To

[Guest guest]

> Hi ,

My name is Carol and I am new to lupus also. I was diagnosed earlier

this year and joined this group in May. They have been awesome and

a great help! I really enjoyed reading your post because I so

related to it. I have had a hard time accepting I have lupus also.

I do the same thing you do and try to follow things the right way

when I'm not feeling well but revert to " normal " when I feel

better. I am slowly finding out that overdoing it doesn't pay off

and I need to slow down when my body tells me it's time. It really

is hard though isn't it? I haven't had any really bad flares

compared to many here on this site but I know I've been warned not

to overdo it because Lupus with it's unpredictability will win out

if I'm not careful. I guess we need to learn to appreciate our good

days but still take it easy. I'm glad there are people here to

learn from and to learn with. Thanks for your post and I hope you

are feeling well! Carol

> I almost cried when I was reading some of the posts to me this

> morning about getting myself organized and only doing what is

> necessary while we feel bad. You know, is it just me, or does

> anyone else feel ....uhm...well...guilty sometimes because we are

> sick? I still beat myself up to keep a spic and pan clean

home...I

> do too much for my kids, I upkeep our home inside and out, try to

> mow the grass and keep the pool clean and such...while being a

good

> mommy, wife, daughter, sister, friend, sunday school teacher,

> neighbor, etc. You know what I mean. I am nuts...I have this

desire

> to have life as normal as possible without this " LUPUS " thing.

>

> I have recently prided myself on evolving to a place of balance

with

> this lupus, but I know that really I am still trying to be 100%.

> When I am not in a flare I just keep on doing...and then I fall to

> pieces

> must be insane. We have an acre and I dont know what I am trying

to

> prove. I know lupus has a mind of its own...but, do any of you

all

> struggle with this type of balancing thing. I always go by the

> lupus rules (limit sun exposure, rest, limit stress, dont do too

> much........) when I have a flare and after for a while, but then

it

> seems I feel better and I am sooooo excited to feel remotely

normal

> that I over-do.

>

> Ok - now you all know, I am a newbie cuz' I have yet too stop

> fighting the reality that I have lupus and it has changed things.

I

> need to embrace this new life and get with taking better care of

> myself by empowering others to help me.

>

> Thanks so much for just letting me talk (or type...)!

>