Hi! My name is Shamekka Marty, and I'm the Pretty Sick Lupus Chic. Here is my story...
I currently reside in the Bay Area in California, but I’m originally from New Jersey. I’m married to my husband, Henry, and we have three children: Amaru, Alejandra, and Antonio. I graduated from Williamstown High and Rutgers University, earning a degree in International Business and Project Management. I currently work as an Infrastructure IT Project Manager, Motivational Speaker, Board member for the EMT Advisory Board, and manage my son’s acting career. In 2012, I was diagnosed with Lupus, Scleroderma, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Reynaud’s, and Sjogren’s Syndrome. Nevertheless, all of my pain and suffering pushes me to keep moving forward and inspire others!
Through this website, I seek to motivate others who are in the same boat as me. I speak on various public platforms, have a blog, post vlogs to showcase my life, provide career counseling, and sell CBD products that help with the symptoms of Lupus, among other things.
Initially, I started to be a patient advocate due to my Mother and Nana. My mother was diagnosed with Lupus after she gave birth to me at 21 years old, and my Nana became bedridden from severe Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 40, which was a little bit after I was born. My mother took in my Nana as she needed full-time care. It was my mom, little brother, Nana and I in a small house. When my mom was too tired to take care of us, at the age of 10, I had to step up and fill in.
REMOTE ESCAPES
I was the one to make the meals, which we had to make three different types because it was a regular meal for me and my brother, cardiac diet the for my Nana and a Kidney one for my mom. I also had to drive my mom around since I was 14. I was groomed to be a caretaker and to know the chronic illness life. I watched everything they went through and understood their struggles. I saw what worked and did not work. It helped me have a better appreciation for life and being able to walk or do things. And when it hit me, I already knew what to expect and do. I wanted to take my very different experience and help others.
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"I practice what I preach. I keep you updated on my life to reflect that you, too, can do it - regardless of your illness. I don’t just post great quotes; I show you the good, the bad, and the ugly."