Columns

Last week, Selena Gomez posted a photo on Instagram about her recent kidney transplant. Her openness about both her condition and the treatment has undoubtedly been a much-needed catalyst to greater awareness and recognition of lupus, especially since her latest surgery. As part of our ongoing ritual…

Battling lupus stinks. It takes so much out of you. When I was diagnosed, I was selling homes, I had a full social life, and I was a big ball of energy. I would cook, clean, entertain, and work. As lupus settled into my body, I have…

A recent post on Facebook depicted a mother’s overwhelming love for the midwives and nurses who helped her through her very first C-section. Attached was a photo of a truly vulnerable moment between a nurse and the new mum. The scene shows the midwife tending to…

Despite my chronic illness, some days I feel like a rock star. No brain fog, no body pain, no fever. It’s these rare days that often trick me into thinking I am invincible and can do just about anything. I have a habit, though, of wearing myself out in…

I found out the name of the thing that was torturing me in February 2016. I was told I was suffering from lupus. At that time, I decided that I had received a death sentence. It was torturing me in so many ways. I shared with my mom…

Though there is no cure for lupus, the word “remission” tends to bring a lot of hope and comfort to those around me. While remission is the goal I have been hoping to achieve for the past year-and-a-half, I have to admit that its prospect doesn’t bring…

I believe there is a time and place for everything, but to be honest, sometimes battling lupus leaves me wondering what time and place I fit into. Many of us with lupus are young women who no longer can work outside of the home. For those of…

There are many things that can cause a lupus flare, but for me, stress is my biggest trigger. Every time I have ended up in the hospital, it was during a time of very…

I have been single for many years. Initially, I was enjoying a few years of my kids being home before they would take off to college, and then on to lives as adults. I transitioned to a new job in a new city, and life…

At the age of 28, I was diagnosed with a severe case of lupus. In addition to the renal effects, my lupus began to attack my central nervous system, including my brain. My cognitive function, memory, and mood were greatly affected and made it difficult to do my normal job.