Columns

We’ve all heard the saying: “I laugh to keep from crying.” Sometimes that’s the way it is with lupus. There are always new changes, symptoms, and hospital stays — more coping, coping, and coping. Then there’s still real life, like family, work, and bills. At times, it gets…

Heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion … I feel like a walking Pepto-Bismol commercial. It seems that even water has the ability to cause heartburn — and here I expected it to put that fire out. I have been a sometimes-vegetarian for years, but recently I decided to ditch anything…

Third in a series. Read part one and part two. Late last year, I met a guy and fell in love. Our relationship blossomed quickly, and we moved in together after only a few months. What binds us is a love of great food and an…

I am on a journey. I’m chasing remission from lupus by using a plant-based lifestyle. I’m keeping a record of how I feel, my symptoms, and the food I eat. I have been a vegetarian for a few years. However, I’ve fallen off the wagon on occasion:…

Second in a series. Read part one. IV iron infusions Every few months, I go through the cycle of having blood and urine analyses completed before visiting my nephrologist. The fact that I’m so young and active plays a critical role in determining my course of…

For many of you who have followed my journey, you know that I chose to seek my healthcare outside of the U.S. I felt my experience was less than stellar, and after speaking with so many others and hearing their stories, it helped me finalize my…

First in a series. In the past two years, I’ve written nearly 150 columns for Lupus News Today. I’d guess that at least 50 are in some way related to fatigue. The reason a single topic is featured so regularly in my work is that fatigue single-handedly…

I discovered the magic of vegetables by mistake. When I started exhibiting lupus symptoms, I could not stand for long periods, and just walking across a room meant I’d have to sleep the rest of the day. To avoid starving, I bought fresh fruits and veggies and would grab…

Each time I learn of a warrior’s death, I get depressed. It doesn’t matter if I only just learned of them at the time of the announcement. I feel an overwhelming loss. The deaths of young people affect me even more. I wonder if they would be happy their…

Passion, sadness, anger, frustration, and grief are the emotions hardest to feel, but they inspire my best writing. Today, I write a little teary-eyed from a place of grief — Bionews Services family member Serena Lawrence passed away on Sept. 26. The internet can be a wonderful place.