Cancer Vs. Lupus: A Guide To Awareness.

Many people fail to recognize more than one illness. C for Cancer, the biggest illness known in the world because it affects many... But there is one, other illness that affects almost exactly the same to a capital 'T'. It's S.L.E (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.) You are a person who has been effected by this, has a relative or friend who has it, heard of it, or never heard of it. You could also be completely lost, but that's alright. This post is about to change your mind on thinking Cancer is the only life threatening illness. Just like Cancer, Lupus effects all parts of the body as well. Though Cancer is more aggressive, Lupus still has a stand point and hold on just as much aggression. Cancer isn't forever, Lupus is. Cancer can go away, and have a chance of coming back, where as Lupus will always come back.

Below are some photos of Brain Scans. Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

Exhibit A - sfghed.ucsf.edu / Via Exhibit B - phys.org

Take a close look at them, though they aren't exactly the same, they are both scans of the Brain and both are serious causes. What do you think of them?

Here Are A Couple Responses On Peoples View Of Exhibit A and B.

Edited / Via Chiara Squillace

(Viewer preferred to be unknown.)

*Note that none of these participants know anything about the photos above.

Edited / Via Chiara Squillace

And the final Participant..

Edited / Via Chiara Squillace

Exhibit A (Lupus.)

Subdural Hematoma / Via sfghed.ucsf.edu

This is in fact Lupus inside the Brain. It is called CNS (Central Nervous System.) SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.) Lupus is a type of illness that attacks certain parts of the body, and can attack anything depending on the patient. In this above photo it has clearly begun to attack the nervous system. Fluid has filled up the brain, and it also appears that the patient has taken some falls to cause blood clots, or so explained above as Subdural Hematoma. Patients experience falls because they end up having symptoms such as; Seizures, Strokes, Passing Out, Severe Headaches, Etc.

Here is another CNS SLE example...

CNS SLE / Via reumatologiaclinica.org

This is a patient again with multiple blood clots from falling of perhaps a seizure, passing out, stroke, or headaches.. etc.

Exhibit B (Cancer)

Brain Tumor / Via phys.org

Above is a MRI of a Tumor (Cancerous) inside the brain, around it is following liquid since the tumor is dying, from treatments that have been working, which is a good sign.

Another Example..

Cancerous Tumor Patient MRI / Via k-state.edu

This is a Tumor that is not dying, and is also Cancerous.

Cancer Vs Lupus.

These photos above are completely explained on which is which, but before they were explained most people thought they were Cancerous or something else. Not Lupus and while one was a Cancerous, the other was named as perhaps the beginning of Cancer. This isn't something to be confused by, Doctors will certainly not be confused, so don't be afraid of that or come across that question ever. No assumptions needed there, they know their business more than I. The point of the matter is that although they are totally two different illness's they still look exactly the same, and they act with the same symptoms.

Let's take examples, Patient A has Lupus inside the brain, while Patient B has Cancer. Patient A, Has Seizures and Strokes, Severe Headaches and is almost epileptic it seems like.

While Patient B acts the same with such difficulties.

They both have separate different illness's. Patient A has Lupus, Patient B has Cancer.

Lupus in the brain acts as Cancer in the brain also with this..

As it grows and continues to have a longer affect, Lupus causes the patient to act different, Behavioral wise. The Patient for example with hallucinate, or be forgetful, if the Lupus goes to a far extent, they will completely forget their personality, who they are, be a whole different persons, All memories lost.

Cancer does the same with the brain. So let me leave you at this for the Lupus Vs/Cancer. What's the difference?

Here is the difference, One is terminal, One is Forever.

Read more about Lupus in the Brain, >Here<.

Read more about Cancer in the Brain >Here<.

There is certainly no war on what is worse.

Other; Lupus vs Cancer.

While most Cancer patients will experience a lot of pain, so will Lupus Patients.

Not all people have Lupus in the Brain, just like not all people have Brain Cancer.

As known, Lupus can spread or attack any part of the body. Just as Cancer can. But this does not prove anything just yet. What is Lupus? We all already know what Cancer is. A cruel illness that attacks innocent people, but it is just a virus that wants to live, still who gave it the right?

Lupus is sort of the same way, it just wants to live but.. who gave it the right?

Cancer I do agree, is much more aggressive but that does not mean that Lupus patients do not feel exactly the same with the pain or sometimes even worse. So much of the world is focused on Cancer that they forget other chronic illness that affect every-day people, and so we dive into Lupus as one of them.

Here is where stats lay, from an eight year experience of myself being Chronically Ill.

Cancer Patients sit in a room just as me, dealing with chronic pain, chronic fear, chronic depression, of a hospital room for days, weeks, months. All because of Chemotherapy.

Yes, Lupus Patients Receive Chemotherapy, just as Cancer Patients do.

Lupus Patients take 10+ Medications A DAY, just as Cancer Patients do, 3+ Of which are to control Pain management.

Cancer and Lupus aren't exactly the same but when asked about it by doctors, Many people ask, "Is Lupus apart/a Branch of Cancer?" and Doctors say, "No," They understand how similar they are, yet the world refuses to give any attention to it, or any other illness's. A lot of illness's suffer from being left in the dark and Lupus is one of them.

Except Lupus is forever, it'll never go away. Not with diet, not with a load of chemotherapy or surgeries, not with medications forever, it'll always stay the same. See Lupus goes into remission, but it shoots right back at the patient again. Cancer leaves, and only has a chance of coming back, there is no guarantee.

There is no 100% guarantee I am correct either but this is my research and studies based off knowledge I know of being a chronically ill patient.

And to all my friends who have dealt with Lupus and or Cancer, they both agree that it is the same type of pain, even if they are not the same illness. It's the understandment that counts about these illness's, and they should be recognized the same way.

Let it be known that this post is not suppose to be offensive or hurt anyone. It is not meant for anyone to feel that one illness is more worse off than the other, it is not meant for war. It is meant for awareness, to see the hurt, and to see the similarities with the two. If there are any problems, or you feel offended or hurt you may talk to me.

I have been suffering from SLE for eight years, and this is meant for everyone out there who want to be heard or need help, or to be understood with ANY illness. If you ever need to talk or upset on your circumstances you can contact me through my tumblr/blog page, or buzz feed. I'm here to listen.

Also, this post is to my Spoonies. <3