Diane Hansen
My name is Diane; I have travelled this enjoyable and sometimes bumpy road for 54 years. I live in the south western suburbs of Sydney, I have SLE. This is my story and the beginning of our journey together:
I describe my life with Lupus as an ever changing tide. Often kept secretative because everyday there was something else “hurting” and not wanting to be called a whinger. On the bright side of Lupus without Lupus (SLE) I would not have been able to achieve the things that dreams are only made of.
Whilst facing my own mortality has been the greatest gift I have ever received, it has put a “go slower” stance on my life. After getting over the initial diagnostic shock, which took some weeks I might add, I felt almost relieved there was a “name” for how I was feeling. Being a single mum with two teenagers made the journey even more adventurous for us. Coupled with the diagnosis of Lupus, I was told about an abnormal protein in my blood which has to be monitored regularly by blood tests and the occasional bone marrow aspiration (ouch!!!).
The nagging tiredness has been my bane, my crown of thorns, my sinking ship, and my reason to hide! But it hasn’t been a good enough excuse to just stop living. It has been the catalyst to achieving those “I’ll do it later on” goals a lot earlier than anticipated.
2008 was filled with a broken heart, illness including hospitalisation, a cancelled overseas holiday, and family health issues. I decided to set one of those “gunna do” goals. You know the goals that only dreams are made of. Setting goals no matter how small are still giant size achievements when Lupus has you by the throat. My family and friends were aghast when I delivered the news I was travelling around Australia. SOLO!!!! After 9 months of moving through my life hurdles, the planning of my trip gave me the “light” to keep pushing through my personal barriers. People’s comments were: “How are you going to do it”? My honest and true grit answer was, “one kilometer at a time”. And that’s exactly how I achieved the 27,000 kms circumferencing our beautiful Australia coast. I set the departure date for 13 March 09. My journey then begun with diversity, family/friends love and support, a 1993 Ford Fairmont called “The Mule” and a 1982 Jayco Finch wind up camper aptly named “Miss Australia” and my own personalized Bombsite Website www.dianehansen.net (The best ever gift Nikki and Chris xx).
Donned with Lupus stickers on my car and caravan prompted a lot of curiosity and questioning. My 8 ½ month trip enabled me to spread the “Lupus” word to the most remote parts of Australia and to raise some funds for Lupus Research while having fun and doing what I do best “talk, talk, talk”.
The tiredness engulfed me all the way around Oz and there were times on my trip where I would just disappear in my caravan for hours and days at a time. People would knock on my van door and ask was I alright prompting further discussions about Lupus.
Thank you Gail for sharing your ABC story. Along with the Lupus Qld website’s fellow survivor’s stories, I don’t feel so alone in Sydney anymore!!! You can follow my story on www.dianehansen.net
I have selected this photo as my fav because it depicts a huge goal that I thought I wouldn’t achieve. EVER!!!! “The glass is half full while the moon settles for the night over Broome”
