My body, the official weather-woman

Ever take your temperature multiple times hoping that the triple digit number will become at least two digits? Yeah, that definitely is me today...

I have taken my temperature 12 times within the past 3 minutes desperately hoping that my 100.5 fever will go down into the 90's. Because once it goes down, I know the stiffness in my knees will go down as well.

I've had a lot of people ask me how I feel when I have a flare-up. So, allow me to share with you how I'm currently feeling:

I feel like crap. My knees are stiff, there's pain in both legs, I'm running a fever, I have this stupid rash on my face, I have absolutely no appetite, I'm cold because of my fever, my knees are swollen, I'm exhausted, I have a headache, and...I woke up with a ball of hair on my pillow.

Now, allow me to tell you what all I have accomplished today despite my flare-up.

I have worked a 7 hour shift, I grocery shopped, I went for a walk (not a run, as I have come to the conclusion that wouldn't help me much), and now I'm off to class to take an exam and then play a couple games of ping pong.

I don't like my body at the moment, but I know my limitations. I went for my walk because I honestly think it helps my knees feel better, and it helps me have more energy.

Needless to say, I have this strange feeling that it's going to rain within the next 24 hours. My body is warning me to keep my umbrella with me at all times tomorrow. My body hasn't let me down yet when warning me about the weather, and I doubt it'll start now.

Some flare-up's are worse than others. But I have reached the conclusion that if I were to call in sick to work, or skip class, I have let lupus win.

Some days I feel like I can't handle my lupus, but most days it can't handle me. :-)