types of Lupus
There are three types of Lupus: Discoid lupus,...