A horrifying video of a woman whose heart and lungs failed shows the harsh reality of lupus, the incurable disease that struck Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga.
Melisa Woolery, 31, was diagnosed with the incurable condition after giving birth to her daughter Marlee prematurely in 2022.
She suffered two strokes and a heart attack before being placed in an induced coma, which led to her diagnosis.
Lupus is a disease in which the immune system turns against the body, attacking healthy organs and tissues. It affects one in 10,000 people, 90 percent of whom are women.
London-based physician Dr. Sermed Mezher, who has 260,000 followers, shared a video on TikTok showing Woolery walking around the hospital, hooked up to a machine that keeps her lungs and heart in good condition.
Melisa Woolery, 31, was diagnosed with the incurable condition after giving birth to her daughter Marlee prematurely in 2022. London-based doctor Dr Sermed Mezher, who has 260,000 followers, shared a video on TikTok of Ms Woolery
Mrs Woolery suffered two strokes and a heart attack before being placed in an induced coma and diagnosed
Mrs Woolery, who was filmed waiting for a heart, lung and kidney transplant, has since undergone surgery but remains in hospital.
The mother, who a gafundme for financial support while unable to work, she explained that she had developed a condition called ascites, a condition that causes swelling of the abdomen due to the build-up of fluid.
In June 2022, her health deteriorated and the fluid in her body filled her lungs, kidneys and heart.
She claims she suffered a heart attack, two strokes on the left side of her body and cardiac arrest, which left her in an induced coma.
“Waking up from the coma was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I was given a second chance at life, which I am so grateful for,” she wrote on her gofundme page.
“The cardiac arrest required me to relearn how to walk, talk and do all my normal daily activities,” she added.
Lupus, which causes the immune system to turn against the body and attack healthy organs and tissues, affects one in 10,000 people, 90 percent of whom are women. The incurable disease also struck Selina Gomez
Selina Gomez has spoken candidly about her lupus diagnosis more than a decade ago. She was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease in 2013
Dr. Mezher explained the devastating effects lupus can have on the body.
He said: ‘This condition can affect almost every organ in the body because your immune system no longer recognises the invading cells of your own cells and starts attacking itself.’
Selina Gomez spoke candidly about her lupus diagnosis more than a decade ago. She was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease in 2013 and later went public with her diagnosis in her October 2015 cover story with Billboard.
In 2017, the actress announced that she had undergone a kidney transplant at the age of 24 due to organ damage caused by lupus.
In 2022, she also released her documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, in which she chronicled her years-long journey with lupus and spoke candidly about her mental health.
Singer Lady Gaga also admitted that she tested “borderline positive” for the condition in 2010.
According to the Mayo ClinicLupus causes inflammation that affects the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.
What exactly causes lupus is still unknown. It is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Sunlight, stress, smoking, certain medications, and viruses are known to aggravate symptoms.
It is thought that the female sex hormone estrogen also plays a role, which is why women of childbearing age are most often affected.
Singer Lady Gaga also revealed that she tested “borderline positive” for lupus in 2010
Symptoms of lupus include pleural effusions (a buildup of fluid in the lungs), heart and kidney problems, arthritis, and Raynaud’s phenomenon (when fingers turn white or blue in response to stress or cold). A butterfly rash across the face is also a major sign
Lupus affects 50,000 people in the UK and more than five million people worldwide.
There is no cure, but there are treatments available that can reduce symptoms.
However, it often takes up to seven years before a diagnosis is made, because the diverse symptoms make it particularly difficult to diagnose.
Patients often report fatigue, fever, joint pain such as stiffness and swelling, skin lesions, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Dry eyes, headaches, confusion, memory loss and fingers that turn white or blue from the cold or stress can also occur.
The symptoms are similar to many other diseases, which is why it can be difficult for doctors to identify lupus as the cause.
Some experts therefore also call this condition the ‘great masquerade’.
A telltale sign is a rash on the face that looks like a butterfly spread across both cheeks. However, this does not happen in all cases.
Lupus symptoms vary in severity and last for different periods of time. Most patients have mild symptoms that flare up from time to time into more temporary severe episodes.
Dr Mezher said: ‘It’s known as the great imitator because the symptoms are very non-specific, such as brain fog, rashes and fatigue.’
He added: ‘If detected early, 85 to 90 percent of patients can live normal lives if they take drugs that suppress the immune system.’
Some people are born with a predisposition to lupus. This disease can be triggered by infections, certain medications, or sunlight.
Doctors recommend that you see a doctor if you experience an unexplained rash, fever, pain, or fatigue that persists.
Six out of 10 people with lupus develop kidney problems, including lupus nephritis. This occurs when lupus autoantibodies attack the parts of the kidneys that filter waste.
This can cause the kidneys to become inflamed, causing them to no longer function properly or even stop functioning altogether.
