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This week my mouth has been feeling extra dry. I find I am reaching for water more often than usual. Not only does my mouth feel dry, but my eyes and nose feel dry too. I am willing to bet my saliva glands are acting up again, and I think I know why. I have been trying to add some things to my diet because I am always fatigued and faint. I know red meat is okay for me to eat because when I eat it I don't get any joint pain after. I have been trying to add eggs to my diet and I "thought" I was in the clear, but now I am not so sure. I also have been eating lots of natural peanut butter and chocolate cashew milk (it tastes SO good) and I am trying to pinpoint what may have caused the flare-up. My left index finger has also been puffy this week too. I don't feel terrible, but it is enough to make me want to step back and evaluate what I have been eating. I think it is the chocolate cashew milk. I've stopped adding cocoa powder to my oatmeal after learning about

I made the most delicious dinner tonight, and it was cheap enough to be triflin'. ======================================================================== Rice Frozen veggies Two eggs Spam bits Cooking oil, prefarably olive or coconut oil. Cook frozen veggies and rice with a few dollaps of cooking oil in a pan on the stove. When veggies start to defrrost and heat up add in eggs and cook til solid. Add in cut up bits of spam.

Breakfast: Cup of Silk Cashew Chocolate Milk drink "Lunch" (because of the time I ate it lol): bowl of Rice and 1 whole can of tuna fish and 2 bananas with orange juice. Green smoothie. Snack: Bowl of chocolate oatmeal with honey, two eggs with sea salt, orange juice Yeah...my day didn't start off as it normally does. I had to get up earlier than usual today because I had to give blood for my regular blood testing for my endocrinologist (whom I see for my pituitary tumor). I had them add a CBC so I can see where my levels are at, as I have been having issues with bruising easily and just feeling blah. It has been getting better since I added meat and eggs into my diet, but I still worry about what is going on inside. Just want to keep tabs on it. When I got home I took a four hour nap (I know...shameful) and woke up around 5 pm. I add "lunch" and shoved a green smoothie down so I could have energy to ride my bike. It was okay, except that my bike has a few

Ughhhhhhhhh!!! I think those chicken wings (which I ate two nights ago) did me in. I have been bloated and gassy all day today. My stomach feels rock hard and I can tell it is swelling. I mean, I'd rather have my belly swell instead of anything  else I guess, but man is it uncomfortable! I was pretty hungry today so when I was able to make me some ground beef patties and lentils I scarfed it all down, then I had a green smoothie. It was a bad, bad combo. I feel like a diesel engine. I am not sure if the wings had traces of gluten in them (they were from Wingstop) or if it was the oil they were cooked in. I am betting it was traces of gluten, since my stomach is what is messed up. Thank goodness nothing else is on fire (not that I can see lol). My left finger was a "little" swollen today however. Understandable. It's hard to eat the way I am eating when you don't have any money on your own....I am not eating enough, and then when I get hungry hungry I end up

Today I woke up kinda tired, but well rested, because I totally slept in more than I should have! But I needed it--I had gotten up real early yesterday for my test, so I let myself sleep in today. I feel my best when I get 10 hours of sleep. Go figure. :P I had a green smoothie with flaxseed and a bowl of my infamous chocolate oatmeal with honey drizzled on it. I also ate a banana and an apple on the side. I took all my vitamins and a probiotic and was ready for the day. I "was" going to clean up the house today (kitchen looks terrible) but I ended up visiting my relatives and hung out with them for the rest of the day. I guess it was a good idea, it helped get my mind off some stuff that has been eating me up. They got Wingstop for dinner and I ate a few lemon and pepper chicken wings. I really hope and pray I don't flare up tomorrow, because I am not too sure what is in them, what kind of oil they are fried in--probably not olive oil lol. I was so hungry I just had

I will be working on the layout of this blog to suit my needs. I want it to reflect my personality a little bit more and look more inviting. Here is a picture of me at the beginning of this year sick and feeling just awful. I was feeling so fatigued and sick. My neck was swollen and I had so much fat/fluid retention under my chin. When I changed my diet I had no clue how much my body was gonna heal itself, if I was even going to make it. I did. With the help of God and healthy eating, eliminating gluten and processed foods--I lost 40 lbs and reduced the inflammation. I am not done yet, and I will continue to have faith in God and watch my body heal! I am sure of it!

