World Lupus Day Has Come To An End

Tonight WORLD LUPUS DAY has come to an end and I asked for support from family, friends, social media friends and followers to wear the color purple today then hashtag #worldlupusday to show your support by wearing purple any of these way; makeup, hair, clothes, nails, or wearing a purple ribbon. Only 7 new people in my life came through for me. No I didn’t think I would won’t break the internet with this request but it would have meant a lot to me if more people would have participated!

brandy gomez-duplessis in hospital cuz of lupusShowing support will help bring awareness to lupus and all of us lupus warriors. That means better doctors, better meds with hope that our disease go into remission so we can live a healthy life. If I could see #WORLDLUPUSDAY trending that would be a start. If lupus warriors could get the love and support that cancer patients receive it would be a wonderful thing. I’m not the first person in my family to be diagnose with lupus. We were first introduced to lupus when my mother twin sister died from the disease. She was diagnosed with lupus to late so her complications was to strong for her body to handle. Doctors didn’t know what she had and didn’t have the right meds to give her. I’ve been living with lupus for year and it took many many trips to the doctors office and ER before being diagnosed. I was told so many things, that I didn’t look sick, I must be depress, that my symptoms could not be true because I was African American, that I need to make friends, that my job stressed me, my lifestyle of traveling with my job was the cause, that I was fat and getting old, and that they just couldn’t help me. The list of insults went on in on from doctors. So I lived in pain for years because those doctors weren’t educated on lupus.

My real foundation
This is really my foundation

img_4941Every day I feel like I have a horrible flu that’s just one feeling. I feel like I’m on fire a lot especially during the summer. I feel like I’m about 90’s year old. My bones are so delicate when it’s cold or the AC is on my bones feel like their breaking. I have blood clots if I sit to long in my legs. I have chest pains daily, it hurts more when I walk to fast, pick up my makeup kit or walk upstairs. I have kidney problems, an enlarged heart, my arms, wrist, back, knees, and feet are swollen daily that’s another type of pain especially if I’m standing. By 7pm my body start to shut down. I suffer with hair loss in you know how vain I am that it messes with me when I see my hair on my pillowcase in the morning or I see clumps of it when I shower. Now I’m having problems with my lungs. Last year I was told that I have asthma so I use my inhaler almost every day because my lungs are weak. My bedroom look like a hospital with so many breathing machine I need to use. Then recently due to taking prednisone for too long I had an ulcer. The medicine was eating my stomach lining so I am now off of one medication but was given another. I am so happy about that because prednisone was making me look fat, you know that sick swollen look. I was doing treatments every Monday and now I’m no longer so I am blessed for that. I could barely drive myself home all I wanted was to crawl into bed. It was rough but I did it. I do freak out a lot when I’m doing makeup on a sick person, the funny thing is lupus warriors are not contagious but unfortunately you are to us. Our bodies are so weak that it can fight off those viruses so it usually lands us on bed rest for days or the hospital.

brandy gomez-duplessis blood clots

I’m going to continue to fight in bring awareness to lupus by writing on my blog, talking to the media, speaking at events, writing a book about living with lupus, you name it. All lupus warrior’s doesn’t have the same symptoms and lots have it worst then me. We shouldn’t have to be a celebrity or a reality personality to get support for this disease especially from family and friends. Let’s show the government the power we have by talking about it, or tweeting about it. I need your help, we have to start from somewhere. So that’s why I asked everyone I know to support by wearing the color PURPLE for me! One day I will see purple everywhere on World Lupus Day.

brandy gomez-duplessis on world lupus day
No, I don’t Look Sick but I am…look pass the hair & makeup

Thanks Everyone

Makeup Monday: Feeling Effortlessly Pretty

What a beautiful Monday…I woke up feeling like how Ciara look on the cover of Essence magazine May issue. Feeling good, pain free, no lupus flare up’s and/or body pain. My mood today is everything in this picture. With a no makeup makeup look, smelling delicious like spring with an effortless pop of color on the cheeks in lips while enjoying the view of the lake from home. This is the way that I would like to start my week off.

TARTE Cosmetics Park Ave Princess Contour Palette

Ralph Lauren Romance  Summer Blossom 

L’OREAL Paris Infallible Pro Matte Gloss

may 10th lupusday

Happy Mother’s Day To All The Amazing Mother’s

I started my morning very early had to be up for 6am to get ready to go to Sephora to coach a Beauty Class. After the class I only accepted 1 appointment because it was a very sweet client who trust me to do her daughter makeup for all her special events. Angie shared with me that she has never gotten her makeup done before. So I had to treat her on Mother’s Day.

By 1pm I was home celebrating with my family doing everything that I enjoy doing daily especially when I’m feeling well.  My son told me everyday is Mother’s Day because we all spoil each other. That is so true, I try to raise the kids to be good everyday to one another not just on holidays. I love been home for holidays entertaining with the family. I hate going out to eat or celebrating with a lot of people. We all like the intimacy of being home celebrating (eating & drinking) together. The weather started out very nasty with a rain storm, by 2pm I was outside enjoying the lake in eating crawfish outside while sippin on prosecco. We had a fantastic dinner then movie time. I only made to 1.5 movies, crashing before 10pm. I was so grateful for my day that I used up all of my energy.

