At 16, I stepped off Australian soil for the very first time, only to fall in love with traveling the world. In my last six revolutions around the sun, I have endeavored to explore this wonderful planet we call home, wherever my bank balance would allow me, whenever…
One of my favorite childhood shows was “A Different World.” It was one of the first TV shows that made college (and Greek life) seem real for me and exciting, especially as a young woman of color. There was one scene from the show that cracks me up to…
There’s a version of a popular saying that states: “Tell the universe what you want and then watch it laugh.” Previously, I had declared that 2018 would be the year of remission for me, and I instantly got a hacking cough, a runny nose, and muscle pain. I…
Can trauma and extreme stress increase someone’s risk of being diagnosed with lupus? For more than a decade, I felt there is a clear link. I was happy recently to see this concept being studied by a team of physicians funded by the National Institutes of Health. The…
I rarely ever make a resolution, because like most people, I don’t keep certain ones. It’s funny that if I make a joke about one, that’s the one that circumstances force me to keep. I am a former national-level fitness competitor, and I have been a healthy eater…
In the midst of a harsh Australian summer, for the very first time this year — but definitely not the last — I’m sick. The silly thing is that I’m always so hopeful when I see one of my colleagues come into work coughing and spluttering. “Maybe I…
I get pretty excited when the new year is upon us, as it offers a clean slate and an opportunity to start fresh. The beginning of a new year is an empty vessel we can fill with new desires and goals. For those of us with chronic illness, our…
Lupus is an ugly diagnosis. It is one that comes with an unpredictable future. Some people get the medications and they are OK, others have a revolving door at the hospital, and some succumb. You just have no idea if it will affect you in ways that will…
So, I signed up for Match.com. Why? Because I’m single and it’s presently what some call “cuffing season.” This is the time when people who spent the summer BBQ hopping and frolicking in fields of flings lock themselves down to one person. Some suggest this is in order to stay…
There are two distinct types of normal that exist in my life with lupus, and their distinctions are incredibly important. There is the type of normal that accompanied learning to live with lupus, which I would refer to as “lupus normal.” This includes fatigue, brain fog, and endless lifestyle…