When you find the right friends and you find the right significant other it will be worth it!! Caring and understanding people are definitely out there. We might have to pick and choose a little more, but nobody wants someone in their life that can’t walk with them through tough times or care about them because they’re
not feeling well!
I’ll be honest, sometimes it is hard to make a lunch date with a friend, because I’m so afraid I’ll have to cancel that day and I hate doing things like that. I find it’s best to just let my friends know upfront shortly after meeting that hey I have this thing called Lupus and I have good days and bad days and I value our friendship and I’ll do the best I can please always know that. Yes some of my friends will drop off because of that, but most people will stay and send me tax or a card now and then when they know I’m not feeling well.
I love my alone time, but we all need to get outside of our house and away from our health problems and out with a few good supporting people now and then. I would rather have two good supportive friends that are there when I need them, than 10 friends that are Fairweather

With age comes wisdom, I suppose. I have friends that I only speak with occasionally, but they are still my dearest friends. We did everything together when we were younger, despite all of us having our own separate health issues ( it may have been what braught and kept us together). We would visit each other in the hospital, watch each other's kids when needed, feed each other's pets while one was out of town, help out each other's mother's, grandparents,ect. But most of our relationship time tended to be on the phone as time passed. Naturally, as we have gotten older, we have spent less time together, but know that all it takes is a phone call and we'll all come running ( or crawling if that's all we r able to do).
Take heart, Babygirl, u can count real friends on one hand with fingers left over, but real friends will love you and be there when it counts, will understand when even u aren't sure what's going on with you, and have your back, stand by your side, and hold your hand when you need it most. You'll see, the special ones will just be there, when you least expect it.

Absolutely- although I might feel terrible apparently I don't look ill a good deal of the time. I guess that's a blessing that sometimes feels like a 'curse". Plus I am an " overachiever" not wanting to be considered a " downer" to my family and friends. I am still learning how to ask for help. I am trying hard not to isolate myself- which is so easy to do when you don't feel well. If you are able try to surround yourself with positive, nurturing people. Not easy but not impossible. Best of luck to you

Very much so. It's hard to find people who understand, and hard to find people who are willing to constantly wait around for you to feel better. I feel as though it decreases my valie to others because I'm so often sick or unwell. I've lost a lot of friendships over it, some because they slowly became more distant, and others because I began to isolate myself.

Lupus can affect travel plans where do I begin...Frustrated husband that I was too fatigued and inflammed to hike. Greek Isle cruise brain fog with all the details of major trip before diagnosis would not have bothered me.