Woman survives life-threatening conditions before Lupus diagnosis

MISSOURI CITY, Texas - Lupus is an inflammatory disease that causes the immune system to attack its own tissues. A woman from Missouri City is on a mission to make sure others know the warning signs for an earlier diagnosis than she received.

Cheryl Yetz appreciates quiet moments in her yard now, more than ever! She had to quit her high-profile job to fight the autoimmune condition, Lupus. Her symptoms began decades ago. 

"I had a stroke when I was 28 and nobody said maybe it's an autoimmune condition. Did a lot of testing to figure out what caused that stroke," says Cheryl. 

It would take 17 years to find out and the problems didn't stop there. 

"I would have one thing after another, and I started having bowel obstructions, and a bowel obstruction is a life-threatening situation," explains Cheryl. 

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Her problems were so random, that no one was thinking that Lupus could be causing them. 

"Then, I had some really crazy things happen," says Cheryl. "My breasts started bleeding! And even the breast surgeons were like, no idea what this is, the ducts are bleeding. Then I spent a year with swelling and inflammation, then surgery after surgery, and a drain, and nobody could explain what's going on."

It kept getting worse. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 liver fibrosis, had multiple hernia repairs that wouldn't heal, and had limited breathing capacity. 

"One day where I pretty much woke up crippled, my elbow joints, my shoulder joints, my knee joints were just immobile," says Cheryl. 

Finally, symptoms led Cheryl to a Rheumatologist, who was able to give her the diagnosis she desperately needed. She could now be properly treated to stop all her medical crises. 

Cheryl keeps busy gardening, beehives, and her beloved dogs since her treatments often confine her to her home. Cheryl takes steroids, chemotherapy, and immunoglobulin infusions to battle Lupus. She works closely with the Lupus Foundation to raise awareness since it typically takes years for a Lupus diagnosis.

"I think Cheryl is a really good example of the history of what one goes through with an autoimmune disease attacking your body from the inside out," says Anne Marie Blackener, who is the CEO of the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the Lupus Foundation.  "We typically hear, 'Well you look fine.'  So, when you go to your doctor and explain your terrible joint pain, terrible migraines, and say you're exhausted all the time, your doctor, if you're a woman is going to say, 'When is your last cycle, you need to lose some weight, you need to be more active. That is an actual example from a Lupus warrior."

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One thing that can sometimes help get a faster diagnosis is when Lupus causes redness on the cheeks and across the nose, known as a butterfly rash. There's no cure for Lupus, but there are some ongoing clinical trials for what Anne-Marie calls Lupus Warriors. 

"I think what's important to know is Lupus awareness is one part of the equation, then advocating because Lupus costs are $20,000 a year, and that's if you're lucky enough to be able to afford it," states Anne Marie. "So, what we really want to do is help shorten that time to diagnosis. We want to help get people in treatment, because on top of that number, the majority are no longer able to work. It really can be a catastrophic diagnosis."

Cheryl encourages everyone who's going through a hard time to find things you love. She adopts dogs and then takes them to places like nursing homes to uplift others, which uplifts her in return.

For more information on Lupus, click here.