Comfortable in My Thick Skin

My 15 Minutes of Scleroderma Fame

What in the world is going on with my phone? I held up my cell phone to show my fellow clueless Generation X friend the loud alerts that were beeping through cyber space. Um, I’m not really sure what’s happening, but I think my story just went viral.

What Scleroderma Has Taught My Kids

“Mommy, come sit next to me on the floor and help me do this puzzle,” my 2-year old son demanded. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but mommy can’t sit on the floor next to you. Let’s put the puzzle on the table. We can sit at the table and do…

A Stranger’s Comment Can Reduce Me to Mush

Having lived with scleroderma since I was 10 years old, I’ve grown accustomed to being asked intrusive questions about my appearance by random strangers. I’ve developed a pretty thick skin (pun intended) over the years, but there are still four seemingly innocuous words that continue to hurl me into a…

Fake Warts, New Pajamas, and Four Words that Changed My Life

Editor’s Note: In Lisa Goodman-Helfand’s debut article for her column “Comfortable in My Thick Skin,” she tells her own scleroderma diagnosis story. Her experience with the disease began at age 10, when little was understood about scleroderma. Read about the start of her journey here. We’ve all experienced pivotal moments that are forever…