Lupus & Mental Health Awareness Month Reflections ......... AND Announcing June 2020: Month of Giveaways - SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Me sitting in front of a part of Lawrence Weiner's
SLOW CORROSION LEADING TO
A LOSS OF INHERENT DIGNITY
OF THE OBJECT AT HAND (1985) piece at MoMA.

This is hard. 

My fingers feel heavy. 

I feel emotionally spent. 

I didn't think my comeback to blogging would be so busy and hectic and emotional. The last week has exhausted me to the point of drinking (see instagram post) for the first time in over 5 years. The state of the world, especially this country (America), makes me really sad. It also makes me really angry. resentful. and motivated. I like to pride myself in being inquisitive. I also pride myself in being resourceful and independent. I want to provide any person who stumbles upon this janky-ass blog with as much useful, productive, and proactive information about my experience living with lupus and all that comes with it (more diseases...that's what comes with it. A whole lotta diseases and additional conditions). Another thing that comes with it (lupus) is living and existing in my skin. Walking through this world as a Disabled Latinx Woman with Lupus. 

Weighs heavy on my mind. All of this does. I worry for my siblings (and their loved ones), cousins (and their families), aunts, uncles, friends, my whole extended family. To me, their lives are worth it. When they step outside, could you say the world will see them the same way? It's so scary out there. It's been a week and it's only gotten worse. Just more death, more destruction, more anger, more hurt...a vacuum of pain and fury. I can't say I blame anyone for how they are emoting and reacting. Our "leadership" is a total joke. 

In fact, today, Trump told governors, on a call, that they need to, "arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again."

"The president told the governors they were making themselves 'look like fools' for not calling up more of the National Guard as a show for force on city streets. Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also on the call, told governors that a joint terrorist task force would be used to track agitators and urged local officials to 'dominate' the streets and control, not react to crowds, and urged them to 'go after troublemakers.'" - PBS.org

This post was supposed to be about a new month (PRIDE!), reflecting on May and Lupus/Mental Health Awareness month, and sharing info about A MONTH OF GIVEAWAYS (!!!) I plan on doing this month to honor essential workers. I wanted to KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING about Lupus. It's still going to be about all of this, but, just know, I won't be happy about any of it. *pouts*

Now, let's continue...

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: "A MONTH OF GIVEAWAYS" HAS BEEN SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

IF you removed the senseless killing of innocent black and brown people, protesters, journalists and the senseless physical violence towards black and brown people, protesters, journalists AND then silence or violent commentary from our federal leadership, my month has been FABULOUS! (I guess the bar is pretty low. #americandream #blacklivesmatter #dumptrump #pleasevote) 

But seriously, deciding to finally share bits of my story and experience living with Lupus and surviving Calciphylaxis has proved very cathartic. I finally stopped, sat down with my husband, and heard details of my experience with Calciphylaxis that I blocked out because of the amount of pain I was in (hi, fugue state). It was like hearing a crazy story...but it actually happened to me. us. It's our LIFE. Real talk - that's nuts. 

I finally inspected the photos of the experience. In the past I would avoid that shared google photos folder. If I were accessing google photos on my phone, I would scroll through so fast and close my eyes. I didn't want to see that. I didn't want to really know it to be true. But it is. 

I needed to come back full circle. It's given me peace about so many things. My life now. My disability. My insecurities. My voice. My strength. My power. My perseverance. 

Thanks for joining me on this bumpy month of Lupus and Mental Health Awareness. It's meant a lot that you've taken the moment to open that link on my socials and stop by here. It keeps me going and keeps me sane. I've always looked to writing to work through how I feel about...literally anything. I just love words. words. words. words. locutions. Ooooo, so fancy. 

So, now, we step into June. We are still fighting the same fights. People of color, LGBTQA+, immigrants, women ... basically anyone who isn't a WHITE MALE ... fighting the saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame old fights. This month, LUPUS AWARENESS CONTINUES! and it's PRIDE! So, you know what that means?

This month I would like to celebrate and show appreciation for a lot of essential workers who have stepped up during this uncertain time. Each week (on Mondays), I will be featuring a giveaway to a specific group of essential workers: Doctors/Nurses, Teachers, Nursing Assistants, Parents at home ^_^

Winners will be announced on my social media platforms (on my story and pages) on Friday of the same week. 

Tell them what they win, Joanne! 

You will receive small, humble gift packs with a variety of goodies that range from self-care, accessories, stickers, snacks, and more! Here are a few examples of WHAT YOU COULD WIN! 

    

(there will be packs for male-identifying and kids as well!)

RULES TO ENTER:

1. Follow me on my social media channels (@sol.lady_sayshii on Instagram and facebook.com/s0langegarc1a on, well, Facebook). Then...

2. 'Like' the giveaway post.

3. Tag an essential worker in the comments section of this post on my social media channels and share why you would like to nominate them. What makes them a warrior in your eyes? 

4. Make sure to use the hashtags #littlelivinglupie #LLLGiveaways and #Proud2BLupie on any shares, reshares, or posts. 

*extra entries if you share this post in your story*

THAT'S IT!

Each campaign will run weekly following the schedule below:

• Week One: Doctors giveaway week will run from June 1 - 4. The last time to submit a name and participate will be on June 4 at 8PM EST. A winner will then be announced on June 5 by 5PM EST. 

• Week Two: Nurses giveaway week will run from June 8 - 11. The last time to submit a name and participate will be on June 11 at 8PM EST. A winner will then be announced on June 12 by 5PM EST.
  
  
• Week Three: Teachers giveaway week will run from June 15 - 18. The last time to submit a name and participate will be on June 18 at 8PM EST. A winner will then be announced on June 19 by 5PM EST.

• Week Four: Parents giveaway week will run from June 22 - 25. The last time to submit a name and participate will be on June 25 at 8PM EST. A winner will then be announced on June 26 by 5PM EST. ***BONUS*** The winner of this giveaway will also receive a gift pack for their kid(s).***

Winners must redeem their prize within 24 hours of the post/announcement by DMing me on Instagram or Facebook. 

*Persons nominated must be 18+ and living in the contiguous United States of America or their territories: US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico only.*

**Instagram or Facebook contest or giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram or Facebook or Zuckerberg or any of those mofos.**

THIS MONTH OF GIVEAWAYS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. It's time to REFOCUS.

So, with all that said...the first giveaway starts TODAY! First up, DOCTORS. Nominate a doctor you know who is on the frontlines working to keep us safe during our current pandemic. What are you waiting for? Go go go go go go go go go go gooooooooooooooo ----> Instagram  Facebook

 

Til next time...keep telling your stories, Lupus Warriors. Happy first day of PRIDE!

Solange xx