hello. start here.
Thank you for stopping by. I’m glad you’re here, and I appreciate your reading my blog, a vulnerable, open, behind-the-scenes collection of notes on my journey with lupus.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor. While I obtained a PhD in a mental heath field, I’m not presenting or interpreting scholarly research nor medical advice on this page. This blog is personal.
My name is Joy – writer, poet, artist, dreamer, doer, believer.
You may or may not be familiar with lupus, an autoimmune disease impacting mostly women during childbearing years. It can also impact men and children. There is no cause or cure for lupus, that we know of yet. It is difficult to diagnose. Rheumatologists, and in some cases, Nephrologists and Dermatologists, are the medical specialists who can diagnose and treat the various manifestations of lupus.
Sixty years ago, a diagnosis with lupus meant early death. Simply put, there were no medical treatments specifically for lupus. More medicines specifically targeting lupus slowly trickled into the treatment conversation over the past few years. Progress is a good sign to lupus thrivers, and we have a long way to go.
My therapist asked me the following question: are you concerned with how your loved ones may feel reading your blog?
One of the consequences of overachieving, perfectionism and people pleasing, is the masks we wear. Another is… we don’t truly get to know ourselves because we are too busy hiding behind achievement and anxiety. The older generations taught us not to share pain or tribulations outside the home.
To be able to heal and love myself fully, I am committed to showing and telling my story, note by note. After all, I’ve lived with lupus for nearly 20 years. My experiences will hopefully help someone else who is experiencing a rollercoaster of health struggles.
Thank you for traveling on this journey with me.
Please remember… The toxic boyfriend title is a metaphor.
Learn more about lupus and donate to help bring an end to lupus right here.