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Living with Lupus but Thriving
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What happens when your own body becomes your enemy? In this powerful conversation, therapist and PhD researcher IJ Asike shares her extraordinary journey living with lupus - an autoimmune disease where the body's defense systems attack its own tissues and organs.
From unexplained childhood illnesses to finally receiving a diagnosis at age 26, IJ reveals the physical and emotional toll of navigating a condition that can affect everything from her joints to her kidneys, creating unpredictable limitations that transform daily life. "Sometimes I wake up feeling fine, but by 10am, I'm at 15% battery," she explains.
Beyond the medical aspects, IJ offers profound wisdom about the psychological and spiritual dimensions of chronic illness. She shares her process of pain, acceptance, adaptation, and growth - challenging common misconceptions about what acceptance means. "Acceptance isn't giving up faith," she insists. "It's a point you arrive at that allows you to adapt and see new possibilities." This perspective transformed her experience from one where "life stopped" to discovering unexpected purpose through her condition.
The conversation explores how faith, medical support, family connections, and finding meaning beyond illness create the foundation for flourishing despite physical limitations. IJ's research examines the crucial question: what factors determine whether someone with chronic illness merely survives or genuinely thrives?
For anyone navigating chronic illness, supporting a loved one with health challenges, or simply seeking inspiration for life's unexpected difficulties, IJ's story demonstrates how adversity can become a pathway to deeper authenticity. As she poignantly puts it: "My healing is not the absence of lupus - my healing is having the support I need to live meaningfully with it."
Join us for this transformative discussion about finding strength, purpose and authentic living when life doesn't follow your original plan. Share your own experiences or questions in the comments!
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Chapters
1. Living with Lupus but Thriving (00:00:00)
2. Introduction to IJ's Lupus Diagnosis (00:00:24)
3. Early Symptoms and Misunderstandings (00:04:14)
4. Explaining Lupus as an Autoimmune Disease (00:16:50)
5. The Journey to Acceptance and Adaptation (00:30:19)
6. Faith, Acceptance and Medical Support (00:51:23)
7. The Mabel V Foundation and Support (01:07:15)
8. Finding Inner Harmony Despite Challenges (01:23:13)
9. Closing Thoughts and Resources (01:30:12)
22 episodes
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