( ENSPIRE She Did That ) Antonette Currie Inspires and Encourage Those Living with Lupus and Other Illnesses to Live, Love and Never Give Up
ENSPIRE Contributor: LaShonda Thompson
Imagine waking up one day, getting dressed, and starting to do your hair, only to have it fall out into your palms. That is exactly what happened to Antonette Currie, and for her, it was a rude awakening and a beginning to a reality that she was far from prepared to handle. Antonette was diagnosed with Lupus in 2007, and in further examinations, she was also diagnosed with alopecia areata, osteoarthritis in her knees, and now Lupus Panniculitis.
For years, Antonette battled with depression, not knowing what was going on with her body, continual hair loss, and body aches that she would experience from head to toe. And to make her depression deeper, she struggled to find clarity and understanding of what Lupus, alopecia areata, or osteoarthritis was. No one is ever prepared for sudden illnesses. And when one spends most of their life doing what they believe is beneficial for their health, such as exercising and eating right, the last thing that comes to mind is being diagnosed with a potentially debilitating disease. We begin asking ourselves, How could this be? What is it? And why?.
Antonette says, “There are many times, even still, where I am in too much pain to get out of bed. My joints ache, my eyes swell, my legs and feet ache, and the type of fatigue follows me that you could never imagine. In the past, I was taking six pills a day of steroids to help with my swelling and to maintain my health, along with Lupus medication. I was in the fashion industry, and many people look at me and say “you don’t look sick at all,” because I dress well and have a pretty face. However, at the end of the day, sickness doesn’t have a face to it! I had another setback when I ended up with a scar on the right side of my face due to Lupus Panniculitis that will be there permanently.”
In 2018, Antonette was hospitalized for a month because of a huge PE (pulmonary embolism) on her right lung. She had to get two blood fusions, as she was constantly coughing up blood and had fallen to 103lbs in weight. And if it wasn’t already enough, Antonette had caught the flu and ended up losing half of her right lung because of the severity of her PE. Antonette says, “When all of this happened to me, and with the doctors thinking I wasn’t going to make it, I was just completely over everything and wanted to stop fighting. It was just getting to be too much, and I was tired of it all. Throughout this hospital stay, my grandmother was by my side, and it was her strength that helped me keep fighting. I began speaking affirmations over my body and pushing myself more so that I was well enough to get out of the hospital, and then I finally did.”
Antonette is now living an even healthier lifestyle. As of right now, she is only on blood thinner medication, no lupus medication, and she has started a herbal supplement business (Live. Love. Juice) where she is helping others with their health journey. She is truly a voice for others, and her story will motivate, inspire and encourage those living with Lupus and other illnesses and diseases to never give up.
Despite it all, I am a strong woman, and along the way, I have learned that I may have Lupus, BUT Lupus doesn’t have me!!!!… Antonette Currie
Connect with Antonette: Instagram – Facebook – Live. Love. Juice
Related Article: Kazy Tauginas Fighting Back Against Lupus – ENSPIRE Magazine
