“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!
As the novel coronavirus spreads across the world, my native Australia is slowly being coaxed into lockdown. At the start of this week, state and federal authorities announced they would shut down all “nonessential” activities soon. In my life, this means that training at the gym, Brazilian jiujitsu, and yoga…
Last week I went in for a day surgery to have a cyst removed from my left ear lobe. Unfortunately for me, the scar tissue trauma known as a “keloid” and my left ear lobe appear to have become staunch friends. This is the second time in less than a…
It’s funny how the mind processes things. When I think about my hospital admission prior to my 2016 lupus diagnosis, I automatically identify it as a traumatic experience. But I don’t realize just how traumatic it was until I find myself back in the same hospital, immersed in a…
No matter what happens, the world keeps turning. It doesn’t stop for moments of happiness or moments of heartache. Sometimes I wish it would come to a halt. Not for too long. Just to give me enough time to wipe my tears and take that deep breath necessary to pull…
Lupus is my greatest motivator and most consistent catalyst for change. Its ability to uproot my life at any time has the potential to be devastating. But with the knowledge that all aspects of my life are temporary comes the courage to live in the moment. I’ve had four trips…
I write this in the middle of nowhere, sitting in a camp chair next to a mountain. Over a year ago, my partner, Jordan, and I set out plans to tour the southern Australian state of Tasmania. And last Monday, hours of planning and months of preparation finally came…
Lupus often takes years to diagnose. By the time doctors work it out, the disease has usually been active in the body for long enough to cause significant and sometimes irreparable damage. At the time of my diagnosis four years ago, I was an unusual and lucky case. Though…
I wish there were a way to take screenshots of the significant moments of my journey with lupus. I wish there were a way to collate those moments, and the feelings that came with them, and turn them into a USB download. I wish that when I started to explain…
Lupus is the giver of many lessons, and one of the most important lessons it taught me was how to value the things in my life. Since I was a child, my dad has always told me that time is the most valuable gift that life offers us. But…
Earlier this week, as I was driving home from work, I realized I’d finally evolved to a new stage of accepting my lupus. A fresh pang of fatigue hit, but as it washed over me, I recognized that my reaction was different than previous ones. My response to fatigue has…
“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!