05/19/2026
Hey Merica Fam, Erica here. Did you know it’s Lupus Awareness Month?
I don’t talk about this much. Not because it isn’t a huge part of my life, because it absolutely is, but when something is just your reality, you learn to deal with it, move through it, and keep going. But this month, I want to share a little of my story.
For years I knew something was wrong with my body, but I was dismissed until things got so bad that daily life started to become debilitating. Finally, in 2015, after a long road of tests and frustration, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease where my immune system attacks my own body instead of protecting it. Wow. I finally had a name for my experience. There was fear, sadness, anger, but mainly there was relief, this was real, I wasn’t just “overworked” or exaggerating what I was feeling. Now I had something to fight.
Lupus is a battle, it’s unpredictable and often invisible. Most days people have no idea what’s happening behind the scenes; medications, labs, infusions, fatigue, pain, inflammation, procedures, ER visits, and the balancing act of trying to manage my health while still showing up for life. A couple years ago during a really bad flare, my heart went into atrial fibrillation and had to be shocked back into rhythm. It was scary and very humbling, and changed a lot for me. Seeing the fear and worry around me made me realize this doesn’t just affect me. I often joke that living with Lupus is a full time job. The amount of work that goes into just being functional; managing appointments, medications, supplements, sleep, stress, hydration, watching for flare signs, eating well, staying active, while nothing ever really stops around you. Not listening to your body becomes dangerous so I have to take my health serious.
For a long time I kept this part of my life private because I didn’t want people to see me differently or feel sorry for me. But I know better, I know the value in sharing, because there are so many people quietly living with chronic illness or disabilities that you may never see or fully understand. I’ve learned how to advocate for myself and others in a system that doesn’t always listen and isn’t set up for those with chronic illness. “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice” has taken on a new meaning for me because people can’t always see how much effort it takes just to function day to day in a body that isn’t always on the same page as my mind is.
Lupus doesn’t define me, but it absolutely shapes me. It’s part of my story whether I talk about it or not. I’ve had to learn to let go of the “I used to be able to” me, and be thankful for the “I still get to” me. So this month, I’m choosing to talk about it because I want us all to be seen and heard. I also want to invite you all to get involved with the Michigan Lupus Foundation’s Lansing Walk for Lupus by supporting me: https://milupus.donordrive.com/participant/Erica_Lynn or by joining my team: https://milupus.donordrive.com/team/Lansinglupuswarriors If you have any questions you can email me at: [email protected] 🦋💜
