Become Your Own Insurance Policy: 6 Ways To Ensure A Better Life With Lupus

Jennifer MacLean felt a rush of emotions when she learned she had lupus in April 2008, after at least 10 years of seeking a diagnosis.

“I was horrified,” recalls MacLean, 42, an operating nurse from Sparta, NJ. “I was shaking in my car. So many people had dropped the ball; I felt very angry.”

Once the anger and surprise passed, however, MacLean realized she had to take steps to continue leading her life. “I had to rally, and I had to work,” she says. Her first thought was on preserving her financial stability.

“I remember thinking I needed to get disability insurance because if I couldn’t work, I would be lost financially,” MacLean says. She applied for various policies, only to be denied at every turn.

“I was told they didn’t want my money. I had lupus, and no one wanted to insure me.” But instead of giving up, MacLean decided to be proactive about her situation.

“I knew I had to do whatever was necessary to stay as healthy as possible,” she says. “I needed to be my own insurance policy.”

Take these 6 steps to begin ensuring a better life while facing the challenges of lupus.