Sara Gorman had a challenging, successful career in television and a brand-new husband when systemic lupus erythematosus struck.

An incredibly positive outlook has framed Sara’s journey through lupus. Diagnosed at age 26, she sought early on to keep her career and social life on track.

Over the course of about 4 years, Sara learned that her television career was too demanding to sustain while coping with a physically and emotionally draining disease, so she stepped away. Instead, she chose to focus on herself, her family, and her condition, and developed tools, skills, and abilities to keep her life and family on track.

She maintains an entrepreneurial spirit. Sara is the author of a popular book, “Despite Lupus: How to Live Well with a Chronic Illness” and a blog by the same name. Her writing aims to encourage and inform patients with lupus as well as their physicians and their family caregivers.

Sara notes that knowing her limitations and gaining the confidence to speak up regarding her needs has allowed her to maintain a forthright dialog with her physician as well as avoid the kind of overexertion that can bring on a lupus flare.

In a video interview, Sara discusses the skills she needed to develop to cope with lupus: honesty with herself, her family, and her physicians; patience; self-confidence; self-awareness, and the ability to set boundaries for herself and others.

Ian Lacy is a reporter with MDedge News
Nick Piegari is a multimedia producer with MDedge News