Dear Team Angel’s Lupus Journey,

It is so important to tell those who truly support you thank you! It is easy to get caught up in life and all the things that come with it, but we must take the time to tell those who support us, we don’t take them for granted.

The truth is, without the support of others, we wouldn’t be where we are in life!

I thank you, my supporters near and far for lifting me up in prayer, cheering me on and celebrating every victory with me! I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you to my friends and family who have been instrumental in making my Lupus journey as peaceful as it could possibly be. Some of you have given me tips and resources to make life easier. Some of you have volunteered to take me to my appointments, some of you have spent long days and nights talking to and watching me to ensure I’m okay. I will never forget your dedication and love for me!!!! I thank you!!!

Thank you to my caregivers, who give of themselves, their time, their families, etc. to be by my side and do whatever necessary to ensure I have the best care possible! You have lost time from work, social activities and many other things to be here for me and I’m so thankful!

Last but certainly not least, I want to publicly thank my parents for molding and making me into the woman I am today. Thank you for never giving up on me even when the doctor’s did. Thank you for sacrificing your life to take care of me even in my grown age. Thank you Mommy for taking LA with me, easing my anxiousness, supporting my emotions, acting as my personal assistant, manager and nurse! I would not have made this trip without you!!! Thank you Daddy for sacrificing your wife yet again to be there for me!!! I know you say “anything for my baby girl! That’s right!” but I do realize it is a sacrifice and I’m so thankful!

I could continue to go on and on thanking everyone, but I will stop here! Just know I’m eternally grateful for you all!!!!

I love you with the love of Jesus,

Angel 👼🏽

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Now that I am home and in the bed, my adrenaline has stopped pushing me and reality has set back in. The truth is, traveling with a Chronic Illness is NO JOKE!!! Please allow me to explain how traveling affects us as a whole.

You see in the beginning of traveling and in preparation to travel, we are so excited. Yes, we pay close attention to our spoons prior to and we do what’s necessary to get us going. We tap into our resources and even get the proper help we will need for our travel. Our Care Giver/s are on board and we are truly ready to go! We are excited. Some would say overly excited, but you must understand why.

A major part is that our adrenaline has kicked into overdrive because we are ecstatic to get to where we are going and the body knows we need that extra push to get us there.

Another major part is we don’t truly have that many opportunities to travel. At least I don’t. This is not because we don’t have anywhere to go and don’t have a desire to travel. This is because most times we are so sick we truly can’t travel. Traveling doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for us! We have been dealt the bad hand so we stay right at home where our family, doctors and familiar hospitals are. The illnesses have truly placed us in a prison in our own bodies and programmed our minds into thinking it is best to stay home.

With this being said, when we brake from the bondage of ourselves, tap into our resources, turn on our adrenaline boost and tap in to our pure determination, we open our eyes, release the shackles and go!!!!

It’s so exhilarating and liberating! We can do it, but it’s a gamble. You see we have still been dealt the same cards as I spoke of before. We are still dealing with our Illnesses and all that comes with it!

We may be ready to go, but we truly don’t have an idea of how our bodies will react. We tend to just go with it and take our chance on the gamble.

This time I was able to do what I needed to do and although I felt bad, I pushed or should I say my adrenaline pushed me through.

Here is that gamble: After the major things I needed to do, my body decided to give way to the illness. I had to immediately lay and rest. My ability to walk became harder and harder and my legs felt like jello. I was riddled with pain and I was just hoping to get home soon. I have been in the bed since! It’s a horrible ending to a beautiful and promising beginning.

Would I do it again????? Certainly, as many times as I can. I love to travel and advocate. I would go tomorrow despite the gamble! I have no regrets!

I will take the gamble any day!!!! Would you???????

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As Spoonies (people living with chronic illness,) we tend to internalize our feelings. We may feel like others don’t care to listen or others view us as being complainers, so we choose to go through our emotions alone.

The thing about doing this is that we find ourselves ready to explode at some point. That frightens us as well.

Will we break out in tears?

Will we lash out at someone?

Will we disconnect from the world?

Really, what will we do?!

The truth is, we truly have no idea what we will do, but we do know whatever it is, is coming!

Tonight, I openly say I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don’t care about shedding tears and showing emotion. I’m being #transparent and sharing so I’m not lashing out at a soul! I haven’t disconnected from the world either.

What I am doing is screaming and that is quite alright! I am entitled just as you are!!! We are human and I’m not ashamed of it. Periodt!

I encourage you to do whatever works for you as long as it is safe!! It is more than okay to be tired of being sick! Let’s scream together!!!!🗣🗣🗣🗣💜💜💜💜

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndromeawareness #transparency

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As Spoonies (those who struggle with chronic illness,) we often face anxiety and/or depression. This may be a result of a gambit of things.

*Loneliness

*Fear of judgement and the unknown

*Inability to go places or do simple task

*Loss of jobs, functionality relationships, and independence

*Impatience and non understanding from others, near and far

And the list goes on!

