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  Summer in our family means a lot of fun and a lot of sun. We’re nomadic by nature already, and traveling and camping are a big part of our lives. So, when school lets out, we pack our bags and spend the summer traveling. The boys take a…

I live on social media. I constantly share information about food, lupus, business, etc. It seems my day is not complete without at least one post on Facebook or Instagram. As I have shared my lupus journey, people have said things to me that were encouraging. When I…

Late last year, I booked a 16-day Contiki tour in Europe with my sister. Group travel is awesome because there are significant discounts when you travel in a group of 50. Plus, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to make amazing new friends while exploring the world. But,…

Every time I go for an appointment with my renal doctor, I’m reminded that I’m an anomaly. Before seeing my specialist, I jump on the scales in the waiting room, the procedure for all patients. But as I unlace my shoes and step up to be weighed,…

I have always been a prissy girl, a makeup junkie and a fashionista, so hiking has been a giant ‘no.’ Camping? I don’t think so. But lupus has changed this. Am I physically hiking and camping? No, but mentally, I am going on a daily hike, taking…

Before every appointment with my renal specialist, I have to get blood and urine testing done. In high school, the idea of having to get an injection used to leave me feeling light-headed, now it’s just standard procedure. But even though I’ve gotten used to it, I’m so…

I am a self-professed joy junkie, so when I see too much negativity I either try to counter it or avoid it altogether. This is my mantra for the way I live my life. Even when I had a pity party for myself prior to lupus, I would…

Traveling is one of my greatest passions. From the very first moment I set foot overseas, I was hooked. I love the culture shock and being thrust into a world that’s completely unlike anything I’ve ever known. But traveling with a chronic illness is potentially dangerous on…

Weather is a trigger for lupus. When I was a kid, I would hear older people predict rain based on their arthritis. Well, lupus doesn’t allow me to predict the weather, but I can tell you it seems that when there is dampness in the air, my little…

I was a lot of things before lupus, and my diagnosis hasn’t changed. Of course, it is undeniable that my life has been altered by chronic illness, but not nearly as much as many might assume. When I think about what I’m capable of, my mind doesn’t go…