I was diagnosed with SLE just a few months ago, the summer of my 21st birthday. To me, the news was sort of a relief… at first. I knew I wasn’t crazy, wasn’t making up or exaggerating all of these symptoms, I now had my answer. That relief quickly turned to sadness and fear, and it has now settled into that “resentment” phase. I guess those stages of coping you learn in basically every college psychology course have some truth behind them. But hey, that means acceptance is near, right?
I wanted an outlet to share my story, my experiences, and my journey with lupus. After my diagnosis I did what many do and turned to the internet for answers. Yeah I learned all about the symptoms and what this disease does to the body and brain, but I was searching for something more. I was looking for experiences, tips, hints, something more than a textbook or research can offer. I was looking for hope. I found it in reading personal accounts and blogs. For some reason, feeling connected with someone else made the whole experience less frightening. Lupus takes on many faces, and a familiar one I feel has been almost necessary in my coping. Maybe a “she got through this so I can too” mentality? Anyways, I’m hoping that eventually I can reach someone, somewhere, and help them in fighting this war. Perhaps we can fight together.
So you don’t waste all your time reading this and it has nothing to do with you:
I’m 21, a college senior in Texas, recently diagnosed with lupus and PCOS (diagnosed 6-7 months ago)
Symptoms: fatigue, hives, joint pain, stomach/intestinal pain, memory/attentional problems, headaches and dizziness, chest tightness and pain, weight gain and loss, bruising
Want to read more?
From 20 and Free to 21 and Imprisoned 