Living with systemic lupus erythematosus, called lupus for short, can be challenging, especially when it comes to managing flare ups. As someone who has dealt with this chronic autoimmune disease firsthand, I understand the importance of effective lupus flare management. In this section, I will share my personal journey and insights on how to minimize and control lupus flare symptoms, …
I can’t count how many surgeries I’ve had by now but I surely know that I’ve had more than my fair share. To put it this way, if surgeries were smoothies and I had a discount punch card, then I’d be due for several free smoothies by now and maybe even a bonus dessert or two. Surgery is always the …
Some say the worst thing you can experience is childbirth or stepping on a lego in the middle of the night. I say the worst pain comes from telling a medical professional how much pain you are in, and they don’t believe you. The emotional trauma I endured always seemed to far outweigh the physical pain at some points because …
The worst part about chronic illness, besides the debilitating issues that come with it, is finding a medical professional who: I can’t even count how many professionals have dismissed me over the years when I was sick. I remember having a sinus infection that was pretty gross and I was told it was in my head and that “motherhood” was …
A Day in the Life of Lupus We recently celebrated World Lupus Day and I hope you remembered to wear something purple. Living with Lupus for me is just another day of living. I do remember the days before I had developed this terrible predicament, but with my memory becoming foggier each year, I wonder how far away those memories …
Let the Healing Begin I didn’t expect to go home on the same day of my surgery. I honestly was expecting to stay in the hospital and be hooked up to the “feel good” drugs just in case the pain became unbearable. I read every article on recovery imaginable, yet I STILL truly didn’t know what to expect. Luckily the …
Surgery…The Final Frontier The worst thing you can do before having surgery is to go online. It’s good to be an informed patient, but even WebMd says a headache can be from stress or a terminal brain tumor. All I can hear in my head is that Arnold Schwarzenegger voice saying “It’s not a tumor!” The worst thing that could …
When my 40’s came fast approaching and my teenager’s attitude came following just as quickly behind it, I realized that being doubled over in pain even more often than before, was just not going to suit my lifestyle. When I say lifestyle, I mean managing a household, going to meetings, trying to draw a straight line with my eyeliner, battling …
When you live with a chronic illness or chronic pain, people sometimes ask “Well, don’t you get used to it?” The long answer is, imagine being stabbed in the abdomen or having someone hit you with a baseball bat on various parts of your body daily. Could you get “used” to that? The short answer is no. Just because something …
Living with Lupus has it’s own set of challenges, but when your chronic female issues collide with your autoimmune issues, you better get ready for a battle. Get your boxing gloves ready because a fight on this level can make you feel defeated or give you great triumph. Some days I’m feeling like Rocky Balboa in round 1 against Apollo …