Dear Governor Abbott: Autoimmune patients need to be prioritized amid COVID-19 crisis (letter)

A Texas native writes a letter to its governor, urging the state to prioritize autoimmune patients amid the COVID-19 crisis. 

Dear Governor Greg Abbott,

I am writing this letter to express my sincere disdain and frustration about the way autoimmune disease patients are being prioritized amid the COVID-19 Crisis.

Due to the presumptive statements made by President Trump, regarding the medication Hydroxychloroquine, many autoimmune
patients including myself, are not able to receive the medication needed to sustain our daily lives.

As you may, or may not know, March is Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month and I don’t know of a better time to make you aware of what we face daily.

For weeks now we have watched the nation panic at some of the symptoms we live through on a daily basis. And believe me when I say, we don’t wish them on anyone. I heard a patient say all she could do was sit in the tub and cry. And I am more than sure we have all had many days there. The body aches, the fatigue, the fevers, the chest pain… we know that feeling all too well. We also know the insecurity of scarring rashes and losing hair.

We know the isolation of staying home and not attending certain events during flu season due to germs. We understand the importance of hand washing and wearing mask.

We also know what it feels like to be fine one minute, and feel like you are falling apart physically the next. We know the frustration of not being able to get out of bed for days on end. And the list goes on.

Unfortunately for us, this is daily life, it does not have an end date and it won’t blow over after 14 days. Do you know the ramifications of us not having access to the life saving medication we depend on?

Don’t worry I will tell you. Without medication, we are bound to have flare ups which consist of (but is not limited to) rashes, joint pain, chest pain, low grade fevers, GI Issues, fatigue, numbness and tingling, weakness etc.

This will cause many autoimmune patients to flood emergency rooms,
further putting them at risk due to suppressed immune systems and the lack of medication needed. This could further contributed to the pandemic you so desperately wish to destroy. This means less beds, less supplies, more sick individuals, and more burnt out healthcare workers. This is unacceptable and completely avoidable if you do your part.

We are petitioning faster manufacturing of Hydroxychloroquine, and strict pharmacy regulations so that all autoimmune disease patients are able to receive their medication on time. Remember, you don’t take a life saving medication from someone to save another life… you produce MORE!

Chronic Endurance Founder,
Jyrah Knight

Jyrah Knight is the Founder and CEO of Chronic Endurance.

Chronic Endurance is a non-profit organization based in Texas dedicated to autoimmune disease awareness.