Toni Braxton says that she was instructed to hide that she had lupus, the autoimmune disorder she was first diagnosed with in 2008.
“I was told to hide that I had lupus. Like, ’Don’t tell anyone,’ " the singer, 56, shared during an appearance on the April 16 episode of SHE MD podcast.
“Who told you that?” co-host Dr. Thais Aliabadi — or "Dr. A" — asked.
“Management,” Braxton said, explaining that she was told “people get scared around sick celebrities. Nobody gets insured, and I couldn’t get insured.”
Rheumatologist Dr. Daniel Jeffrey Wallace, who diagnosed Braxton with lupus, was also on the podcast and chimed in, “I was president of the Lupus Foundation of America and our problem was we had all these celebrities with lupus but none of them would come out.”
“You would not get work,” Braxon said. “I didn't get work at first. No one wanted to put me on the stage. ‘Well, suppose she collapses on stage? And insurance? How are we going to do that?’ "
The “Un-Break My Heart” singer also looked back on her road to getting a diagnosis, sharing that she felt like a “hypochondriac” before she was confirmed to have the disease, which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs.
Part of the problem, she says, is that “lupus doesn't have a look to it.”
Some people with lupus develop a facial rash “that resembles the wings of a butterfly unfolding across both cheeks,” according to the Mayo Clinic but it does not occur in all cases of lupus.
The rash is the “one physical symptom to lupus,” and as the Mayo Clinic notes, lupus can be “difficult to diagnose” because symptoms like fever, fatigue, joint pain, and swelling often “mimic those of other ailments.”
As Wallace said, “It takes an average of three and a half years for somebody with non-organ threatening lupus to get diagnosed and an average of four different doctors.”
Braxton shared that she visited “at least” six doctors before getting her diagnosis, which she didn’t receive until she collapsed during a performance in Las Vegas.
“I was telling people I don't feel well,” she said.
“We always try to fake that we're feeling great or we don't want to worry anyone,” Braxton, who shares sons Denim, 22, and Diezel, 21, with ex Keri Lewis, said. “As mothers and women we tend to do anyway.”
It’s why it’s “important that I pioneer and be an advocate, and tell other people about it and talk about my story, and hopefully you can help someone," said Braxton, who is returning to TV with her family on the upcoming WeTV show The Braxtons.
She added that she wants to tell other women with lupus, “There's nothing to be ashamed of, nothing.”
The Quran - Chapter Az-Zukhruf : 57 - 59
When the son of Mary was cited as an example ˹in argument˺, your people ˹O Prophet˺ broke into ˹joyful˺ applause.
They exclaimed, “Which is better: our gods or Jesus?” They cite him only to argue. In fact, they are a people prone to dispute.
He was only a servant We showed favour to, and made as an example for the Children of Israel.
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ (And when the example of the son of Maryam was cited, your people started at once shouting at it [ in joy ]...43:57). Exegetes have narrated three events as background of the revelation of these verses. One is that once the Holy Prophet ﷺ had addressed the tribe of Quraish and said, "0 people of Quraish! there is no good in whatever is worshipped beside Allah." The polytheists responded by saying, "The Christians worship Sayyidna ` Isa ﷺ ، although you yourself say that he was a virtuous slave of Allah, and His prophet." These verses were then revealed in reply to this objection (Qurtubi).
The second narration is that the objection of the infidels related to the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ
"Surely, you and whatever you worship other than Allah are the fuel of Jahannam." (21:98)
When this verse was revealed, 'Abdullah Ibn-uz-ziba'ra claimed that he had the proper answer to this verse which was that the Christians worship Sayyidna Masih (Isa علیہ السلام) and Jews worship Sayyidna ` Uzair (علیہ السلام) ، so will they both become fuel of Hell? Upon hearing this, the polytheists of Quraish became very joyful, and Allah then revealed the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُم مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ ﴿101﴾
"Surely, those for whom the good (news) from Us has come earlier shall be kept away from it." (21:101)
The above verses of Surah Zukhruf was also revealed in this context. (Ibn Kathir, etc.,)
The third narration is that once the pagans of Makkah expressed the absurd thought that the Holy Prophet ﷺ wanted to claim godhead for himself, so that he might be worshipped like Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is worshipped by the Christians; these verses were revealed in that context.
In reality, there is no conflict between these three narrations. The infidels will have said all the three things, and in reply Allah Ta` ala revealed these verses in such a comprehensive manner that took care of all the three objections. The answer to the last objection is quite clear in these verses as to those who started worshipping Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) did not do so in obedience to any Divine command, nor had Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ever desired it for himself, nor does the Qur'an support it. Their misconception was based on the miraculous birth of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) without a father which was, according to them, a sign of his being god or a son of God. The Holy Qur'an has refuted this misconceived argument. How is it then possible that the Holy Prophet ﷺ will claim Godhead in imitation of the Christians?
The gist of the objection mentioned in the first and second narrations is essentially the same. The statement in the Qur'an that all those who are worshipped except Allah will become fuel for Hell or the statement of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that there is no good in whatever is worshipped except Allah, refer to the lifeless objects of worship, such as idols or those living beings who directed their followers towards their own worship, or who liked to be worshipped, such as shaitans, Fir'aun, Namrud, etc.. So Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is obviously not included in this category, since at no stage did he like to be worshipped. Christians do not worship him because of any direction having being given by Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، rather they were misled and started worshipping him by deducing the wrong conclusion from his birth without a father which was a sample of Allah's power to show to the people that Allah does not need even any apparent cause or means to create something. This worship of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) by Christians was not only irrational, but also against his own teachings, because he had always preached 'tauhid' (Oneness of Allah); his own disgust against being worshipped simply does not allow his inclusion in the ranks of false gods.