Today I woke up at 10 A.M. groggy, right out of a REM cycle. I had to get up early today because I had to take  the social studies test for my GED at noon (I passed!). I was pretty nervous so I tried to eat some left over oatmeal from the night before and I made a fresh green smoothie. I drank all of the smoothie and ate a bit of the oatmeal. I took my probiotic and vitamins. I had to go to the restroom within about 10 minutes however (IBS-D?) because of the stress my body was undertaking, all the food went right through me. XD I drank some Yogi Brand stress relief tea and that helped a bit. My dad took me to the testing center and I ended up doing a really good job on the test (I scored a high score which put me 75% better or as good as a high school graduate!). God was totally with me, helping me focus. I didn't feel too bad either, considering I didn't get a lot of sleep. I came home and ended up sleeping for two hours. I didn't get upset with myself, because I know no

Today I woke up with a bit of energy. I didn't feel ill or exhausted. I got up and found a relative had made a mess in the bathroom so I did not use it. I didn't feel like cleaning it up because I had just woken up and didn't want to start my day off like that. I made a green smoothie but didn't drink it all because I had to go grocery shopping with my dad for our weekly trip and I didn't want to have to use the bathroom before we left. I know that was a big mistake because since I skipped breakfast and didn't eat much after we came home, I felt low on energy for the rest of the day. I didn't eat much today, partly because of anxiety. Well anyway, after the grocery trip, I finished my green smoothie and ate a banana or two. I didn't eat much again until around 6 P.M. when I had realized I would have liked to go for a bike ride. I had a bowl of white rice with a can of tuna in oil and some canned spinach. I also had a banana and a spoonful of natural pe

" Be strong and of good courage , do not be  afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all of the horde that is with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles."   2   Chronicles 32:7

Today I woke at 10 A.M. tired and sickly feeling. My body temperature felt off and I was sure I was running a small low grade fever. I wasn't sure if it was because I was flaring or if it was because I woke up earlier than usual. Normally I fall right back asleep and get up around 2 P.M. but today I decided to get up at 10 to maybe try to regulate my sleep cycle back to a normal time schedule. I laid in bed for a while and watched Saturday morning Christian children's TV shows on TBN and drink two bottles of water. I laid in bed and dreaded getting up. How bad was I going to feel today, I wondered. I got up and took a hot bath to regulate my body temperature and then drank a cup of green tea. I made a cocoa banana and spinach smoothie because I was out of frozen mangoes and strawberries. I added one tbsp of flaxseed to the smoothie for Omega 3's to fight the apparent inflammation I was feeling. I ate a small bowl of chocolate oatmeal and had some orange juice and sea salt.

Today I woke up not as tired as I was yesterday (yes!). I got up and made a green smoothie with three handfuls of spinach, one half cup of frozen mango and strawberry and two bananas and one tbsp of flaxseed. I cooked a pot of oatmeal and added 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, and a dash of sea salt. I cooked one egg over grapeseed oil and ate it with the oatmeal. I took a probiotic and drank some water. I took viatmin D and C. I did the dishes and waited around before my relatives came and picked me up to spend the day with them at their house. I brought two bananas with me just in case I got hungry while I was visiting. On the way to their house we stopped by Sonic and I got a large green tea. While I was at their house, I ate my bananas and shared one with my younger niece. I also ate some pickles with "rib rub" seasoning (hope it didn't have MSG) with my older niece and had a small cup of walnuts. For dinner they had Taco Cabana and I ate a can of spi

When I was a little girl my diet consisted mainly of things like processed cheese slices and hot dogs on white bread, ice-cream by the bowlfuls, frozen pizza dipped in cupfuls of ranch, and Kids Cuisine and Banquet TV dinners. With every meal a can of Coke or a tall glass of Kool-Aid was always on the table in front of me. I wouldn't drink anything else. It may come as a shock to know that I was downing Pepsi when I was only six years old. And when I was four I was drinking grape Kool-Aid out of a baby bottle. No joke. Sugar was my addiction, and water just didn't taste good to me.  My mother cooked homemade meals for us every night until she became ill with hyperthyroidism and Grave's disease, an autoimmune disease that hit her in her late 40's. Even then the homemade meals we had were ladled with bacon grease and flour. Being Texan meant eating good cookin' that tickled the taste buds. Know what I'm saying? But what I want to know is, why is it that some p

