Living The Dream

January 9, 2019January 10, 2019

A New Year and New Challenges

I survived the holidays! As fellow patients living with chronic, degenerative, rare diseases know all too well, there is no holiday from our daily myriad symptoms. The holidays can be ... Read more

December 19, 2018December 19, 2018

Christmas Wishes and a New Year to Celebrate

Columns, Living The Dream

The festive holiday season is here. To mark the occasion, check out my little “dream team” Christmas jumper video. As patients living with a chronic, debilitating, and rare autoimmune disease, we ... Read more

December 5, 2018December 19, 2018

‘Celebrating’ 20 Years of Being a Patient at the Scleroderma Unit

Columns, Living The Dream

This week, I am celebrating my 20th year since first dragging my “tin-man” body to the Scleroderma Unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The previous year, at the ... Read more

November 21, 2018November 19, 2018

A Look Back at My Scleroderma Treatments Over the Years

Columns, Living The Dream

At the start of December, I will be celebrating my 20th year since first dragging my “tin-man” body to the Scleroderma Unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The ... Read more

November 7, 2018November 6, 2018

Skin Cancer and Other Skin Complications for People with Scleroderma

Columns, Living The Dream

The skin is the largest organ in the body and is affected in most scleroderma patients. At the time of my diffuse scleroderma diagnosis in 1997, I had extremely tight ... Read more

October 24, 2018October 23, 2018

Looking Back on This Year’s Invisible Disabilities Week

Columns, Living The Dream

Invisible Disabilities Week took place from Oct. 14-20. The Invisible Disabilities Association explains how those with invisible disabilities can be misunderstood: “People often ask us to define invisible disability. To ... Read more

October 10, 2018October 8, 2018

October Is Raynaud’s Awareness Month

Columns, Living The Dream

October is Raynaud’s Awareness Month. It is also the month when the beautiful autumnal shades over here in the U.K. remind me that my winter “full-time hibernation” is looming. My ... Read more

September 26, 2018September 24, 2018

50 Shades of Blue

Columns, Living The Dream

Here in the U.K., autumn has arrived. The color changes of the natural landscape at this time of the year are stunningly beautiful. This annual display of nature showing off ... Read more

September 12, 2018September 10, 2018

I’ve Found My Own Scleroderma Tooth Fairy

Columns, Living The Dream

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer holidays have finished. However, as scleroderma patients, we know all too well that we do not have a holiday from this diagnosis. More ... Read more

August 29, 2018August 27, 2018

Gastroparesis Awareness Month: Tests

Columns, Living The Dream

August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month. In this column, I highlight some of the tests carried out to determine stomach damage levels and the overall productivity of the digestive system process. ... Read more