Last Friday was a good day. Actually, it was a great day. Finishing my morning shift at work, I opened my phone to find a notification that brought me a lot of happiness. It wasn’t anything earth-shattering; in fact, it would’ve been meaningless to anyone else. It was just…
I returned to the United States from Southeast Asia in mid-May. I came back to visit my family, and I had another intention in mind. As much as I dislike the U.S. healthcare system, I am a veteran, and I am entitled to certain benefits. As some of…
Living in this era of booming health and fitness, my Instagram and Facebook feeds are full of workout videos, fitspo selfies, and motivational posts. To me, physical exercise is just another form of medicine. When I spend money on exercise, I view it as an investment in my…
Dealing with a chronic illness each day can be frustrating and overwhelming, so how do we factor in grief and the grieving process when someone close to us passes away? How do we actively mourn the passing of a loved one without causing a flare-up? To be honest,…
Lupus sucks! There, I’ve said it. I have a feeling that anyone battling this disease, or anyone watching a loved one do so, will agree. If you believe in the Bible, lupus to me is the true definition of the devil. It comes to steal, kill, and destroy. In…
A meme floating around Facebook says something like: “I’m not a night owl or an early bird, I’m more like a permanently exhausted pigeon.” Each time I read it, I laugh out loud. Not necessarily because I find it funny, but more so that I relate to it…
I have been lucky that my diseases have been relatively stable over the past few years. Most of the flares I have had were situational, typically when I put myself in strenuous situations. For example, I traveled from Michigan to the East Coast and back again in 36 hours. However,…
To experience anger is to experience stress. Stress is a lupus trigger, and while we all have stress in some form, we don’t all have to have it all the time. We can learn to limit the things that cause stress or anger. I have decreased…
I follow an artist called Hallie Bateman on Instagram. Apart from being an incredible illustrator and writer, she’s also an avid supporter of social justice issues and an advocate for people who have the impulse control disorder trichotillomania. Last week, I came across one of her Instagram…
When you are battling an illness without a “look,” it’s pretty difficult to get people to understand that despite not looking sick, you really are. I share awareness. People tell me I am strong. However, even the strong ones need a good support system. Thankfully, I have…