Kim Tocker,  —

I’m 49 and live in Christchurch, New Zealand. I was diagnosed with Limited Systemic Scleroderma in 2013, and the disease has slowly progressed over the past three years. Prior to my diagnosis, I worked as a Counsellor/Therapist in private practice, however I was forced to close my practice in 2014 because the fatigue associated with the disease had become profound. Well before I studied, trained and worked as a Counsellor many years ago (at least 20) I was employed as a Dental Assistant. It is my belief that whilst working in this capacity I handled a number of chemicals that are now considered dangerous and this exposure may have been the trigger for my disease, together with an already existing genetic component. These days, my full time job is to work hard at my self-care and manage my symptoms as best I can. Part of this management is to reflect on and write about my experiences about living with Scleroderma in ordinary day to day life. This helps me a great deal, and I hope it helps my readers, both those who also suffer with Scleroderma, and to help raise awareness in those who do not. I enjoy adding a little humour to my writing, because honestly, I feel it’s important we all have a wee laugh from time to time. However, my writing usually includes a serious reflection of some sort. On a personal note, I am the wife of one, and the Mother of three boys. My husband Max is my main caregiver, and I am very fortunate to have such a loving and giving spouse. My children are aged 21, 19 and 13, and our two oldest boys live in different parts of New Zealand to study and work. Our youngest will be starting High School in 2017. We live with a menagerie of animals, including two dogs and four cats.

Articles by Kim Tocker

Scleroderma’s Telangiectasia Taking Over My Face

I had been thinking the camera on my phone is faulty.  It seems to have been mistakenly set to “red spotty chipmunk face” mode for the past year or so, and I just couldn’t seem to change the setting.  Every selfie I took produced the same result!  My…

The Reality of Profound Scleroderma Fatigue

My rheumatologist refers to my fatigue as being “profound.” Most days I can’t think of a better word to describe it. Let me share a typical day with you. I’m sure chronically ill people who struggle with fatigue can identify  with some of these things. (First, a disclaimer: The following…

Parenting and Scleroderma: How Does That Work?

“If you didn’t have scleroderma then you’d be a normal Mum, aye?” Our youngest was making a comment about how he loves going for bike rides with his Dad, and wished I could come, too. In the same conversation, he talked about missing me at the latest school sports afternoon,…

Scleroderma Has Been Affecting My Self-Esteem!

Yes, scleroderma certainly has affected my self-esteem in many ways. But help is at hand! This weekend there was a big sale at our local “everything” store. You know those stores, the ones that have all manner of household items, from computers to washing machines.  We went to buy a new bed…

My Scleroderma ‘Life Hacks’

              This week my husband Max surprised me with a day trip to Akaroa — he must have read my last column! Outings such as this can be big undertakings for the chronically unwell.  As I began to plan what was needed…

My Scleroderma ‘Patient Persona’ – Unmasked Again!

Social media is an intriguing thing, isn’t it? It can be wonderful to have sites such as Scleroderma News at our fingertips, and I do believe the internet is a platform that can provide encouragement, the latest information, and a sense of community. However, one pitfall of social media that…

An Ordinary Girl with an Extraordinary Disease

Hello, and welcome to my ordinary girl column. This is my very first piece of writing, so it makes sense to introduce myself and “set the scene” for what I hope will be a useful and helpful read for those interested. First, it’s been three years since I was diagnosed…