Thank you for sharing your incredible and inspiring living with lupus story Felicia .
My pleasure . Even if it helps one person it makes my day . Thank you for your interest and for helping raise awareness . We lupies appreciate it .
You bet . How are you ?
A few weeks ago I was a little under the weather but I ’ m doing alright , thank you .
So , how are you handling life with this lupus ?
Living with lupus is challenging , it ’ s no easy task . You ’ ve got to bring your A game and your mind is as much at risk as your body . It affects you physically , emotionally and mentally . And because it ’ s a chronic illness , it ’ s relentless . Lupus means to kill you , so you have got to make up your mind to not let it . I try to live and to love and be happy . Life is short , the race is on and I intend to give this thing a run for its money .
Is it possible to lead a full life with lupus ?
It is possible to live a productive life with lupus but you need support — the right medicines , a good doctor and you need to educate yourself . That way what you have to face won ’ t seem as scary and daunting when you already know what to expect .
Studies show majority of people with lupus had never heard of it prior to being diagnosed . Was that also the case with you ?
I had heard doctors mention lupus before but no one had diagnosed me . I had some symptoms but never the correct combination to be identified as lupus . I had been living with the symptoms of lupus from the age of 19 but was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus ( SLE ) in 2007 at 31 . This March marked ten years .