The obligatory first post.

I have succumb to the world of blogging. For the good? I'm not sure. Will anyone actually read it? Doubtful. Is there a reason for doing it then? Of course.

I was diagnosed with lupus after 7 years of feeling rough without any real explanation. Even after diagnosis, I wasn't really given much of an explanation either, but, through the wonderful world of blogging, I came to discover exactly what lupus means for real people living with it. If you have lupus, you know the symptoms: rash, fevers, joint pain, photosensitivity, headaches, fatigue, kidney problems, but that doesn't explain what it means for the individual. I am more than a list of symptoms, I am a person who has hopes and dreams like everyone else, it's just that they've taken a little detour thanks to my lupus.

So what am I hoping to achieve with this blog? Simple. I want to document how I learn how to live a decent life with a chronic illness (or 5...), what that means for me as an individual and for those around me. I want to make it clear that I may look healthy, but I'm not, and that I'm constantly having to fight to maintain some degree of normality. Most importantly, I'd like it if I could let someone know that they're not alone, that other people go through exactly the same emotions, struggles and highs.

I'd also like to have a little fun along the way, but that sort of goes without say...