PAULA DANIELS
Singer/Songwriter
For more than 10 years, Paula Daniels has battled Lupus disease -- not only her own, but also her daughter's. Now, Paula is coupling her musical talent with her strong will and determination to help find a cure. Join her fight today by downloading a copy of Paula's new song about her Lupus battle: Butterfly Warrior.
My Music - and Lupus - Connections
PAULA DANIELS
Music has been my passion my entire life! I wrote my first song with my guitar at the age of 14. There have been several times when I didn't play or sing over the years due to raising a family and having a career in the field of education.
Before being diagnosed with lupus and APS (a blood clotting disorder), music had come back into my life. I started playing guitar with friends and writing songs again. Then, in 2005 I had a major setback: a severe clotting episode where I almost lost my life. Seven years and several doctors later, I was diagnosed with S.L.E. (systemic lupus erythematosus), otherwise known as lupus. Within two years, one of my daughters (age 26) was also diagnosed with lupus. Music was put on the back burner as my health continued to decline. Inflammation of my joints made playing guitar difficult. While my rheumatologist informed me that the could only treat the pain, he said that if playing guitar made me happy, then I should take my pain med and play!
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Last year, while in the midst of another full-blown lupus flare, I gifted one of my favorite guitars to my son. I was in bed for over a month with this flare.... My son had been learning how to play and came in to visit and play a song for me. He did a great job, then I asked him if I could try his guitar for a minute.... I propped a pillow under my leg, did my best to make myself comfy and knew, if I had a will, there was always a way. I had been that way my entire life, so why not now? Then, my daughter surprised me and purchased a scaled-down version of the same guitar, which was much more comfortable to play and had the same dynamic sound. Though I enjoy playing, it is not something I can do regularly. However, I still write music and lyrics focusing on what I CAN do rather than on what I cannot do.
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The Butterfly Warrior (© 2017) took me well over a year to write. I wrote it to give courage to my daughter and all lupus patients. I also wanted it to be ready in May of this year for Lupus Awareness Month. I've never been able to sponsor or participate in a lupus walk but I wanted to contribute in some way to funding research for a cure. Therefore, all profits raised from The Butterfly Warrior will be donated to The Lupus Foundation of America. I plan to have the song available on several platforms and also an actual CD to be sold at various lupus events soon.
