My Visit with Bev in California

Hi everyone! 

I’ve made it safely to California where Bev Knaup lives!  She was so excited to see me that she immediately wanted to show me around. 

Bev flew in the back seat of F-16s and T-38s when she was in the USAF – her doctors believe that the physical pressure these jets put on her body is what triggered her lupus.   So she wanted to take me back to where it all began.

After a quick course in egress training we suited up and hopped in an F-16.  Once we were cleared for take off from the tower, we zoomed down the runway then headed up, up, up, in to the Wild Blue Yonder over the Mojave Desert.

Bev an I flying in the back of an F-16

We got some great aerial shots as well.  Take a look at where Bev lives:

Looking out the canopy

Beautiful Mojave Desert

 

Bev says she really loves living out here.  Wide open spaces, great career opportunities for her husband, and a wonderful rheumatologist.   The only problem is that lupus patients are overly sensitive to the UVA and UVB rays from the sun.  And here in the Mojave Desert there are over 300 days of sunshine a year with temperatures getting up to 115 degrees in the summer!

I asked Bev if there were any trees that provided some shade for her, since I didn’t really see any while we were flying around. 

She explained that there are some trees, but not many like in the Midwest.  The trees that live around here are very unique and with little to no water, its a wonder they grow here at all!  These trees are so unique in fact that they ONLY grow in the Mojave Desert and in Jerusalem in the Middle East!

Well I HAD to go see them!

Here I am learning all about Joshua Trees

These were the goofiest looking things I’d ever seen!  And prickly!  Legend has it they are named “Joshua Trees” dating all the way back to biblical times.

The Israelites are said to have named this species "Joshua" because it mimicked the Old Testament prophet Joshua, with his arms outstretched, waving them on toward the Promised Land.

Emma, Bev and I standing in front of a Joshua Tree

So before I left Bev’s house I asked her if we could tie a purple ribbon around one of the Joshua trees, being that these trees are so UNIQUE and are a great example of surviving against all odds.

I thought it reminded me of lupus patients.  Every person's journey with lupus is so different than the next: from symptoms, to diagnosis, to treatment, every one's case is UNIQUE.  And since there is still no CURE for LUPUS, they are also a great example of surviving against all odds.   

Purple ribbon to symbolize HOPE

So we tied a purple ribbon around a Joshua tree to symbolize HOPE that one day there will be a CURE for LUPUS.



I had a great time visiting with Bev and her family.  Stay tuned to see where I end up next!  Who knows, I may just show up in your mailbox!