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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…

I was recently feeling a little tired but was still able to function. I went to breakfast with a friend on Saturday and struggled to sit up once I returned home. I lay down around 1 p.m. that afternoon and didn’t get up until Monday morning. Showering took what little…

I’m frustrated with my body that causes me considerable discomfort and uncertainty. Since my diagnosis, I’ve had an average of four hospital stays a year. I have done my best to avoid an admission this year. I don’t see my doctor as often as I should, but it’s not because…

Adjusting to life with a chronic illness requires you to alter your mindset in many ways. It might be a fundamental change, an existential shift that alters your perspective on life itself. Or it could entail changing your values and what something means to you. I used to hate napping…