Lupus is... wearing jammies most days.
Lupus is... not showering daily, because it can wipe me out for the rest of the day.
Lupus is... getting much sicker with flus and colds than the average person does.
Lupus is... seeing more doctors than I care to more often than I care to.
Lupus is... taking medicines that are known for doing bad things to a body, but having to do so in order to keep the Lupus from doing worse things to me.
Lupus is... sometimes going through times when I must take long, daily naps, just to get through the day.
Lupus is... having times when I hurt so badly, all I can do is sit still and wait for the pain to pass.
Lupus is... not always being able to manage the stairs, even with help.
Lupus is... savoring a good day by doing lots of things... or savoring it by doing nothing at all.
Lupus is... often being housebound.
Lupus is... having to be careful what I choose to go out and do, because there is always a price to pay for doing so.
Lupus is... always having to be covered in sunscreen, hairline to ankle, whenever I go out into the sunshine, even just to run to the store or check the mail.
Lupus is... hoping and praying I don't catch whatever virus is going around.
Lupus is... being afraid of hospitals.
Lupus is... unwelcome ER visits.
Lupus is... episodes of my cheeks getting very red and scalding to the touch, just because I got emotional, tired, sick, or sometimes for no reason at all.
Lupus is... my scalp becoming very sore and sensitive to touch, usually signaling an incoming flare.
Lupus is... losing more hair than I care to, and finding ways to mask the thinning spots.
Lupus is... worrying about random, inexplicable symptoms that crop up.
Lupus is... owing money to doctors, hospitals, ambulance companies, etc., and not always knowing how or when we will pay them.
Lupus is... learning patience, endurance, kindness, understanding, and thankfulness.
Lupus is... spending a lot of time on my puter, seeing and interacting with the world from my desk chair, so that I won't be so isolated.
Lupus is... sometimes lonely.
Lupus is... anxiety and depression that have less to do with my state of mind and more to do with the chemical chaos going on in my body.
Lupus is... learning to speak up and ask for what I want or need, but doing so in a humble manner.
Lupus is... watching my husband agonize for me, while I agonize that my disease hurts him almost as much as it hurts me.
Lupus is... knowing what to say when I am asked how I am feeling. (Strangers are likely to get, "Alright," those who care about me often get, "I'm here," while a few will get a more detailed answer.)
Lupus is... wanting others to understand Lupus, but also not ever wanting them to fully grasp what it is like.
Lupus is... finding new and interesting ways to keep my spirits up and my heart light within the boundaries of my limitations.
Lupus is... going two, three, or four weeks without seeing anyone besides my husband and son.
Lupus is... going to wander at a home improvement nursery just to get out of the house for a little and see something lovely.
