Lovely Russian figure skater, Irina Slutskaya, has been coping with vasculitis .
Ms. Slutskaya started with a case of pneumonia in the summer of 2003, which went on to becoming bronchial asthma. This progressed to pericarditis (inflamation of the sac lining of the heart). Now the disease has progressed to vasculitis.
The origins of vasculitis remains unknown. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, vasculitis is associated with:
systemic lupus erythematosus
rheumatoid arthritis
polymyalgia rheumatica
scleroderma
Wegener's granulomatosis
temporal arteritis
cryoglobulinemia
erythema nodosum
tumors
leukemia
lymphoma
(http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/vasculitis.html#1)
Although uncommon, vasculitis can occur on its own.
Ms. Slutskaya was told by her physicians that she should take time off. She declined stating that she felt "empty" when she did not skate.
She suffers with frequent pain and swelling in her legs and chronic fatigue.
This has cut into her training time and as reported by NBC.com has caused some fatigue near the ending of her performances.
I watched her short program last night and she was absolutely radiant.
BRAVO! to her for following her bliss. She is beauty in motion.
I remember watching her in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and took an immediate liking to her.
She commented last night that since 2002 she has learned that life does not end with figure skating.
She has been tending to her ailing mother. Her mom has kidney disease, had a kidney transplant, but now is requiring a new transplant. Ms. Slutskaya has been taking her mother to the thrice weekly dialysis appointments.
I am all for Team USA winning Olympic medals, but this year, I have my eyes set on seeing Irina Slutskaya winning the gold.
:)
RESOURCES:
NBC Olympic News: http://www.nbcolympics.com/figureskating/5074660/detail.html
Lupus and Vasculitis:
http://www.lupus.org/education/brochures/vasculitis.html#1
Biography and Fan Site:
http://www.irina-slutskaya.com/biography.htm
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