My birthday was July 22nd and I couldn’t be more grateful. I made it to the big 55. I’m grateful because I’m alive and considerably well and was home with my family instead of being in the hospital.

I have lupus and it has its ups and downs. Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system gets confused, attacking its own tissues. I have systemic lupus or SLE which means my internal and external organ systems are affected.

I didn’t do anything to celebrate but as mentioned, I’m grateful to be alive and stable. My mom cooked a delicious lunch of my favorite shrimp salad along with Italian sausage with grilled onions and tomato sauce with green peppers.

I’m not 100 percent as I would like to be because I’m currently suffering from peripheral neuropathy. I’m experiencing numbness and tingling in my hands and feet which is very irritating. I won’t complain because things could be much worse.

I’m looking forward to traveling in the fall although my mom thinks I’m not ready. I guess it’s because I’m an amputee. I suffered from gangrene almost two years ago and had my fingers on my left hand amputated as well as the toes on my right foot, due to a lupus flare.

I’ve always been an ambitious person who looked for the bright side of things. I’ve endured so many hospitalizations that my mom is naturally afraid. She has been my rock as she took care of my two sons who have autism on different spectrum levels.

I’m eager to see what being 55 brings. It’s definitely a milestone that many people either dread becoming or being excited. I’ll take the latter part for $200 Alex (Jeopardy!).