Author Archives: Kristiana Page

Can you guess which one of us is sick? If I were to show you this picture (on the left) and ask you to pick out which one of us is sick, which one of us would you choose? Would you take a wild guess,…

Since I began writing this column, I’ve had many people reach out to me. Sometimes it’s because an article deeply resonated or helped them express something for the first time. Occasionally readers will deliver a virtual hug because what I’ve described is too familiar and hits close to…

Medicine can’t tell you much about lupus, but it loves to throw out facts. If you Google lupus right now, a range of statistics will pop up. According to Monash University, lupus affects 5 million people worldwide. It’s most predominate in the 15-44 year old age…

We haven’t been seeing each other very long, and honestly I’m still undecided as to whether you’re “Mr. Right,” “Mr. Right Now,” or something between. But regardless of the context we’re in, the prospect of this new relationship simultaneously excites me and scares me; while there’s so…

More and more I’m learning that with lupus, nothing has any kind of permanency. I have days free of fatigue, and I feel so good that I question whether I’m really chronically ill. But those days never last. Not long after, I find myself hit with another…

Living with lupus is a bit like having a puzzle with a missing piece. You may not notice initially, but when you start to put it together, you realize it’s not quite right. Maybe you push the thought of the missing piece out of your mind for…

Lupus was the ultimate wrench in the works. There isn’t one aspect of my life that went untouched; nothing was safe or left unchanged. I have to admit that in most cases it’s been a positive thing. However, when it comes to love, I can’t bring myself…

There was a period of time, not long after my diagnosis, when I felt as if I had truly lost everything. I felt overcome by my condition, as if it had sucked all the goodness out of every aspect of my life. Today, I find myself on…

When it came to my first six months with lupus, it felt like I took so many losses. My diet, my energy, my face, my body shape, the list just kept growing. I felt like I never got to take anything back. I never got to have a…

I write this in a state of disbelief and heartbroken shock. Not long ago I found out about the passing of someone whose presence merely graced my life, yet left a lasting imprint. I’d love to dedicate this column not only to one wonderful and strong woman,…