I'm Back

September came in hot. A hospital stay, procedures, endless tests, and rounds of doctors later, and yep, it was confirmed: my first known flare since remission. Truth is, I hadn’t been feeling great since early February: fatigue, joint pain, worsening cough, night sweats… all the “fun” things.

Back in 2017, GPA went after my kidneys and sinuses, and by some miracle, my lungs stayed clear. This time around? My lungs decided to join the party. My sinuses and kidneys are holding steady for now, but the meds, infusions, and full treatment plan are back on the table. Déjà vu, anyone? Because for me, it feels a little too familiar, the timeline is almost identical to Round 1, with September once again being the big month of diagnosis and change.

So here I am, sitting down on October 1st, choosing to claim this month as mine. October is the month I focus on me. October is the month I fight again, not because I want to, but because I can. And trust me, I will.

It’s been a minute since I’ve written here. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could. It’s one thing to talk about resilience when life feels smooth, but when you’re thrown back into the storm? That’s a whole different level. It’s hard to stay positive. It’s hard to balance all the day-to-day things when you don’t feel well. Some days, it feels like a fight just to get through the basics.

Here’s the truth: starting over sucks. I know the road, I know the meds, I know the fight, but that doesn’t make it any less heavy. What does make it lighter is sharing it. Writing. Connecting. Letting this story be more than just my own. Because if you’ve ever had to restart, at anything, you know it’s not weakness, it’s actually strength.

So yeah, sorry I’ve been MIA, but I’m fine. Just know Prednisone Annie is officially back… so buckle up, because she’s got mood swings, midnight snack runs, and way too much energy at 2 a.m. to keep quiet for long. Let’s keep moving forward and continue this story together.