Thanks Family for a nice day! I hope everyone spoiled their mom’s yesterday.





My daughter order me crawfish cuz she know how much I miss it. We like ordering from Louisiana Crawfish Company. Always fresh and nice size crawfish

2 treats that I can never get enough of: Mionetto Prosecco  & crawfish 

may 10th lupusday

A Glam Evening In NYC For The Movie Until 20

  Leaving Connecticut heading to do makeup on my gorgeous client Zulema

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Every glam makeup you need to get a glamxurious women makeup ready

I luv what Zulema has decided to wear to the movie screen; Herve Leger top & skirt and  jewelry from LeLe Sadoughi

  Mia is doing hair while I set up

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Zulema opened a bottle of bubbly to celebrate

Zulema is stunning !


She’s Ready!

 

Selfie time as we head to Time Warner Center

Mia & I enjoying ourselves at the reception for the movie Until 20

Brandy and Mia at Until 20 Movie Screening

Step In Repeat Time

 


Hubby was in attendance

Until 20 screening

Looking forward to seeing this film, Until 20

During the movie I started having a flare up…the pain was horrible my body was going numb was having chest & arm pains. I stayed through the entire movie but couldn’t stay afterwards. Hubby got me in a cab we picked up our car at Zulema home and he drove like a mad man to get me home… that damn lupus, always spoiling my fun!

I’m Having A Lupus Flare And It’s Not GLAM

Today in Connecticut the spring weather is so nasty, it’s 21 degrees and it’s snowing & raining.  This is day two of horrible spring weather so if you know me then you know I’m home having a lupus flare up.

If you just started to follow my blog you will find that I also speak not only about beauty products, glam invites & assignments but I share the ugly side of my life, living with lupus. I’m not sure if you know what lupus is and what it does to my body. I can work through it and for the most part I can put on makeup, do my hair, and put on a fake smile that you will never know that I’m hurting really bad. If anything you will think I’m getting over the flu. But if you know me you can look in my eyes and know today is not a good day. The great thing is doing makeup, and writing beauty articles makes me feel better, it keeps my mind off the pain and challenges.

When the weather is cold /raining this cause me more pain than I can bear. My body seems to require the temperature between 72-78 degrees. If not, then my body is in constant pain day and night. My joints will feel like they were struck with a baseball bat, my body going numb and burning like I’ve been given a shot in the same places over in over and salt water was in the needle. When I’m good because the weather is good I’m a loud, I’m the life of a party. My husband and kids normally have to calm me down because by the end of the day I’m exhausted, lol.

Lupus causes my joints to swell and burn in both hot and cold weather. In the summer I burn like I’m on fire. So I have to stay out of the sun and sunlight which sucks because I luv the beach, the water, and gardening. After going through a flare up it will leave my body needing rest from the pain so I’m exhausted and achy days will follow. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect many different parts of the body like other autoimmune diseases. Lupus occurs when your body’s immune system malfunctions, attacking your tissues and organs causing damage to the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, blood cells, heart, and brain. That sometimes it’s referred to as the “great imitator” because symptoms of lupus often resemble those of other illnesses.

Lupus can cause damage to many parts of the body, potentially leading to the following complications. I placed check marks next to some of the complications I’ve had.

  • Kidney failure
  • Blood problems, such as anemia (low red blood cell count), bleeding, or clotting 
  • High blood pressure 
  • Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) 
  • Memory problems 
  • Behavior changes or hallucinations
  • Seizures
  • Stroke
  • Heart disease (enlarged heart)   or heart attack
  • Lung conditions, such as pleurisy (inflammation of the chest cavity lining) or pneumonia 
  • Infections 
  • Cancer
  • Avascular necrosis (death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply)

Lupus isn’t contagious the problem is your more contagious to me. Also it isn’t a form of cancer, but having the disease may increase my risk of developing certain cancers.Treatments for lupus and cancer sometimes overlap.Therapies for lupus may include medicines that are also used as cancer chemotherapy drugs. You might even remember that I was going through treatments because nodules were found in my lungs. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Signs and symptoms of lupus may develop slowly or start suddenly. My body slowly starts to shuts down by 6pm that after work it doesn’t allow me to do a lot of partying or having girls night out. I have to plan accordingly if I am going to do any late activities. Everyday it’s like playing cards I don’t know what hands I’m going to be dealt. That’s why I don’t do spontaneous things anymore that I live on a schedule with what I do. I can go from feeling good to felling bad real quick, like in seconds. So, if I say NO don’t take it personal. I need what ever little energy I have left to get home safe.

