Lupus is the giver of many lessons, and one of the most important lessons it taught me was how to value the things in my life. Since I was a child, my dad has always told me that time is the most valuable gift that life offers us. But…
I don’t make resolutions. It seems that now they have been replaced with mantras and buzzwords. However, my daughter asked me on New Year’s Day if I had something that could give me life guidance this year. I told her that instead of constantly trying to find ways to monetize…
Earlier this week, as I was driving home from work, I realized I’d finally evolved to a new stage of accepting my lupus. A fresh pang of fatigue hit, but as it washed over me, I recognized that my reaction was different than previous ones. My response to fatigue has…
When we were kids, a friend said that he wanted to be a doctor. He never deviated from his goal. He joined the Navy, became a medic, and has since retired from that career. I’ve been all over the place; I’ve done more things than I can recall. My one…
“I wish there was something I could do to help.” This is a common response when I tell someone about my chronic illness. Sharing with someone that an external force is hurting you prompts a wave of emotion and action. They believe they can help, and more than that,…
How would I describe myself in one word? Strong. Of all of the adjectives I could use to sum myself up, this is the one I identify with the most. My strength of mind and body defines who I am today. It is the culmination of almost a thousand…
I live in an area with a rich history. I am up the road from one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Yet I’ve never been. I live a two-hour plane ride from Mexico City, but I haven’t made the trip. Chichen Itza is an ancient ruined Mayan…
When I hear that someone I know has been freshly diagnosed with a chronic illness, I feel deeply hurt. I have flashbacks to the months I spent coming to terms with my own diagnosis, and my heart sinks. I would not wish a chronic illness on anyone. A life…
I was fast asleep in the wee hours. I went to take a breath and could not. I tried again, only to be met with a sound that I will describe as a squeaky toy. I bolted upright and tried again, pretty much in a full panic. By some miracle,…
I finally made it. I worked my butt off all year and pushed through one last week of grueling early starts, and now I’m on the plane. Destination: Vietnam. This is my fourth overseas venture since being diagnosed with lupus. Every trip, I compare how I travel with lupus to…