Columns

These Feelings Can’t Be Real

There are days when my life feels like a Milli Vanilli song; it’s being faked, but it’s known for the part that is fake! Unfortunately, lupus is very real. There has been a lot of rain lately, and as I move through my home I realize I am hurting…

How I’m Reclaiming the Anniversary of My Diagnosis

As of May 22, 2020, I have lived with my lupus diagnosis for four years. I have commemorated the past three anniversaries on their exact date with a photo and paragraph. Half of me has always loved celebrating on the actual date of my anniversary. That’s partly because in…

Why I Don’t Want to Live Forever

I have thought about death and mortality more than the average 20-something. In fact, I love nothing more than debating the philosophy around it. To me, death isn’t a cause for anxiety or fear; it is a fact of life. A fact I have been at peace with for some…

I Am Battling Lupus but I Am Not Fragile

I am slight in build. I am a woman who is bald. I am battling lupus. I am not fragile. If you were to stop and look at me, I might look as if I could break. At the start of 2020, I weighed 99 pounds. I’m happy to report…

Remaining Hopeful Is Hard, but I’m Trying

I often remind myself that worrying isn’t helpful, especially because stress is a lupus trigger. In my past life as a well person, I always thought I handled stress masterfully. But after being diagnosed with lupus, I notice that my biggest flares happen when I experience high stress levels.

Taking Advantage of Living in a Time Like No Other

We are living in a unique time, and I am not referring only to the COVID-19 pandemic. How many times in your life have you wished you had more downtime? How often have you wished for more time to do the less urgent, little things you never seem to get…

I’m Learning New Skills as I Adapt to Change

I was hospitalized the first month of this year, and I hope it’ll be the only time this happens in 2020. After the hospital, I was sent to a rehabilitation center. It was the first time since my diagnosis that I did rehab at this level. When I was younger,…

A Different Kind of Connection

The lupus life can feel seriously lonely. Supporters surround me, but I know they can’t understand the things I endure. Lupus can create a whole lot of problems, mentally and physically. A tiny symptom can become something serious. When serious flares strike, I fear that one of the many…

Coping and Thriving During COVID-19 Isolation

My last column focused on fear and other potential effects of being in isolation. As Australia continues to lock down, I have experienced different waves of emotions.   The first was anxiety. If you are overcome with anxiety, know that you are not alone in feeling a…