Sick Girl Problems — Christine Von Raesfeld

Christine, born and raised in Silicon Valley, is no stranger to illness. Diagnosed with a rare blood disorder in 1989 at the age of 14. At the age of 28 she was put on permanent disability because of severe SLE with CNS. She is an advocate for people with chronic, invisible illness. She’s especially passionate about raising awareness of medication education, as she experienced toxic poisoning in the brain due to side effects. Christine volunteers as the social media guru for the Lupus Foundation of Northern California as well as several other online and in-person support groups.

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The Realities of Disability and Lupus

At the age of 28, I was diagnosed with a severe case of lupus. In addition to the renal effects, my lupus began to attack my central nervous system, including my brain. My cognitive function, memory, and mood were greatly affected and made it difficult to do my normal job.

The Benefits Of Support Groups

Dealing with an illness isn’t easy, and going through it alone can make things more difficult. Support is one of the most important aspects of dealing with any disease, including lupus. While family and friends can be a crucial part of your support system, it helps to seek advice from…

Not Just a High: My Experience with Medical Marijuana

In the wake of the opioid controversy, it’s important to understand that some patients will do just about anything to resolve their pain. Without stronger medications, most will suffer in silence. Some are even being told to take Tylenol for pain that was once treated with much stronger drugs. The…

Depression: When It’s More Than Just Sadness

Like many lupus patients, my life didn’t exactly go as planned. While my friends were all settling into their lives,  mine was beginning to unravel. I had just been declared in remission from a rare blood disorder known as  thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). I was looking forward to getting…

Beauty and the Beast that Lupus Tried to Create

With beauty playing such a pivotal role in our society, women often are criticized for changes in their appearances. About 90% of lupus patients are women, which can make dealing with the disease more difficult. Lupus can wreak havoc on the body and change a person mentally and physically. While…

Early Diagnosis Causes Youngsters to Grow Up Quickly

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness as a child can affect an individual on so many different levels. For myself, being diagnosed at age 14 with several chronic illnesses (including lupus) increased anxiety and stress in my life. My illness caused me to make decisions and choices that I would…

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