Today I woke up tired. I woke up at 2:30 P.M. and stayed under the covers until about 3 P.M.. I prayed and got up and went into the kitchen and made a glass of baking soda water with lemon. I drank all of it and got dressed and made a green smoothie with lots of baby spinach, 1 cup of frozen mango, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries and three small bananas. I added a tablespoon of ground flaxseed. After breakfast I studied a bit and then made lunch. I cooked two eggs into an omelet over grapeseed oil, a small bowl of leftover ground beef from yesterday, and a bowl of rice and beans. I had some canned carrots and peas to go with it. After that I ate a banana. I started to feel more energy after that. I took a probiotic and vitamins D and C. I made another green smoothie around 6 P.M. with another tablespoon of flaxseed. About 30 minutes after this I went for a bike ride. I was worried I wouldn't feel well and have to ride back home because I knew I didn't have much energy, but I ende

Today I feel heavy and feverish. Last night I ate some ground beef with lettuce, peas and carrots. I ate more than usual yesterday, granted it wasn't raw fruit and vegetables. Today I took one spirulina tablet for the first time and drank a 32 oz. green smoothie with kale, spinach, strawberries, frozen mango, and two bananas. I just ate a bowl of ground beef, pinto beans, and peas and carrots. I feel like I may be flaring, just a little bit. I wanted to try eating meat again because I keep getting bruises that just won't heal, and iron deficiency may be the cause. I know spinach has iron, but I can't eat enough of it to be used properly by my body. I'm getting frustrated . I'm obviously not healing, and it feels like I am becoming malnourished. My hair is falling out, my bruises won't heal, and I always feel tired and sick. It sucks even more when nobody around believes that I do not feel well. I've been on this train since December and I can honestly say

It's been a tough week for me. It all started when I stupidly ate some ketchup with sweet potato chunks (with skin on) and the very next day I woke up with the worst fatigue. Ketchup is tomato which is a nightshade, which can aggravate autoimmune disease. I also had joint pain all over. It's been a while since I had a flare like that. It lasted about four days, too. It was crazy. I'm still not feeling totally like myself yet. But I definitely do not feel as bad as I did! I was scared. I believe I also had a small fever because I had chills and everything looked weird, kind of like how when you have a fever everything feels fuzzy. But! I didn't let it get me down. I didn't stay in bed all day (well, on one day I did, but I got up and still did things off and on) and I got myself dressed and thanked God I was alive. I was discouraged however because I started to wonder if my diet can really heal me. What if I get worse and end up in a hospital or on dangerous medica

In this picture my eyes are sunk in and there is a bit of pale to my color. The best way I can describe how I feel right now is "sick" like when you have a cold or coming down with the flu. It's the nastiest feeling. I get chills and extreme fatigue to go with it, too. It happened the night I mistakingly ate ketchup, which is a nightshade (tomato). ooooooooh! I'm paying for it for sure! I think I need to stop eating rice since it scratches the gut up. If I want to heal, I got to get serious about the quality of what I am eating!

And nobody believes I have Lupus? Today I am flaring. My bones feel sensitive and hurt when I press on them. My fingers and toes hurt and I feel like I have been run over by a truck! My rash also showed very well on both sides of my cheeks. And I think I know exactly why! I ate ketchup and potato skins this week!! Tomatoes are nightshades and unfortunately cause flares for me but I just had to try it again, learned my lesson! And I read somewhere a while back that you should never eat the skins of potatoes, not matter if they are sweet potatoes or russets. I didn't think bending the rules a bit would affect me so much. Today I feel like crud! What's more, I have been getting very bit up by mosquitoes. They are ruthless! I can sit out in my backyard and not 5 minutes sooner I am attacked by a pack of them. Can't an autoimmune 22 year old just spend time with her Lord in the great outdoors without being violated by insects? I digress. It sucks because

It's been a while since I really posted anything about my health and new diet, so I guess today I will fix that. I actually have been doing very good. I've been trying to drink at least 2 green smoothies per day when I have the supplies. I also have added beans and rice to my diet for protein, even though I am aware that beans contain lectins which 'can' cause inflammation. I have decided the risks of eating legumes outweigh the risks of eating meat because I am unable to buy any pure grassfed beef near me because it can get expensive. Plus, I really haven't read any huge success stories of people with Lupus on a Paleo diet--most of the stories of healing I have read come from adherence to a whole foods, plant based diet that is highly vegan. That is why I am so bent on eating vegan, even though I do eat fish occasionally for omega 3 fatty acids (helps inflammation and heart health). If by the end of this year my eating habits haven't helped or I feel worse, I

I've never made one of these, but I just came up with this and I want to try it next week!! Collard green leaf for wrap Stuffings: Cucumber sliced lengthwise Avocado slice Red cabbage sprigs Iceberg lettuce for crunch Carrot shavings Sauce: Raw vegan ranch dressing (Rawtarian recipe) Lay collard green wrap flat, smooth ranch sauce over to cover entirely. Add on stuffings and secure with toothpick.