Some of the common symptoms of lupus that I deal with daily include:

  • Fever
  • Miagraine
  • Fatigue
  • Stiffness, swelling, and pain of the joints
  • Muscle pain
  • Skin lesions that may worsen with sun exposure
  • Sensitivity to the sun
  • Shortness of breath when walking fast and/or walking up steps
  • Chest pain
  • Dry eyes
  • Fingers and toes turning white or blue during cold or stressful periods
  • Hair loss
  • Swelling in the legs, wrist, arms, back, and face 
  • Swollen glands

That’s enough info that hopefully you have an idea of what I’m going through. Plus, I’m tired…nap time. See ya bye luv you mean it!

Skincare Products To Try Especially For Auto Immune Warriors

Spring is finally upon us, well not 100% up here in Connecticut but I’ll take the little spring we are getting. This year I am hoping for a year of great weather which means a normal life and happy days of being pain free. As you know my life is in the control of the weather, food, stress and exhaustion. So, if I don’t want any lupus flare ups beside those 4 key element and the many meds I take I have to watch what I do to my body as well as put on my body. I’m always looking for the next best thing when it comes to natural skin care.

Beauty Expert IlseRecently, I chatted with Beauty Expert Ilse from Live Learn Luxe  and she shared with me some new natural products to try. As Ilse explained to me it’s not about the words “organic & natural” it’s all about the ingredients found in the products. These words are not friendly to anyone with an auto immune disease; PARABENS, SULFATES, TRICLOSAN, and PHTHALATES. Here are four of Ilse all-star favorite new must have chemical free products I should invest in that would not trigger my lupus.

 

Ilse is not a medical doctor, she’s a friend who gives me guidance when it comes to my skin care needs. As I spring clean my dressing room I’ll be spring cleaning my shelf of old skincare products and bad skincare products. Once I pick up these items, I will have a review for you once I’m done…hang in there my lupus warriors!

Afraid Of Going Outside After Getting Lyme Disease

Street side of the yard

Many of you know I’m a tough cookie especially when that wrong button is pushed. So it’s probably crazy to hear that I’m afraid of something. Well I am, it’s a ugly little bug (tick) and deer’s. Since moving up here to Connecticut I haven’t had good experience with either of them.Today, in Connecticut the weather is gorgeous and I happen to be off and feeling good to enjoy it. So, I decided to face my fears in go outside in my yard today. I fell in love with my home because of the yard and the lake. But after me and my babies (dogs) got bitten by ticks and getting infected with Lyme disease it’s been hard to come outside during spring and summer time. Both my babies were to old to fight, we lost them both 6 months apart.

Brandy Gomez-Duplessis yard
Favorite Spot In My Yard

I was getting tested regularly now it’s yearly with my next test coming up next month. It’s almost out my body and I pray that next month I hear the words clean build of health from Lyme disease. I’m tough but having Lupus & Lyme disease is hard, I feel like Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie The Revenant getting my ass beat daily by that bear. I just want to have my body back in get back to normal. I have to eventually face my fears in start enjoying my yard again. I let it go by not keeping it up because I really didn’t plan on coming back out here. But I refuse to let a tick scare me off, cuz that sounds crazy, right?

Brandy Lyme Results
My last test April 2015

Do You Have A Fancy Journal That You Enjoy Writing In

If you have been following me on social media then you know I am working on my books. I write every chance I get because I promised myself that I want to have the first book finished this year. The first book will be a fun self help book for girls/women, the second will be about my life as a makeup artist working with celebrities while living with lupus and the third is a beauty makeup book. You’ll always see me with a fancy journal on set, at the airport, in the park, or by the lake. So here are a few new journals that you’ll find me writing in this year. Do you have a favorite journal to write in?

a gift from Leah Bradley at L’OREAL Paris

a gift from my girlfriend Lizzie Mestren

Diane von Furstenberg

Matte Liquid Lip Stain Find 

This year I want to change it up by spotlighting bloggers on my page. This week I selected SARMICHELL3 because she wrote a post about these yummy lip colors from COLOR KILL. I’ve never used their products and I’m always looking for natural, vegan free products due to my lupus. So take a look at these amazing liquid lipstick. Thanks Sarah for a fun post!

My Regular Monday Doctor Visit With My Pulmonologist

Have you ever heard someone say that their body hurt when it rain. Well, I’m that person, change of weather affects my body, my joints. I woke up this morning feeling horrible so I knew it was raining. I struggled to get out of bed for my morning doctor appointment. I’m only looking forward to going because I’m suppose to get results from my latest CT Scan that was done on Dec 7th  at Northeast Radiology. I did the best that I could with hair & makeup but I still looked a hot mess.
I always hate doing the spirometry lungs function test, it takes everything out of me. You have to breathe so hard into the mouthpiece that sometimes it leaves me feeling dizzy like I’m going to faint.
 I did get some good news as well as bad news but the most important my nodules are getting smaller in size.  I’ll be back in this same room next Monday Dec 14th after my appointment with my ENT. Hopefully sinuses surgery won’t be needed.