In my mind, my autoimmune disease, lupus, has so much to do with inflammation. My joints were inflamed and my bones and body hurt. Some nights, I couldn’t grab the covers to pull over me because my fingers were so swollen. My hands just didn’t work. There were times when I couldn’t walk because my knees were so inflamed—swollen and painful. The worst inflammation was during a flare that hospitalized me. I was very sick (vomiting, diarrhea, pain at a 10), and my abdomen swelled to bursting point. Thankfully, I recovered, but I knew something beyond the medication (with its awful side effects) had to be done. I started talking to people, and I started researching online. Because if I couldn’t control the fact that I already had this disease, I could control how much inflammation I was contributing to my body’s system via food choice. Once I learned how different foods affect the body and how some foods are more inflammatory than others, I was able to make better choices for myself.

Every person can take an active role in lessening the inflammation in his/her body. One major way to do this is Continue reading →

Today is the first time in months that I looked into the mirror and actually recognized the person looking back at me. I am starting to look like my old self; no more chipmunk cheeks or moon face. My face is waning—such a relief. I even said “Why, hello there” out loud to myself.

Lupus really messes with you—in many ways. Everyday my cells go to battle. My immune system is constantly warring with my healthy cells. Lupus has brainwashed my immune system into believing that my healthy cells are the bad guys. To assist in this battle, I have had to send in reinforcements in the form of high dosages of steroids. The drugs I take help to keep my lupus symptoms under control. But the drugs also have side effects–many unfortunately. One of the more visible side effects of corticosteroids is Continue reading →

The month after I was released from the hospital, I noticed that my teeth were getting more sensitive to temperature. I mentioned it to both my rheumie and my dentist in that same month. I had been taking 60mg of prednisone up to that point. I suggested to my rheumie that it was a side effect of the steroids; he said no. My dentist didn’t think it was the steroids either. She said she could give me a treatment for the sensitivity. Sigh… I saw my dentist 6 months later and mentioned to her that I still had some tooth sensitivity, but it wasn’t as bad as before. I mentioned this to her in hopes of starting a discussion about the possible effects of prednisone. I told her that I noticed that my tooth sensitivity decreased as my prednisone dosage decreased.

When I first mentioned my sensitive teeth to my dentist, she recommended that Continue reading →

“…and in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.” —John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath

Even though I have had to make significant changes in my lifestyle because of my disease, I do try to maintain my social and intellectual circles as best I can. One of the ways I do this is through my book club. We just finished reading John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath for our book club. Whoa was that book heavy. There were many messages in this novel, but as I was reading it, I noticed that my foodie feelers perked up each time Steinbeck Continue reading →

Okay, I had a problem. I needed treats, cookies especially. I don’t have a lot of time, but a girl needs a cookie once in awhile. I think this “problem” came up during afternoon tea. I wondered, “How could I get a good supply of cookies?” And then it hit me…”a cookie exchange!” But it couldn’t be just any cookie exchange; it had to be a “clean” cookie exchange so that I could 

Not all at once mind you. Being the English major, I also appreciated the alliteration in Continue reading →