Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl — Kim Tocker

It has been a long few weeks of dealing with recurrent benign paroxysmal positional vertigo while trying to maintain some sense of routine in between my need for sleep. While confined to bed, I’ve…

It’s been an eventful couple of weeks.   I am currently dealing with several crises at the same time, all of which include seriously unwell significant others. My mother has been making an excellent recovery,…

In my last column, I promised to share my experience with a new cardiologist, as well as his ideas about the likely cause of my heart issues. I had been trying to find out…

Last week began like any other. I usually play catch-up on Monday, my favorite day of the week. It gives me a chance to recover from the weekend, which generally involves seeing people outside of our home,…

I complete many jigsaw puzzles as I rest in my recliner. I find puzzles to be an excellent way to pass the time and keep my mind occupied. I do my jigsaw puzzles online, and I enjoy…

I like to read online about how other patients experience systemic scleroderma, especially when I encounter unusual symptoms that don’t seem to have any relevance to the disease. So far, I have amassed a small collection…

This morning I went for a walk. I’m trying to introduce this daily activity into my self-care program in an attempt to claw back some semblance of a “normal” life. Well, at least that’s…

I’ve had a rough run lately. Three separate kidney infections, medications to treat them, and additional medicines to deal with the side effects of the first lot have left me with little energy for anything. The addition…

The last two weeks have been extremely challenging. Living the scleroderma lifestyle means I never know what is around the next corner. Waking up brings a daily surprise, sometimes good, and other times not so pleasant. I…

I have been feeling strangely unsettled as of late. My unease is not due to the current state of the world or a nasty flare-up. It is scarier than those things and associated with the next procedure…

I always look forward to events that occur each year, particularly those involving special traditions. This Easter was no exception, and as usual, I made my “hot peace buns.” I attempt to make these every Good Friday,…