Family

LupusVoice

In approximately  2000 words or less,  write about how you feel lupus (via your loved one) has TESTED you, sharing the lessons you have learned.

The few conversations I have had  with family and friends of other  women with lupus have been some of  the most enlightening since my diagnosis.  They have given me a unique perspective  which I cannot gain from talking with my own family and friends. They allow me to view the challenging journey of loved ones in an objective way, irrespective of my own experiences and emotions; and I think they will prove similarly invaluable to other young people like me.

There is no doubt that you, our beloved family and friends, have
been similarly TESTED since your loved one’s diagnosis. Yet the
simple fact that you are here reading this now speaks volumes about your continued dedication and concern. But has anyone ever asked you about your experience with lupus?

Granted, you are not the one with the illness, and most friends and relatives of people with lupus are the first to point this out when someone expresses concern for them. But the truth is that you, too, are living with lupus. You see and hear about the effects on a daily basis, and you are similarly helpless with regard to eliminating the unknown source.

Yet you are also undoubtedly a significant part of why we keep going each day. You support, encourage, and love us just by continuing to be part of our lives. This is why your experiences, your fears, your frustrations are just as important as those living with the disease in their bodies.

I have finally come to realize that my family and friends have been apprehensive to express their thoughts and concerns for fear that it might be taken as criticism of me or my inability to just get well.  In reality, the silence of friends and family is often due to their own pain and frustration at their inability to help me get well. We all want our loved ones to be well, and nothing is more difficult  than watching loved ones suffer and being able to do nothing about it.

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