No matter the cause, we have to find things to ease our minds and give us comfort. We need to feel a sense of accomplishment.

While there are many things you can do to change your focus, today I want to talk about pets.

Personally, Murphy helps me more than anyone could ever imagine. I am not alone with him by my side. He loves me regardless of anything and I have learned him so there is minimum unknown. Caring for him gives me a sense of empowerment and independence as he depends on me to take him out, feed him, love on him, etc. He understands that when I lay down it’s time to take a nap. He gets me and he has been a Godsend! Mentally, his presence is calming and he is a great asset to my life.

Do you view your pets as therapeutic?

Food For thought!!!

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndromeawareness #transparent #therapeutic

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As I lay in the bed healing, yet feeling poorly, I began to think about how short life is. Someone somewhere did not wake up this morning. Someone somewhere is taking their last breath in this moment as we continue to breathe.

Angel’s Wings of Wisdom: Don’t take for granted that you woke up, you still have some mobility of your limbs, you still are able to see since your reading this right now. Take a breath and be thankful.

If you have ought with someone try to mend it! Be sure to forgive. Forgiveness is more for you than the person who has betrayed you. Holding on to the hurt, anger, pain, etc. currupts your days and prohibits your ability to move on. Don’t allow the problems from yesterday determine your today! Forgive!

Tomorrow is not promised so as I lay here, I’m going to celebrate the opportunity of today!!! Won’t you join the celebration????💜💜💜

#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgiaawareness #potssyndrome #autoimmunedisease #chronicillness #chronicpain #angelslupusjourney #chronicfatiguesyndrome #chronicfatigue #chronicpainwarrior #chronicfatiguesyndrome

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🗣🗣🗣PSA: Everything that glitters isn’t gold. Social media gives all people whole and broken a platform to share with the world what they CHOOSE to share. Just because he/she is done up on FB/IG/SC/Twitter etc. doesn’t mean their lives are just as done up as it appears.

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That car that she was standing by was a client’s car she asked to wash to get a few dollars.That nice watch was the only real accessory he owns and his deceased grandfather passed it on to him. She is smiling because someone walked up to her and gave her a hug and that was the first hug she has received in months. You see, you can’t see all of the heartbreak, pain, anxiety, abuse, sickness, brokenness, etc. for all the filters and apps he/she has put on that pic from the phone that was given to them with 20 min on it to keep in touch with their loved ones.

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You never know what is going on in someone’s life. Look beyond the picture!!! Check on them if you care about them!!! Intercede on their behalf!!! Never assume someone’s circumstance!!!!! Everyone has a story!!! Everyone has a little hell in their lives. Who’s brave enough to say I do???🙋🏽‍♀️

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What’s behind the picture????

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A fervent believer in the most high who is a healer, provider, protector, deliverer,etc. A faithful follower of the King of Kings, the Lily of the valley, the Bright and Morning Star!!! A HUMAN who is scared, sick and tired of being sick and tired, and needs encouragement at times just like the next person!!!

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What’s behind your picture?????

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#Transparency #LupusWarrior #Human #sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgia

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Disclaimer: Long post, but I hope it helps someone!

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A Lupie Sister shared recently that no matter how she may make Lupus look, it is still very hard.

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This is so true, not just for Lupus, but for a lot of illnesses or even turmoil going on in your life. We have a tendency to smile to hide the pain, hurt, despair, loneliness, depression, anxiety, etc. This is our nature! We are built Ford tough; however, it is easier to smile and hide than to speak out and say how we are truly feeling. We don’t want pity, negative attention or to be judged so we put on our masks as a defense mechanism.

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Let me start the unmasking! My truth: I have been struggling hard lately health-wise both physically and mentally! I started a new regimen that depletes my energy as well as causes nausea and pain. I have been truly tired of being sick and tired. I have asked God for just 5 mins out of a day to relieve all pain. I have been very low. I am a firm believer in God and I not only sing his praises, but I also preach his word. I know what the word says and although I am leaning and depending on God, believing his teachings, recognizing the miraculous things he has done and realizing he can and will do it again, I am still human and will have valley moments. No one is exempt, Christians or not, from experiencing valleys.

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The Good News 🌈: Just as inevitable as it is that we all will have valleys, it’s also inevitable that we will have mountains. Trouble doesn’t last always. This too shall pass. We woke up so there is another opportunity to have a better day! We may have fallen, but we will rise again. The Bible teaches us that the righteous man fell 7 times, but he got back up.

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On this Worship Wednesday, I give all praise, glory and honor to God for this brand new day with brand new mercies. I also thank God for each of you. Let’s use this opportunity for a new day to love on each other without pity, negativity and judgement!💜💜💜

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#sick #lupus #lupusflare #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #lupusfighter #lupusadvocate #spoonie #spoonielife #spooniesupport #spoonies #spooniefamily #spoonielove #spooniesisterhood #spooniecommunity #fibromyalgia #fibromyalgia

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