Recommended for you

Lupus, I'm the thief now.

When you have Lupus, so much is taken from you. But I don't mind stealing something back.

Oct 07, 2019

226

I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2017. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that pretty much means that my immune system is attacking the healthy tissues because it mistakenly sees them as foreign invaders. It is chronic, which means that I am going to have it for the rest of my life and there is no cure. The only way to treat the disease is by managing the symptoms.

One thing that I wish my rheumatologist had told me when being diagnosed is that my entire life was going to change. When I was first diagnosed, I had so much confidence in the doctors and the treatments. I was ready to tackle whatever obstacle this disease threw my way. Then, Lupus began to take things one by one and I began to lose that hope. The first thing it took was my sense of control. This is still one of the hardest things I must deal with this disease. I could be doing everything right, and I will still be sick. Knowing that I have no control over what my body is doing to itself, is defeating.

Another thing lupus took away, is my old life. I often find myself still grieving the person I was before this illness took over. I miss not having to wake up and take 4 different medications. I miss not knowing what it was like to have to give myself weekly injections. I miss not having to rest after doing even the smallest tasks. But most of all, I miss being able to do what I want without knowing or worrying about bringing on a lupus flare up.

The truth is, nobody warns you about or can prepare you for a life of living with a chronic illness. But you learn to live with it because if you don't, it wins. I refuse to let anything that has taken so much away from me, to win. I live everyday of my new life doing treatments, taking different medications, spending hours at doctor's appointments and seeing every specialist under the sun. But I do it so that I can have the best quality of life possible for a person with chronic illness.

Lupus may take away my time, sometimes my control, and my old ways of living. But there are a few things that lupus will never take away from me: Lupus will never take away the kindness that I have towards everyone. Everyone has a story, that we know nothing about. Lupus will never take away the strength that I have because of the obstacles. and Lupus will never take away all the things that I learned about myself from living with this disease. I'm patient, persistent, empathetic, and strong.

Lupus has taken many things, but I don't mind stealing some of those things back. Because Lupus, you are not the thief anymore. I am.

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Lifestyle

10 Truths About Being In A Sorority

(For Girls Who Are Interested In Greek Life)

LaGrange College

348

Rebekah Lee

I remember my freshman year oh so well. I remember feeling terrified the night before orientation. The one thing that I dreaded the most was not the new people, the new environment, or even the academic pressure. I was dreading having to talk to sorority girls about Recruitment. I remember cutting off and avoiding any Rho Gamma/Panhellenic Officer that came my way during First Week. I looked at them like they had asked me to cut my arm off whenever they asked me if I wanted to rush. To be honest, I did not even know what rush was, but I knew that I did NOT want to be a part of it. To me, it was dumb. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of my time.

And guess what? I did not rush my freshman year. I spent the first half of my freshman year isolating myself from everyone on campus. I spent all of my time in the library, and then (since I was a commuter) went back home once my work was finished.

Keep Reading...Show less

sorority life

Entertainment

10 Must Watch Shows During Winter Break

You've gotta do something.

Grand Canyon University

Netflix

Now that the semester is over, you are probably wondering what your purpose of life is beside writing essays and constantly studying. Breaks give you time for some rest and relaxation, and what better way to relax than cuddling with some hot cocoa and some Netflix. Here is a list compiled of shows that must make it into your binge watching sessions, with the website in which you can find it. Enjoy!

Keep Reading...Show less

must watch

Adulting

The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott

25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life

Truman State University

1272

The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

Keep Reading...Show less

last semester

Student Life

Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"

"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.

University of Dayton

1044

January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."