Diaries of a Lupus Chick - a column by Marisa Zeppieri

I’m usually pretty good at finding the bright side. My friends describe me as their “rah-rah girl,” often reminding them there is still life after a diagnosis and dreams worth chasing. That even when lupus changes the road beneath our feet, it doesn’t mean there aren’t beautiful places up…

If you live with lupus, you’ve probably asked yourself the same question I’ve asked hundreds of times: “Why did these symptoms suddenly appear?” Sometimes the answer was obvious. Other times, it felt like lupus symptoms had crashed into my life without warning. What I’ve learned over the past…

There’s a question many of us are asked every single day: “How are you doing?” Over years of navigating lupus, appointments, societal expectations, and the quiet pressure to keep up and not be a burden, I’ve learned some reflexive answers: “I’m good.” “Hanging in there.” “I can’t complain.” After…

Every year, as winter begins to fade away and the first hot day takes root, I feel a quiet anxiety about what comes next. For many people, spring is like a rebirth. It brings longer evenings, more sunshine, and the promise of beach trips, boat days, and outdoor concerts. But…

There’s a touchy topic in the world of chronic illness that most of us have to deal with at some point: how to navigate the workplace. I’m talking about the real-life version, not the picture-perfect, über-polished LinkedIn one. It’s the reality of sitting in your car before walking into the…

Here’s a truth I believe many of us can agree with: Dating in the modern world is a wild ride. Even if you are healthy, it takes a lot out of you. Add in a chronic illness diagnosis and whoa! Suddenly, that roller coaster has a few extra loops, a…

There’s an area of life with chronic illness that many of us rarely bring up at doctor appointments, even while it quietly reshapes our relationships: sex and intimacy. When you’re living with a chronic illness like lupus, nearly every area of life changes. Energy shifts. Priorities change. Career and…

When you live with a chronic illness like lupus, you eventually learn that energy isn’t just something you “have” or “don’t have.” It’s sacred. It’s currency. And when it’s gone, it’s gone. Unlike a phone that you can plug into the wall to charge, our bodies don’t always bounce…

Let’s start with a little story, shall we? It’s currently 142 F outside. OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much. I’m living through one of the most brutal heat waves my area has seen in years, hitting over 105 F daily. Like clockwork, my body has…

For many of us living with a chronic illness, there typically comes a time when we desire to share our story, help others, and dip our toe into the pool of advocacy. Having met thousands of people with lupus over the past 20 years, I’ve learned that we all…