“Kristi” is a surfer, barista, and university student studying for arts and science degrees in philosophy and mathematical modeling. Living on the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula on the southeast coast of Australia, she’s deeply passionate about salt water and amazing coffee — even though she’s not allowed to drink it. Above all else, she loves traveling the world! Diagnosed with stage IV lupus nephritis at 20, she’s determined to not be defined by her autoimmune condition. Using writing as a medium for self-expression, she hopes to share her life and journey to both raise awareness and support others in similar situations. A big believer in the concept of dialectics, she loves sharing and hearing unorthodox, sometimes controversial, views. She’s quirky by choice, inquisitive by nature, and smiling always!
Living with a chronic illness is difficult, all the more so because most of my symptoms are invisible and largely undetectable by everyone else. My family has always lived by a “tough love” philosophy regarding health: Unless it’s something genuinely debilitating, you put on your “big-girl pants” and…
My life is busy. People have suggested to me on more than a few occasions that maybe it’s even a little too busy, especially for someone with underlying health issues. I’d be outright lying if I didn’t admit that being chronically ill isn’t a significant driving factor in…
Lupus, I have a hate for you that runs through my veins. It’s a part of every fiber of my being and will be until the day I die. In one fell swoop, you turned my entire life upside-down and took everything I once thought I knew about…
When healthy in the past, I looked at illness as a fairly static state of being. But what has become increasingly more apparent to me over nearly two years with lupus is that life with a chronic illness is anything but static. Some symptoms of lupus come…
In my family, death is not a topic of taboo; we speak both incredibly openly and comfortably about the subject. By the time I was only 3 years old, my family had lost three of four grandparents, all to health-related issues. From a young age, my parents have…
My life is a waiting game, and a cruel one at that. The fact that my chronic illness has no cure means that I’ll spend my entire life in fear of flares, knowing they’re inevitable and that it’s only a matter of time. It doesn’t matter how good…
Today was an important day for me. Coming home from work, I found an envelope with my name on it. Inside was a letter from my university inviting me to join an honor society. Through my academic achievement, my mental capability is validated, and for the first time…
Telling you about my chronic illness was nerve-wracking. I couldn’t help but feel anxious and vulnerable revealing something so incredibly personal. It involved unveiling the very worst part of myself, hoping that somehow, despite its significance, you’d still look past it to see me for who I…
If I’ve learned one thing about living with an invisible illness, it’s that my life exists in limbo. Though I generally tend to feel good, I live knowing that in the last two years, I’ve never once felt as healthy as I did before diagnosis. I know…
When I think about love, I think of my parents. Though they’ve been together for the better part of 35 years, the best word I’d use to describe their relationship is not “everlasting” (though that would be a close second), but rather “enduring.” As I’ve watched them grow…
“Kristi” is a surfer, barista, and university student studying for arts and science degrees in philosophy and mathematical modeling. Living on the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula on the southeast coast of Australia, she’s deeply passionate about salt water and amazing coffee — even though she’s not allowed to drink it. Above all else, she loves traveling the world! Diagnosed with stage IV lupus nephritis at 20, she’s determined to not be defined by her autoimmune condition. Using writing as a medium for self-expression, she hopes to share her life and journey to both raise awareness and support others in similar situations. A big believer in the concept of dialectics, she loves sharing and hearing unorthodox, sometimes controversial, views. She’s quirky by choice, inquisitive by nature, and smiling always!