My name is Kimberly Beasley and I am the founder of “Puzzled Butterfly.” My journey with lupus has been long and extremely exhausting. Experiencing joint pain as early as 7 years old and feeling no one believed my pain was real was quite devastating. The only way I could describe my pain was that my bones were cold and hurting. My grandmother always thought I had poor blood circulation…lol. My mom and dad looked bewildered and later took me to the doctor. After a physical the doctor concluded that I was experiencing growing pains.

Later I developed chronic anemia and I was told I possibly had leukemia and had two bone marrow aspirations that were negative…Thank God! At the age of 18 I received a call from my family doctor telling me to come into her office to discuss my blood test results and at that time she told me I had Lupus. She referred me to a rheumatologist who checked my range of motion and told me that I didn’t have lupus. No further testing was done.

From the age of 18 to age 38 I continued to suffer with pain and fatigue. In March of 2010 I started experiencing difficulty breathing and was misdiagnosed with having asthma. After a year of non-effective treatments, being on as many as 8 asthma medications at one time and a 8 day hospitalization, My husband and I had had enough. In August of 2011 we drove from Texas to Colorado to the #1 Respiratory hospital in America, National Jewish Health. After several test and review of my medical records from Texas the Pulmonologist stated that he was thoroughly convinced that I didn’t have asthma and my breathing issues were autoimmune related and he believed it was Collagen Vascular Disease. He then got on the phone right there in front of us with a colleague of his that was one of the top Rheumatologist in the U.S and told him he needed to see me asap. The next morning at 7 am before he opened to see his regular patients he saw me. What a God send! After hearing my history, looking at my blood work and medical records he said…Lupus! 20 years after my family doctor said it, I can finally get the help I’ve needed since I was 7.

My life has since been devoted to managing my illness. The ups and downs every moment of everyday. I have made peace with and have learned to live with lupus. It is my desire to help others along their journey. Yes it’s been a grueling battle…but I’m in it…and with God’s help…I will win it!

Kimberly Beasley – Founder

“Be Encouraged…Be Blessed…Be Enriched…Be Authentically You!”