Keith Manson
Richmond, Virginia
Living with Systemic lupus for 15 years
Keith’s journey began in 2000, when he noticed a skin lesion near his left eye. Thinking it was a spider bite; he disregarded the lesion and waited for it to disappear on its own. After some time passed, Keith noticed that the spot did not go away and proceeded to go to a dermatologist. The dermatologist performed a biopsy, which later revealed a positive diagnosis of lupus. As additional symptoms began to manifest including severe pain throughout his body, Keith found himself forced to resign from his job.
A loss of income resulted in Keith losing his home and he had no other option but to move inwith his mother. “For a long time, I felt embarrassed and physically depressed”, Keith says. During this time, Keith was not on medication, because they were too expensive. He went to a clinic in Martinsville, VA in April, 2005 and received pain medication and Prednisone. He began speaking to a therapist, in Martinsville, and was admitted into the hospital for depression. Keith recalls having difficulty sleeping and was prescribed an additional medication to promote a healthy sleep cycle. Keith recalls being extremely frustrated after being denied disability twice, even after appeals to local legislators.
Keith recalls at one point having lesions on his tongue and on his face, and dealing with pinched nerves in his back, headaches, and extreme pain.“Living with lupus is not easy, there are many tough times that you go through when managing this disease”. Keith takes 19 different medications for his lupus,as well as injections for his headaches, stomach pains, and joint pain. Keith recalls that“Everything can hurt at one time; it feels like the end of the world”. In 2010, Keith was diagnosed with Osteoporosis; he describes being scared to receive his injections sometimes, as he fears his bones may be too brittle. Keith hopes to educate others about this disease “A lot of people don’t understand this disease, and don’t understand what people go through”. Keith wishes to share with others that they are not alone. “Finding a great support group is essential in dealing with lupus”. He encourages others not to let the disease consume you,“It will truly take the rest of your life away from you, if you let it, we were not born with toe tags, we were born to fight”. Keith states that he lives one day at a time, “What I have gone through, has made me humble, and changes how I feel about life”. Keith finds strength in his faith in God, and by participating in events such as Virginia Advocacy Day. “These types of events help me to network with other people who are going through the same thing, and advocate for health issues that affect all of us”. Since his diagnosis, Keith abstain from drinking alcohol and smoking and continues to have a positive outlook on life.
Thank you Keith, for sharing your story!