On Thursday I will turn 52. For me this year it is nothing special except that I am still alive. And for that I am thankful.

Lupus has come back and reared it's ugly head once again. I am trying to deal with this the best way I know how to. Most of the time it works well. I manage to get through my day without much thought about what life has thrown my way. Lately I have been having a hard time with it. Things have been happening again. Flares have been coming more often and lasting a lot longer. The seizures have returned. That part is the hardest for me. Here in South Carolina (as I am sure it is in all the states) a person cannot operate a motor vehicle unless they have been seizure free for at least 6 months. Therefore I am confined to my home. My independence has been taken away from me. Where we live is very rural. There is no city transportation. Walking to shopping areas is unthinkable because they are so far away. I am left to depend upon others to drive me around. This makes me sad beyond sad. Not a day goes by that I do not end up crying. It has gotten to the point that when I wake up in the morning and after my meds take effect I get into the shower to let the hot water pound on my back to alleviate some of the pain and stiffness. Then I wash up. What am I going to do tday, I ask myself? I never have an answer because there is never anything to do. I get back in my pajamas do what little has to be done aroaund here and then I sit around. Sometimes I venture outside to weed and water my garden. Or I make a wreath or back something. Then it is still early so I sit and watch TV. Believe me there is nothing on worth watching during the day. But I watch it anyway.

I try not to complain. I try not to dwell on this stuff. But it is so very hard. I want my life to be the way it used to be. It should be the way it used ot be. I loved getting up and going to work. Not I feel useless.