Columns

I Don’t Want to Live a ‘Safe’ Life with Lupus

Most of my life involved taking risks that were calculated and well-informed. I was never one who had the state of mind to just do things without thinking them through first. Yet, now that I should crave the safe and the easy more than ever, I can’t help…

A Letter to My Lupus on the 1st Anniversary of My Diagnosis

I’ve got to hand it to you. You’re good at what you do. If your aim was to turn my life upside down and alter it beyond repair, then congratulations –you did it. You’ve worked hard to change me and it’s paid off. There’s very little trace of…

By Sharing, We’re Not Looking for Sympathy

I was recently reading comments from one of the support groups and just kept thinking, “exactly,” and “I know that’s right,” and “YES!” So I decided I would share. It seems the more we share about our illness, the more people have a need to feel sorry for…

The Little Wolf on My Shoulder

At the crossroads of a tough decision we often find ourselves in need of a little guidance. It’s generally pictured as a heated debate between an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other as they hope to win the argument for the indecisive human. Too…

What a Photo Can’t Tell You

Can you guess which one of us is sick? If I were to show you this picture (on the left) and ask you to pick out which one of us is sick, which one of us would you choose? Would you take a wild guess,…

No Tea, No Powder, No Water, No Cure

Hear ye! Hear ye! A cure for lupus has been found, except no one bothered to tell the medical community. I will be honest: I am not the biggest fan of the bedside manner of many of our healthcare professionals. The U.S. healthcare system needs an overhaul. But that said,…

Acknowledge, Embrace the Strength That Comes in Numbers

Since I began writing this column, I’ve had many people reach out to me. Sometimes it’s because an article deeply resonated or helped them express something for the first time. Occasionally readers will deliver a virtual hug because what I’ve described is too familiar and hits close to…

More Than Just a Number

Medicine can’t tell you much about lupus, but it loves to throw out facts. If you Google lupus right now, a range of statistics will pop up. According to Monash University, lupus affects 5 million people worldwide. It’s most predominate in the 15-44 year old age…