Hurricane in Heels -- a Column by Kellie McRae

There are so many things that make America a wonderful place to live. However, after I was diagnosed with lupus I felt as if the U.S. was not the best place for me to remain because of the healthcare I was receiving. For…

When I was first diagnosed with lupus it felt as if my life was dropped on its head. Goodbye to my 17-year career of selling real estate and basking in the Florida sun. Goodbye six-figure income. Goodbye weekly exercise classes, and finally goodbye USA. What was my “normal”…

I made it! On Jan. 1, 2016, I took myself down to the beach. Sitting in Daytona on the white sand on a cool day, wrapped in two blankets because the breezes made me feel as if I was in a winter storm (thanks to Raynaud’s Syndrome), I had…

When my diagnosis was shared with me by the doctor, my mom said “You need to find a support group.” I agreed. I knew that while my family was as supportive as they knew how to be, what I was going through required people who could relate,…

“Mind your business!” Perhaps we really aren’t too polite to tell you this. What really happens is that some of your comments catch us so completely off guard that the thought of telling you to back off only occurs to us after the situation is over. It seems everyone has…

Recently, I moved to the other side of the world in search of better and affordable healthcare. Selling off all of my belongings in the U.S., I knew I was preparing for a new and great adventure. I’d traveled alone before, but the longest I was away from…

I will be honest, I am that person who rarely asks why bad things happen. Part of that is because it’s an exercise in futility. Who is going to answer you? Often, asking why is a reaction I see as wallowing, and…

It may sound crazy to expect to be able to predict something as unpredictable as pain, so when I say “unpredictable pain” I don’t mean you should be able to set your watch by it; I mean you should have an idea of what level it will…

When I started feeling bad and had no idea what was wrong with me, I thought I could go to the doctor and they would figure it out. There would be a shot or a pill and all would be fine. Life would return to normal. Fast-forward months later…

It seems to be a growing trend that doctors have a lot less time to spend with their patients. Many make you sit in a room all alone long after your vitals have been taken, with old magazines full of old news.  While you’re sitting there, all of the…