Did you know purple butterflies represent lupus?
The classic lupus rash appears in the shape of a butterfly across our faces. Butterflies symbolize hope. Hope for a cure, hope for relief, hope for answers about what causes lupus.
But butterflies weren't always butterflies. We forget that they were fuzzy little caterpillars. And then stuck inside weird little cocoons. We only see what they look like now.
Living with lupus is like that too. A recently diagnosed lupus warrior messaged me the other day and said that I seemed more put-together than she feels.
I think getting diagnosed with lupus is like living in a cocoon. You're not the fuzzy caterpillar anymore... but you're also not really feeling like a butterfly. You're learning to live with what feels like a different body. You're learning to accept what that means for your life.
Eventually, you have enough good days to feel like you know what to do or not do. You learn to manage your symptoms. And you start to interact with the world again.
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