Jannet Angus                                                                                     Print This Story......  

Social Secretary, West Midlands Lupus Group

Jannet Angus has been a Lupus patient for more than thirty years. She was diagnosed with the disease after developing a serious rash.

Jannet says, “I was diagnosed with Lupus in 1964. I initially had a rash on my face then on my hands. As I worked in catering at the time, I was sent to a doctor straight away.

I was extremely lucky that my doctor picked up the symptoms as being Lupus almost immediately as, at that time, there was no blood test for the disease. I met other patients who had to wait much longer before finding out they had Lupus.

It’s sometimes very hard to explain what having Lupus is like. If you are taking steroids you often look very well but feel terrible. You can go through quite long periods when the disease is in remission and then suffer a flare up which can cause severe joint pains. I guess it’s also a hard disease to explain because every patient experiences slightly different symptoms – no two cases are the same.”

Over the years, Jannet has been treated at a number of clinics as far apart as London and Bangor. Then, in 1992, she discovered the Lupus Clinic at the University of Birmingham.

“I’d heard about the excellent work Dr. Caroline Gordon and her Team had been doing at Birmingham and, through another patient, got in touch with the clinic. For the last thirteen years their support has been great. They were really patient in finding the right mixture of drugs for me to use.

Caroline and the other staff are always available at the end of the phone if I need to discuss anything. The facilities in the clinic are very good so you can see the right specialist when you need to.”

Although living with Lupus is difficult, Jannet remains positive in everything she does:

“I’ve tried very hard not to let Lupus stop me from doing the things I want to do. Although I had to give up work in 1980, I have spent the last twenty years trying to help other Lupus patients understand a bit more about the condition and to raise money for research with the West Midlands Lupus Group for LUPUS UK. When I was first diagnosed, the doctor said it would be something I had to live with for the rest of my life and, naturally, this concerned me but, with the support of the West Midlands Lupus Group, LUPUS UK and the Birmingham Lupus Clinic, I have found ways of coping. My role of Social Secretary with the West Midlands Lupus Group keeps me busy and helping other Lupus patients also helps me.”
 

Sadly, Jannet died 1st May 2009 Her story remains on the website as a memorial to a wonderful lady who is greatly missed

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