• Stands for Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease
• An autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organ systems
• Diagnosed when patient exhibits some symptoms and clinical signs (e.g. antibody tests) of systemic connective tissue disease, but lacks or has ambivalent signs for more specific entities such as SLE, Sjogren's, etc.

In my own experience

• First diagnosed in an episode of whole body vasculitis a few years ago
  • Treated with steroids, which have risks of their own. (I caught a mild pneumonia afterwards. Best to use PPE's when you do feel you're sick.)
• No significant flareups ever since, though from time to time I experience hair fall, dry eyes and joint and muscle pain
• Needs multiple organ system monitoring
  • Liver (metabolizes maintenance meds, so self-explanatory)
  • Kidneys (because CKD is scary as hell)
  • Eyes (in my case, I need to watch for the side effects of the meds I took)
  • Take note of any other symptoms, and if anything seems alarming, consult your physician.
• Day to day actions include SPF use, sun avoidance, getting adequate rest and sleep, adequate hydration and regular checkups. Avoid smoking, watch what I eat, stay active take alcohol in moderation (or abstain from it altogether), wearing face masks when sick, etc.
• At the moment it's not something that burdens me significantly; I just need to remember that I can't afford to be as reckless with my health as I was before.
  • Injuries take a bit longer to heal, so it's best to prevent them in the first place by warming up, stretching and wearing protective gear.
  • Mental health, self-esteem (will add to this later)