Kelly’s Lupus Journey: From Diagnosis to Hope

At Wellness by Emmely, I love creating space for real stories — the kind that remind us we’re not alone in navigating life with chronic illness. Today, I’m honoured to share Kelly’s journey. Through her brand, Purple Reign, she’s bringing a fresh, relatable voice to the Lupus community. Her story of resilience, honesty, and hope beautifully captures what it means to rebuild life after a diagnosis, and I know her words will resonate with many of you.

Three years after my Lupus diagnosis, I finally feel ready to speak. Not because I have all the answers but because I want to be a helpful friend to women with Lupus. A friend that truly gets it and understands how lonely it can feel when no one else does.

Our Dream Was Becoming Reality

In 2020, when I received the call that the mortgage for the farm had been approved, it was one of the best moments of my life. Against all odds we had done it! My husband and I are both self employed ex-pats and we had applied for a mortgage during covid times, on paper we didn't stand a chance but in person and armed with my translated business plan, I somehow won the bank manager over and life was about to change forever! We weren't going to resurrect the farm, we were going to transform it! The plan was to create the best equestrian structure possible, for ourselves as avid equestrians but ultimately as a private livery yard business for myself and then for our daughters if that was the path they chose.The potential was huge, as was the project. It required all hands on deck. But also against all odds, in 2021 and at just 41, I got sick.

Weird Symptoms Appearing

Strangely enough it all started in my ankles! I found my ankles turned over very easily, not a full blown twist, just a wobble as soon as I was on uneven ground. It was strange because as a hobby triathlete, I often ran trail runs as this type of training is known for strengthening the ankles. I even tried working in my expensive trail trainers as it got more and more annoying. Inevitably this started to affect my knees and already my morale. Next came my elbows. I vividly remember taking a lump hammer to smash down an interior wall and firstly thinking how heavy the hammer felt and secondly feeling a searing pain as the hammer made contact with the wall. What was happening? I'm a strong and capable lady!

In the background, I was gaining weight. I can see this now looking back on videos. I knew I had lost my mojo for triathlons, mostly due to not being able to run or bike due to pain but I did continue to swim and just thought this wasn't enough to keep my weight down. I started to become so tired. Most of my life I'd been allergic to suncream, so the lumps, bumps and spots that came with summer I just accepted but this new intolerance to the heat was unreal. I would go for a rest after lunch and just fall instantly asleep. The girls would say to me you were asleep in seconds! And snoring really loudly! I would take offense and explain that I was exhausted from the farm renovations, get up and plod on but in truth I was so tired I could have fallen asleep standing up and cried from tiredness on regular occasions. Enough was enough, I thought I must have something wrong with me and I suspected rheumatoid arthritis. I googled the symptoms and wrote my own list of ailments. I was off to the doctor and I had to be sure she took me seriously, I was desperate!

An Array of Symptoms

My symptoms included skin problems (I had already been on antibiotics for my skin and been referred to a dermatologist but hadn't been seen yet), thin hair (I had already been tested for hormone levels and thyroid but nothing was abnormal) tiredness (I had already had some bloods taken and they even tested me for feline flu!) digestive problems (earlier that year I'd had my gall bladder removed in an emergency so everyone thought it was that my diet needed adjusting) weight gain (again they thought it was linked to gallbladder) muscle weakness (by this point I had no grip whatsoever), joint pain (knees and elbows), a lump on my right knee (suspected arthritis), I remember saying that even the bottoms of my feet hurt (previously treated for Plantar Fasciitis as they thought I had that due to running!). Everything had a possible explanation but when put together in a list the doctor couldn't ignore it and she didn't disagree with me although she explicitly said she didn't think I had RA. She gave me a prescription for blood tests and a prescription for a liver scan.

The French Heathcare System

So in France you have a blood test and you receive your results by email the same day. You get your results, your previous results and if anything is off they kindly highlight this in bold so that you can google everything and self diagnose. Obviously the last part is meant to be a joke but in all honesty that's what we do! This time my results didn't come back the same day, or the next day. They took a week and because this was so unusual, I rang the lab to check they hadn't been lost! Anyway when they came through there were 9 pages and several bolds which I instantly started googling! I needn't have bothered because on page 7 there was a sentence that translated to I had tested positive for the Lupus markers. And so my own google searches turned to Lupus.

It all Became Clear

That night, I looked in the en-suite mirror and I saw it. A mild butterfly rash. Maybe I wasn't allergic to suncream after all. I was allergic to the sun!

I started Plaquenil straight away and soon had an appointment with my specialist. He arranged a full day of tests for me and by the end of this day the diagnosis was official. I had a mixed connective tissue disease, favouring lupus but with more tests to come. And at that moment the penny dropped - I did have Lupus. I was sick and, most importantly by this point, I wasn't going crazy. The doctor prescribed me Methotrexate along with the Plaquenil. At least with a diagnosis and treatment I will feel better, or at least I thought would.

At this point I had no idea what was to come and it hasn't been easy at all. In fact specialists still aren't sure what my Lupus mix really is and I actually have regular exploratory tests still and it still isn't easy with new symptoms appearing from time to time. For me the hardest things are the tiredness, the loss of confidence that comes with being in pain and losing flexibility, giving up triathlon and horse riding because of this, thin hair and the overall lack of understanding from the people that surround me. It's not their fault, luckily for them they have no idea how it feels to tackle chronic illness and pain daily!

Coping with Lupus-the Finding Strength to Move on

I'm trying hard to move forward, regain control of my life and create a new normal but its definitely a process. Like grieving for my old life and continuously searching for a new one.

This last year I've seen a definite change, on my Lupus Journey. I feel like I've moved into the next stages of the grieving process and I'm leaving the Lupus low behind. I've implemented techniques to live a full and balanced life and I'm continuing to help myself by supporting others and raising Lupus Awareness.

I am in the early stages of launching Purple Reign. Through my Purple Reign membership, I’m bringing a fresh, relatable voice to the Lupus community, helping members build strength and confidence as they adapt to life with the condition. With honest stories, a sprinkle of fun and practical support, I want to show that it’s possible to live fully, not fight endlessly.

Creating Lupus Awarenss and Commuity

As an expat living in France, I know how isolating and overwhelming it can feel to navigate health challenges away from home. That experience has deepened my commitment to helping others find strength, connection and confidence, no matter where they are in the world.

And also because I decided I needed a Lupus buddy...

Kelly’s story is such a beautiful reminder that healing isn’t about going back to who we were — it’s about learning to live fully with who we are now. Sharing our experiences helps us all feel a little less alone as we find new ways to live well with chronic illness.