The following essay was submitted by Laureen Copeland as part of the Share Your Story project.
To view more projects submitted by Laureen, click here.
My Lupus Story
I got into online investing, because of Lupus and being on disability. I felt had to keep my mind busy to distract me from the pain. Little did I know what was ahead for me. I had no idea just how life-changing it would be. My husband had no time for me being ill, and said that since I was “always sick and tired”, and “never wanted to do anything” he decided to date other women!!!! What kind of person does this????? Needless to say, I had to leave him because the stress was just too great – and we all know that stress is the number one trigger for flares – and I was in one long flare for a couple years.
I decided to read up on how the Stock Market works and in the process, I met a man who was brilliant at trading stocks online and I asked him if he ever mentored anyone before, and he said sure, I’ll help you out. Well, we spent many hours online, with him teaching me through Yahoo voice, everything you would ever need to know about online trading. I was able to grasp the “art” of online investing. I had also “met” a couple of others online, that also wanted to learn, and hence, our stock group was formed!
My mentor recently passed away and it was sudden, and devastating for me, since he taught me everything I know about reading the charts and markets. I miss him dearly, but I know he knows, just how much he meant to me and how appreciative I am. He always had a kind word for me and supported me emotionally, when I had no one else who wanted to understand my Lupus. God Bless Him! Our group still talks, but I’m now trading successfully, on a daily basis by myself, with some “online friends”.
As for my Lupus, I live everyday like other Lupies – one day at a time. I have met so many wonderful people online, and that has been my major form of support. My friends and family just don’t get it. They say, “I don’t understand how one day, you’re fine, and the next, you can hardly get out of bed.” I was even told, that I just “need to buck up already and quit complaining all the time… Maybe if you quite being so lazy and got out more, you’d feel better” UGHHH!@!! That’s enough to make me feel sick to my stomach!!!
Thank God for websites and blogs – it’s a wonderful way to share, uplift, and know that I’m not alone. I just keep to myself, mind my own business now, don’t share — or complain like I was told I did (I actually thought I was “communicating” to my family, just what I feel and go through daily so they could understand – but I found out after the fact, that it was all just construed as complaining). I’ve told my family, that if they would just do some research online, and educate themselves about Lupus, that they would understand that I’m not abnormal – I’m just Lupie!!!!
It took a lot for me, and many arguments later defending myself, that I don’t talk about or share anything with them anymore. I have a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy now. What a shame that is. Now if I had “cancer”, well then that would be different, since most are far more educated with that.
That’s my story!
Hi my names Rosa and ijust been diagnosed with Lupus yesterday, iused to talk about it like it was nothing serious but i did more research and come to find out ima be sick alot like i was, my mom and sister used to tell me that i complained alot about being sick. little did they know ihave a life changing diease. and just like you istay in bed and never go out, having lupus dose make you abnormal. but im tryna my hardest to let my faamily and friends be aware about lupus! and i said the samething you did, if i told them ihad cancer they would show more concern about my health and life.