As you can see, I've not been very good at blogging. But I'm determined to begin doing so more often. A lot has happened in the last year regarding my SLE (Lupus). I had a tough year. Lost a lot of weight, from 109 to 86 pounds & was dangerously close to organ failure. However, with the help of my doctors & family I was able to get better & gain almost all weight back! I was in the hospital with acute pancreatitis. Then in hospital again with what they found was stomach & esophagus ulcers. All this due to Lupus. The Summer of 2013 was unseasonably HOT. heat, sun & Lupus do NOT get along! I pushed myself to try to go visit some beautiful state parks in Oregon but in doing so, even covered up and my big hat, the heat & sun landed me in bed. I didn't even touch my bass. 
When 2014 came, I promised myself to quit being stubborn & to take good care of myself by eating right, resting, exercise when I can. It's working so far. 
Unfortunately after my weightloss incident, I've got kidney damage. So I'm working on that. I picked up my bass guitar about a month ago & found that my joints & finger pain was the worst it's been. But I pushed through it & I play the bass every now & then. I had to quit playing bass in the worship team at church as I could stand for long & just too fatigued to make it through rehearsal & the Sunday morning services. All because of my bad weightloss incident. 
What is good however is I finally accepted my Lupus SLE diagnosis & started taking better care of myself. Resting more, learning to say "no" & reducing stress. 
There's no doubt that Lupus Sucks & I hate it but it's here to stay so it's up to me to listen & learn from my doctors, fellow "Lupues" and listen to my body. 
I am SO ADD!! I've started making jewelry, but made two sets of earrings & one bracelet & all the supplies are in a box in my bedroom!! Then I decided I'd start photography. I ended up with 400+ photos of mainly flowers, the same three mountains I live by and numerous photos of my two grandsons! But at least I still have the "want to" in me!!
There are so many great Apps for learning to play guitar & I'll share those with you soon.  
Life is a blessing & Lupus is just an obstacle course. My goal, as always, is to make it through it!
Susie