The Girl Who Cried Wolf — Kristi Page

Dependency is part of the human experience. A large majority of the early years of our lives are spent relying on parents and guardians to teach us the ins and outs of life. If you’re lucky enough…

Lupus is a big, black question mark in every sense. Of course, there’s the fact that there’s no cure, but even more frustrating is that we’re left without a cause, either. While the prospect of living with…

At 16, I stepped off Australian soil for the very first time, only to fall in love with traveling the world. In my last six revolutions around the sun, I have endeavored to explore this wonderful planet…

In the midst of a harsh Australian summer, for the very first time this year — but definitely not the last — I’m sick. The silly thing is that I’m always so hopeful when I see one…

There are two distinct types of normal that exist in my life with lupus, and their distinctions are incredibly important. There is the type of normal that accompanied learning to live with lupus, which I would refer…

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness means being opened up to an endless string of existential realizations. One of these is that your new state of being is not temporary, but likely will…

Last June, I spent a month on the other side of the world holidaying in the European sun with my sister. In true millennial fashion, I couldn’t help but fill my friends’ Instagram feeds with a seemingly…

Through the time that surrounds the day that confirmed my lupus diagnosis, there is one thing that stands out clearly. As my nephrologist explained what lupus was and the different treatment options that were available, he…

The thing about being so open about my lupus on social media is that people often attempt to force their advice on me. While I understand that, for the most part, it’s incredibly well-intended, please understand that…

I’ve gone through countless evolutions in the past 18 months. One year ago, I felt physically overcome by weakness. Just getting up in the morning was a feat in itself, let alone tackling the day in front…

When my treatment for lupus began, I was prescribed about 10 types of medications. Of those 10, only one made its presence known within the first month. But the thing was, it didn’t just announce itself; it…

Being calm doesn’t come naturally to me. With a mind that’s constantly racing, there’s rarely a moment when I’m not deep in thought about one thing or another. My life is chaotic. From a need to overfill…