My name is Natalie, and I have had lupus for about 20 years. Through no genetic correlations, over the years I have developed type 1 insulin resistant diabetes, Hashimoto’s thyroid disease, gastroparesis, nerve damage, fibromyalgia, gallbladder issues, and heart conditions requiring a pacemaker, along with other miscellaneous malfunctions as I like to call them…I am not the average 30-year-old; most do not understand my daily struggles or fears of not being able to wake up one day. It is a hard and lonely path for those with “invisible” illnesses. A cure feels unlikely after all these years and I begin to question how functional I will be in the next 10. We shouldn’t have to feel this way though. We need answers and we need hope to sustain us in our journeys. We need good medical care and insurance that doesn’t require a fight at every step. Not every day will be easy, but every day shouldn’t have to be this hard. On the outside all seems well, but on the inside, I fight every day to appear healthy and get through the day so that I can get through the next.
Michael Davis-King, Young Warrior
Whether it’s a stubborn lime tree, taking care of an abandoned kitten during the pandemic, or lupus, remaining hopeful seems to be Michael’s strong suit. While he says...