Breakfast: Smoothie (1 cup kale, 1 1/2 cup spinach and bok choy mix, 1/4 cup frozen berries, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup frozen pineapple and strawberry mix, 1 banana, 2 tsp ground flaxseed) 1 Gala apple (small) 1 Fuji apple (small) 1 orange After this I took a probiotic (Acidphilus 1 billion), 5,000 IU vitamin D and a B-Complex gummy. Lunch: 1 mango (tried for the first time!) Some watermelon (don't know how much) 1 banana Smoothie (like the one at breakfast, but without flaxseed) Dinner: Cooked collard greens (about 1 cup) Brown rice (About two cups) Vegetarian refried beans (about 1 cup)

You can kinda see the malar rash more easily on the right photo. But it could just be the difference in lighting. Yikes! Chimichanga finger is back. Been puffed since the tick bite in  mid April. Not much of a difference here. At least I can't tell? Well, it is that time again. Last month I didn't take any progress pictures because I felt like there wasn't any progress to show. After I got bit by that tick/flea and had the awful flare up it seems my progress went downhill and came to a plateau. I must have forgotten that this blog is supposed to record ALL of my progress, not just the good ones! D; My energy is still pretty up. I can clean the house and do stuff everyday without much complaint. Some times I will get a sap in energy around the afternoon but it doesn't last all day. A smoothie or piece of fruit usually perks me back up. Joint pain has been kind of more frequent than usual. I think I owe that to eating things I wasn't supposed to, and

Alright, it's the first day of a new month and I have some goals of what I want to see happen. 1. Eat more raw and drink at least 2 big green smoothies per day. 2. Stay out of sun as much as possible. 3 Learn to explain what I am doing and why, without bending over backward. 4. Figure out how to get adequate protein in my diet without harming my gut. I just came back in from cleaning out my cats' litter box. Phew! I had to spray the box down with the hose in the backyard, then go all the way through the back gate to bring it back into the house to dry. It's a lot of work for me because I get overworked very easily and if I am not careful it can cost me a day of flares and pain. So I try not to do too much work each day so my body doesn't think I am trying to overwhelm it. I think I spent about 75% of my physical exertion allowance just changing the litter box lol. Today my left foot has sharp joint pain in the toe area. As I was getting dressed for the day I

I have been experiencing an impasse in my healing journey all month long. It began when I got bit by the tick/flea in April and developed the bullseye rash and had to go on antibiotics. Ever since then, it's like my body just stalled in healing. Not only that, but since I had to go sleep-deprived for a few days so I could get on a normal sleep schedule--that also wore my body down. I also stopped drinking as many green smoothies as I was previously that had brought me so much healing. Swelling in a new place, increase in fatigue, joint pain coming back, etc. all work to discourage me from believing I can conquer this mountain. I can't ride my bike anymore, much to my dismay. I miss riding. I miss going outside. I want to be in the sun. I want to swim. I want to be with others. I don't want to feel like I have to keep this such a secret and have to bend over backward just so others don't get suspicious of my weird lifestyle habits (drinking baking soda water, not eatin

rash on point today.  Rash has been making more appearances on my face lately... Well, I can't say much for my healing journey except that, it hasn't been really moving in the direction that I would like. And I know exactly why, too. I haven't been taking very good care of myself like I should. Visiting my relatives more often, playing with the kids, cleaning out the garage, exerting myself, fixing my vampire-like sleep schedule, undergoing sleep deprivation, and eating foods I swore off all had a huge part in my stalled healing. I am now at an impasse, a plateau. And I've been kind of discouraged.  I haven't been eating as much raw-fully as I should be. Cooked stuff just tastes so much better. I've been making kale chips, soups, and sweet potatoes a lot lately. These foods are healing of course, but my goal is to eat as much raw fruits and vegetables as I possibly can. I also have been skimping heavily on my green smoothies. I have only be

