Columns

My diagnosis of lupus was a lot of things. It was a shock to the entire system. It was an introduction to a new world that was completely unknown to me. It was the catalyst to the greatest internal struggle I’ve ever experienced. But more than anything else,…

When you go through a major loss of someone close to you, well-documented stages of grief occur. These stages happen with death, divorce, and a major illness. I never realized that a diagnosis could cause grief. For me, it was not only a new revelation, but…

Though it took me some time to realize, there were certain things that I lost in the instant I was diagnosed with lupus. The saying goes that we never know what we have until it’s gone, and for me that couldn’t be truer. There’s a whole other…

Once upon a time, I had two rooms full of shoes. One room had high heels, the other had wedges. I rarely wore anything that was closer to the ground than four inches. I was, after all, the Hurricane in Heels, so flats were not in my vocabulary.

With three daughters to raise, my parents always worked hard to promote positive body and self-images within our family unit. Ever since I can remember, my mum has tirelessly emphasized that we should accept our bodies as we are, ingraining within us a sense of confidence and…

It’s funny the difference a word can make in the way you deal with things. I moved abroad, changed the way I eat, and research all I can, yet I was never one to meditate. I now meditate and pray. I do all of these things…

When I was diagnosed with lupus I lived alone, and I still live alone. Because of this I still need to do things like get groceries, even if I have just been released from the hospital with inflamed organs. Some of us “look great,” despite the handicapped placards…

If you’ve traveled far from home, it’s likely you’ve felt jet lag. There’s nothing quite like the euphoria of knowing you’ve got nothing but work-free, relaxing days ahead of you. But there’s also no other phenomenon like jet lag ― unless you live with lupus fatigue. When I…

“Have you tried swimming?” “Maybe you should take an Omega-3 supplement.” “Walking more will help you build your stamina.” As lupus patients battling everything from muscle fatigue to a total lack of energy, we have heard as much as we want of these type of comments from people…

I’ve spent my entire life struggling to consolidate my feelings toward religion. And, while facing an adversity like chronic illness often leads many to turn to one deity or another, this wasn’t the case for me. I’d like to preface this column by clarifying that I have…