| DrBlumenthal’s Introduction ofKimberly Vaughn

The hope that people withautoimmune disease have comes not only from medicines andresearch but from the patients who have refused to give up andwho speak out about their illness. Our next speaker tells apersonal story of persisting when the chances of getting helpseemed small or nonexistent. Her achievements are an inspiration.She is Mrs. Kimberly Vaughn, a wife and the mother of twochildren, a Mrs. Georgia and a woman who has been successful inher work as a model.

Kimberly Vaughn

I’m a professional model andI’m very comfortable in front of large numbers of people,but a professional speaker I’m not. So I’m going tospeak from my heart and tell you my story.

The happiest and most memorableday of my life was not the day I was crowned Mrs. Georgia, butthe day my first child was born. Little did I know that within afew months of becoming a new mother I would begin experiencingsymptoms indicative of an autoimmune illness. I thought being anew mom and turning 30 meant feeling extremely tired, weak andaching. As my son grew, my complaints of ill feeling grew aswell. My vision was blurred, my hands and feet were numb, andswallowing became increasingly difficult. I became concerned atthe rate my health was declining that I was going to be unable tocare for my young son.

It was 6 months after Davis wasborn that I began in earnest to try to figure out what was wrongwith me. During the long year and a half it took me to receivethe correct diagnosis, I was stuck, spinal tapped, x-rayed,probed, and I even had electric currents run through my body. Thefirst physician I saw was an endocrinologist, then I was sent toa neurologist, and from there to a rheumatologist. Even though myrheumatologist was a highly regarded doctor, she could notpinpoint which connective tissue disorder I had. But she didbegin treating my symptoms and I started feeling somewhat better.However, I was by no means feeling like my old self. It was thisdoctor who sent me to an ophthalmologist who ran theSchirmer’s test. He related to her that my eyes wereextremely dry, but because all my blood tests were not indicativeof one autoimmune illness, my disorder was never labeled. It wasnot until my younger sister, Christy, began experiencing the verysame symptoms that I decided to take matters into my own handsand try to find out exactly what was wrong with us. I firstcalled the Arthritis Foundation. They sent me many pamphlets andbrochures. I read and studied them.

I decided our illness most closelyresembled lupus, so I joined the Lupus Foundation, I attendedtheir meetings, seminars, and even joined a support group. It wasat this time that I became close friends with the president ofthe Foundation. I confided in her that I wasn’t quite suremy sister and I had lupus, and I asked her to recommend a doctorthat would not get frustrated with a difficult-to-diagnoseillness. She told me of Dr Sam Shatton, an immunologist. Christyand I made an appointment with Dr Shatton and we sent him all ourmedical records. At our very first visit, after reading ourhistories, studying our test results, our diagnosis was finallymade. Sjogren’s syndrome. I was treated with Plaquenil,prednisone, eye drops, and lotion for my dry skin.

Our diagnosis brought mixedemotions. One, relief to know that our illness had a name, buttwo, concern for our future. My sister and I joined theSjogren’s Syndrome Foundation and started receiving themoisture seeker’s literature. Slowly, my health improved, asdid my sister’s. I had flares, but I kept my periodicappointments, followed Dr Shatton’s advice, and alwayscontinued my medications. Exercise even became an important partof my daily routine.

Five years after my son’sbirth, I began yearning for another child but, for obviousreasons, I was quite reluctant. After talking to Dr Sam andpraying, my husband Charles and I decided to try for baby number2. Langston Lewis was conceived soon thereafter. I am happy toreport my health has remained stable for the past 2 and a halfyears since Langston’s birth. My battles with flares havebeen few. I competed for Mrs. Georgia for the opportunity thetitle would afford me. My experience with Sjogren’s hasshown me that good health is a blessing. I know what it’slike to be well, and I know what it’s like to be sick withSjogren’s. I want to emphasize that I am not like everyother person with Sjogren’s. In fact, we are all differentwith different stories, different symptoms, different abilities,and different disabilities. Some of us are very sick and some ofus are well, like myself. But we can’t count on being wellforever. As Mrs. Georgia, I have tried to make the most of mygood health and my crown on behalf of the 2 to 4 millionAmericans, primarily women, who suffer with Sjogren’s. Iwant to thank you for allowing me this unique opportunity toshare my personal story today.

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