Hurricane in Heels -- a Column by Kellie McRae

Can I just tell you that having lupus can really take it out of you? Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Over the past few weeks I have run the gamut. There is not just an emotional toll for me. I…

I recently was released from the hospital with more narcotics than a drug cartel, or at least that is what it felt like. Each one comes with its own issues and side effects. Instructions vary: Take after dinner,…

As a lupus warrior, a hospital stay (or several) will be a definite part of the future. I am becoming an expert about making a hospital stay as pleasant as chronic pain will allow. Any hospital stay is a challenge for you and your whole family, especially if…

I’ve always been a thankful person; expressing gratitude has never been an issue for me. When I was a child, my stepdad once told my mom that I was grateful even if I was given an empty paper bag. My gratitude caused my stepdad to do nice things…

Before I got lupus, I had no idea what an anxiety attack felt like, let alone how to work to stave one off. I’d always used meditation for personal focus and professional clarity. Meditation and mindfulness are how I have accomplished a lot of goals over the years but…

When a long-term relationship ends, I usually take a year or two to understand the new me because, let’s face it, we change. My last serious relationship ended in 2010. After a while, I got caught up in all the wonderful things that were happening in my…

Nobody asks to be sick, and no one asks for constant pain. Living with chronic pain is not a life anyone would set out to have for themselves. As we go through our lives, we ask for more money, a better job, good things for our families,…

I’ve noticed that lupus makes me super-sensitive to the things people say when I express how I feel. I sometimes feel caught in the middle, in the matrix. There are days when no matter what you say, no matter how hard you smile, people know something is wrong. You’re…

I recently shared with someone that Kellie had “died” and no one had bothered to bury her. Of course, I didn’t really mean that; I was just having a serious pity party. I was in some major pain and needed someone to love me through my negativity. I…

I’m a bit of a weirdo. There, I said it. I admit it. As an affirmation junkie, I am all about positive self-talk. I am always looking toward the positive side of life. There is a silver lining even in my diagnosis of lupus. Because of my outlook,…