October is Lupus Awareness Month

But you don’t look sick? - That’s the first thing that people usually say to me when they find out I’ve got Lupus.   

But what is it?

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect virtually any system in the body. Think of it as a 'self-allergy' where the body attacks its own cells and tissues, causing joint pain and inflammation, blood problems and organ damage. 9/10 sufferers are women and there are over 50,000 sufferers in the UK but still many have never heard of it. Lupus often comes with friends too. When I say friends, I mean other related illnesses that like to come to the party such as Fibromyalgia, Reynaud’s and Antiphosphydlipid syndrome – did I mention you needed a medical degree to just get your head around this disease as a sufferer?

October is Lupus Awareness month. If more people were aware of this life changing disease, understanding would improve and those with lupus would feel more supported and normal, reminded that it’s not their fault either. 

How are you feeling?  

When someone asks me this I do question myself shall I tell the truth? Most of you wouldn’t even think twice about whether to be honest or not. But with someone who has Lupus, if you don’t understand what it is like to have the illness, they can be exhausted by the time they really explain how they feel. My fine is different to your fine. Imagine a time when you’ve had the flu, aching all over, not able to get out of bed and all you wanted to do was to hide under the covers.  Your worst day is my best.

Nobody said when I was diagnosed after a year and half of not knowing when I was so ill all the time that it would be so intense. 

You have to think way way ahead of yourself and plan your day, can you be superwoman and get everything done? Often that’s a no. Just getting out of bed and ready for work, eating breakfast I can’t face nor that I have time for, just so I can take the 21 tablets I take just in the morning, really takes it out of me. That’s all before I’ve walked into a class to teach of I’m sure adorable children.

Because you don’t look ill, you have to be honest with friends, family and colleagues. 

And that’s the hardest to be honest to them when all you want to be is normal for the day. I hope with the help of funds to increase awareness and fund research to find a cure will give sufferers like me a chance to be normal for more days than not. I hope that even if they could find medication to treat lupus not just suppress the symptoms and give you a ton of side effects and the need for regular blood tests, visits to doctors. Did I mention that I’ve already got a busy life being a 24 year old teacher, dancer and young farmer? Having Lupus is like having a second full time job.

Everyone in our lives can help and be strong. Together we can help make a difference. If you would like to help us find a cure, make a donation via Lupus UK