TBT

Stuff I could do before I had lupus:

Get out of bed without waiting for my joints to loosen up.

Skip breakfast.

Eat garlic AND walk the next morning.

Play with my long, flowing hair without worrying about it falling out.

Open a bottle of water by myself.

Work hard late into the night, sleep a little, do it again the next day.

Practice the piano all day like it's no big deal.

Play the cello (for even a few minutes) without experiencing intense pain.

Write and draw for hours without having to get cortisone shots in my hands afterwards.

Move painlessly after a day out in the sun.

Remember everything.

Hugs for everyone!

Stuff I took for granted before I had lupus:

The joy of being able to get out of bed on my own.
The strength to do a job that I love.
Science and easy access to medicine.
So many people in my life who shower me with love, prayer, and encouragement.
A husband that stands by my side through the good days and the bad.
 God's mercy truly is new every morning,
and He truly does strengthen me with joy.
Hope.
Music.
Good days.
Peace in the midst of the not so good days.
Every day.

Pictures of Lupus, Opus 5

Lupus causes my joints to swell and my fingers to get nodules. Not good for a pianist! I already had a custom splint for my temperamental finger, but when I am extra swollen, it doesn't fit. So I got a new one made last week. I love that they let me pick a color so my splint could be as fabulous as a splint could be.

Pictures of Lupus, Op. 4

Sometimes I wear running shoes to work because I don't want the pain in my feet to distract me from what I need to accomplish that day. I'm not going to let lupus stop me from living my life!

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You can see more pictures of lupus here, here, and here.

Why I Wear Yoga Pants

As I type this, I'm wearing yoga pants. That's right. I'm wearing yoga pants.

I'm not immodest. (Everything that needs to be covered is covered.)

I'm not lazy. (Even on a Saturday morning, I still put thought into what I would wear today.)

I'm not unfashionable. (At least, I sure get a lot of compliments on my fashion choices.)

And I'm not giving in to current fashion trends. (I'm hipster like that. Or not. I don't know.)

I'm not trying to make a statement. (Ok, sometimes I wear graphic tees to make a statement. But my yoga pants - not a statement.)

I do yoga (it's one of the few types of exercise I can do), but I probably won't do yoga today.

So why am I wearing yoga pants today? Because I am in pain. "Normal" pants hurt. They hurt to wear and they hurt to put on. But yoga pants don't hurt. And on a day like today, every little thing I can do to minimize pain counts. So I'm not ashamed of my yoga pants. I have more important things to be concerned about. Things like having lunch with my husband, listening to the birds singing outside my window, and enjoying my Saturday.