Can you tell I flared yesterday? No? :P

I can tell when I'm about to flare. I get pale and dazed I helped a relative get ready for their child's birthday party and overdid it big time! I went over to my sister's house and helped her clean her house for my niece's birthday party. I ran back and forth throughout the house kind of stressed out because everyone was kind of in a bad mood and it affected me. I also had a hard time with my anxiety and knew a flare was coming. As I sat in this chair I kind of knew I overdid it.  Unfortunately I didn't have a very good time at the party at all. There was a bounce house and the kids wanted me to get in it but it was daylight and I didn't want to get too much sun exposure, even a little. I also was feeling fatigued and a little run-down. It kind of made me sad that I couldn't go in the bounce house and enjoy playing with them. I remembered back when I was able to play with them and give them piggy back rides and then there I was feeling too

Left picture is me when I thought I had Diabetes Insipidus from my extreme thirst and frequent bathroom trips. Little did I know what I was dealing with was an autoimmune reaction, shown by my swollen moon face and neck. On the right is me today. I have energy. and my mouth is not terribly as dry as it was. I even went for a ride this afternoon! Happy Saturday!! I have spent the day making yummy snacks in the kitchen (kale chips and strawberry "jam" with almond butter) and riding my bike. I feel good today. I have energy, no fevers, no pain (literally, no pain anywhere, even as I first woke up) and I just feel..."well". I'm so thankful! God has shown up and helped me so much these past 4 months since I went to the hospital. I thought I was a goner. Not going to make it or get through this. Judging from the way my body has rapidly healed itself over the short course of a few months, I have great hope. God has been my mainstay through all of this. I know I c

Haven't been feeling 100% since last Friday. Run down, dry mouth, fevers, joint stiffness, swelling... The whole shebang. What sucks is that combined with my irregular sleep patterns its hard for me to get a good sleep because I had to wake up hours later to go grocery shopping and etc. Stress from changes taking place in my life and anxiety from my OCD added more emotional strain. As a result, I haven't been feeling my best for a week now. I keep over taxing myself, pushing myself, just because I thought I could handle it. I have got to stop doing this to myself. I am feeling low today...dry mouth and all. And I have to do the dishes ...hope it doesn't tax me out too much ...

I am feeling much better today than I was yesterday. Thank goodness. I really need to stop pushing myself and overestimating my healing. I do that a LOT.  I am so eager to get better and believe in healing that I jump the gun whenever I feel "like the old energetic" me I was before I got sick. The result is a worn-down body that can't keep up. And so I flare up. This was true yesterday. Around 6:00 AM yesterday morning I could tell something wasn't quite right in my body. I was at my desk working on a sewing project (teaching myself how to sew) and I noticed my body temp felt "off". A few shivers went down my spine and noticed my finger tips felt like ice sickles. I checked my temp and sure enough it was a low grade (99.2). I knew I had to take it easy and let myself rest. I decided I must stop cheating on my diet (I've been eating things like cans of tuna fish, sardines...etc. right after I scratched my gut up from the antibiotics and grains I had l

Riding through this. It will get better.

Along with my low grade fever this little guy popped up...wonder what it is?

I remember small moments in my childhood when I was confronted with a plate of vegetables,and knowing that they were good for me, wanting to like them-- trying to eat them.. When I was around five or six my Grandma would sometimes have a platter of broccoli and cauliflower in her living room and I would try to eat one every time but couldn't stand the taste. Now I am 22 and just destroyed a small head of broccoli with homemade guac. What an ironic destiny! Well, I just started my day and unfortunately I am not feeling my best. Yesterday I could tell my health was taking a nose-dive when I felt run down and feverish. Took my temp and sure enough, I was baggin' a low-grade fever (99.2ish). I immediately knew it was my body trying to tell me I need to stop working so hard and stop stressing out so much. I had to stop pushing myself and put on some comfortable clothes and climb into bed and sink away into oblivion so it could recharge. I made a cup of tea and sank into bed and pr

Having low grade fever...feeling run down. Sigh.

The sun still burns my skin :(

Well, I can't say much for my swelling fingers BUT I can share great news!! I have noticed I haven't had a fatigue flare in a long time, and I'm exerting myself doing work around the house and riding my bike for longer periods of time and not feeling bad afterwards. Last time I felt fatigue was the night i had the fever from the tick bite (which I got antibiotics for)  which my body bounced back from very quickly despite having bacteria floating around in me. What's new? lol So yeah. I am going to get back on my high raw diet. I will have to eat some cooked stuff here and there (beans, rice) but most of what I consume I want to be mostly fruit and veggies, in their raw state. And smoothies. Lots and lots of smoothies. Happy May!!!

Equals this. Will it blend?

Shudder.

