Jokiva Bellard

Have you ever heard a lupus patient ask to keep a room as dark as possible? Most likely they are allergic to the sun, or their body is running too...

People often don’t understand how a person with lupus (or any autoimmune disease) could need different kinds of support from loved ones. A prime example, I needed the medication for my...

Just recently my daughter had her fourth birthday party. Being an autoimmune disease mother who tries to be so careful, I do not know how I end up getting sick...

When living with a chronic illness like lupus, intense emotional experiences like grief can have an impact on health. Just recently, I lost someone so dear and loving to me...

Having an autoimmune disease like lupus can be overbearing. Sometimes being a mother, wife, and working as well, you tend to not treat yourself when it comes to placing yourself...

I wake up in the morning with work, work, work, by Rihanna playing in my head, because that is all I do. I go to work, and am a mom...

Intimacy and lupus can take a toll on you and your partner, specifically the lack of intimacy that can occur. Is it hard to cater to your partner while sick?...

When dealing with lupus, of course there are ups and downs with symptoms. Recently, I discovered hives on my skin becoming worse and worse. I am realizing a lot of...

Lupus can put me in a emotional state where it's hard for me to choose my daughter over my medication. This has been a hard pill to swallow. Having Nena...

"Your pain is fake." That's what I hear when it comes to me complaining about lupus pain. Does it hurt to have lupus? Yes, in most moments. I can't say...

Brittle bones is what they call me sometimes. Weather changes have us all in bed and feeling a little brittle. I have been going through it lately. We feel weather...

Let's get into the dating pool with lupus. My friends and family have a whirlwind in the pool of men to choose from. In my experience, some aren’t ready or...

Since being diagnosed with fatigue, I've felt it the most lately. It feels like someone is bending my bones. The body aches that last at least 30 minutes to an...

When being a mother with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus and a new job, it can be overwhelming. I am currently in a flare up that I have been...

Living with lupus, I found myself making friendships and opening doors I could not believe could be opened. I attended a lupus basketball charity event hosted in Dallas, Texas. It...

Infections and lupus can be a hurdle in the healing process. This recent flare up happened while being a parent to my beautiful kids. I couldn’t smell out of my...

It can be intense and overwhelming in the motherhood land. Why? Because having an autoimmune disease like lupus can be troubling with little kids. When your kids get sick, you...

Having lupus has been the story of my life. Though life has been living me out honey, I have been hanging on for the best. My doctor recently told me...

Sometimes it’s good to talk to your doctors if they will take the time to understand your story. In the past, I've had doctors who tended to be brutally honest...

Heart problems can be a big situation when it comes to having lupus. I was diagnosed with pericarditis. Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium. It usually feels like sharp...