Selena (Marie) Gomez is not a name you forget. She has been around forever despite being so young the world knows and adores her. She started out on the beloved show that many of us watched Barney and friends along with her best friend Demi Lovato. She later made her name through Disney channel with her own show Wizards of Waverly Place where she was the main character, Alex Russo. She can be seen in many movies along the lines of: Another cinderella story, spring breakers, Neighbors 2: Sorority rising, behaving badly and many more. She created a band that was featured in many of her songs and videos called Selena & the Scene. So as I was saying hard to forget because she has made a name for herself in this business and is extremely successful.

Now that you know who she is as an idol, let me tell you that she is also human. In 2012, Selena went public to the world that she was suffering from the invisible disease lupus. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. (2016 Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.)

Most Common Symptoms

• Extreme Fatigue
• Painful or swollen joints and muscle pain
• Unexplained fever
• Red rashes, most commonly on the face (sometimes referred to as Malar or Butterfly Rash)
• Chest pain upon deep breathing
• Unusual loss of hair
• Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
• Sensitivity to the sun
• Swelling (edema) in legs or around eyes
• Mouth and nose ulcers
• Swollen glands

Less Common Symptoms

• Anemia (a decrease in red blood cells)
• Headaches
• Dizzy spells
• Feeling sad/depression
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Memory Loss
• Seizures
• “Seeing things” and not being able to judge reality
• Lupus “Fog”
• Blood clots
• Seizures
• Strokes
• Dry or irritated eyes

© Lupus Connection 2014.

Not as many people knew about lupus and its struggles before Selena made her brave coming out with her illness and the struggles that came with it. Now I knew more than most because my mother suffers with lupus so I know second hand how painful and serious it truly is. I admired her in 2012 when she told everyone because since it is invisible it is hard to explain such an illness and have everyone understand. But what I respected most about her happened recently; I am a huge mental health advocate and fighter. So when she was strong enough to see that she was suffering with panic attacks and depression on top of her physical pain. She then cancelled the rest of her tour and I was so proud. I know it is hard to just for me to put myself first because I was always trying to make everyone else happy. She has millions of fans maybe billions and she went out and said I am no good to you like this. She is taking time for herself to get better and come back to us strong again. This is why I love her I have been a fan since way back when but now she has a new level of respect from me and I’m sure many of her fans. So when you see the #PrayforSelena please so this illness is no joke she needs our support more than ever as Selenators we owe her this. True fans stick it out through the good, bad, and the important moments like this. You are in my prayers Selena.