Its back to basics today with a spinach fruit smoothie and flaxseed. Got to get back to my high raw diet. My body's healing has been severely stalled from the tick bite, antibiotics, and laziness. Got to get back to work!

Turmeric helps inflammation, and since my fingers look kinda like Vienna sausages at the moment, this is very important. I find that putting this spice in smoothies, fruit, etc. makes my lips pucker up. I cannot handle the taste of turmeric. I tried making golden milk a few weeks ago and couldn't finish the cup. But this week I found a way of tricking my tastebuds so I can get this important herb down my system. Mustard!! I made some black bean and sweet potato burgers last night (probably wasn't a good idea since AIP advises against legumes but I just want to see how my body handles them) and I put purple onion, avocado, and mustard on them with a lettuce leaf topped over it. It was so good. I figured, why not add more turmeric to the mustard? It might mask its taste that I don't like. And it kind of did! I did taste a little bit of the spice but it complimented the sourness of the mustard. So I did it again today. I just took a spoonful of mustard and added turmeric.

Ever since I got bit by the tick/flea/whatever it was that gave me a nasty fever and bullseye rash I haven't been feeling my best. My left index finger is still all puffy like a Cheeto and today I feel run down. I woke up feeling kind of feverish, but I took my temp and it was normal. I took a hot bath hoping it would help regulate my temperature and I made it too hot and ended up feeling yucky after I got out. I have one more antibiotic tablet left (Z-Pack) and this worries me because, why do I still feel kind of sick if I took them? It makes me think that whatever bacteria got into my bloodstream is alive and well, even after I took a round of antibiotics. It makes me wonder if I will contract Lyme or Bartonella soon, and well-- in addition with my undiagnosed Lupus, the situation sounds like a nightmare. I wonder why all these medical issues keep happening to me. Last week I was confused and worried it was God disciplining me for something I did. Or am I just being tested like

Yesterday went great. I got to make an appointment with my doctor, sister was able to drive me to the place, was quick to get in, no one in the waiting room, and I was seen rather promptly. Best part he gave me some antibiotics I have taken before and they are not as scary as Sulfameth. I took two tablets around 9 pm last night after I ate some black beans and rice. I had to eat something with sustenance. We were really running low on fruits and veggies so my sister took me to Kroger where she got my meds and after ward I went into the store and bought one bunch of bananas. That store is really nice and clean! I was really nervous beforehand going because I knew I wasn't feeling good (kind of had low grade fever plus chills for the past 72 hours and didn't get much sleep) and I knew I wasn't familiar with the store. But I am glad I went in and didn't give into anxiety! There was a nice old man at the cash register too. Very nice. Made me feel very welcome. I would love

I haven't written a post in a while. And I kind of regret that. When I made this blog I had intentions of jotting down everything that happens to my health, not just progress and good times. Last weekend (April 10) I was bitten by a tick/flea and was stricken with a nasty fever on the following Monday night. I figured it was Lupus flaring because I had worn myself out and ate some spicy foods. Then I a bright red welt insect bite on my stomach. I immediately freaked out. Was it an infected mosquito bite? Was it just my immune system overreacting to an ant bite? I didn't think it had anything to do with my fever so I brushed it off. Then a few days later, I noticed a white ring surrounding the bite site. I showed a relative and they automatically gave me bad news just by the expression on their face, and believe me, this relative is a no-nonsense person when it comes to hypochondria--so when they say something should be seen by a doctor, it should be seen by a doctor. I

First pic is of me in January. Exhausted, sick feeling, swollen. Next pic is of me this month, riding my bike down the highway. Am I still tired? Yes but not as severe. I was able to ride 4 days in a row this week, without flaring the next day. Thank.you.God. :) miracles happen.

April is here! April is here! I love this month. Spring is in the air, the trees are green again, the birds are singing--what a beautiful time to be alive! I know I thank God for the days I get to spend. Oh, and I have some nice news of progress to share! 1. I was able to ride my bike two nights in a row without feeling sick afterwards. 2. I can go into stores without feeling like I'm about to faint or fall 3. My hair is getting longer (psh!) Annnnnnnd, today, April 1st , I noticed a feeling I am not sure I have had yet. I feel, well inside. I feel healthy. I don't feel sick. I don't feel like my body is slowly killing me. I feel like it is healing. Is that crazy? They say autoimmune diseases (especially Lupus!) cannot be cured. There is hope. I know there is. God has helped me so so much since getting sick back in December. He has been my best friend and has cheered me on, helping me eat right and make good choices when temptation lurks. He's also shown me h