Columns

April 9, 2019April 5, 2019

Times of Stress Demand that I Create Space to Heal

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

These last few weeks have been some of the worst I can remember. Not only have I been trying to process the terror attack in my hometown, but also ... Read more

April 2, 2019March 29, 2019

Surviving Scleroderma Amid Chaos in My Hometown

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

Two weeks ago my world was rocked by the mass terrorist shooting in two of our central city mosques here in Christchurch. In February I wrote a column about finding ... Read more

March 12, 2019March 11, 2019

Exercising with Scleroderma My Way

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

The medical police, aka my cardiologist team, have advised me to do no more than very gentle walks. I am not permitted to do anything more intense because we are ... Read more

February 26, 2019February 22, 2019

Staying One Step Ahead of Scleroderma

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

Sometimes when I’m sitting in my recliner thinking about the meaning of life, I find myself fantasizing about how my funeral will go. In my mind’s eye, it’s going ... Read more

February 19, 2019February 18, 2019

My Trauma-related Scleroderma Puzzle: How Does It Fit Together?

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

Burnout is often used to describe what can happen to those living with constant stress, resulting in complete physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion. A person can become chronically anxious, ... Read more

February 12, 2019February 8, 2019

Welcoming Kindness Creates Space for Healing

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

I had to travel to another part of the country last week. The outing was unplanned, but I’m never one to turn down a road trip if the opportunity ... Read more

February 5, 2019February 1, 2019

I’m Bursting the Scleroderma Boredom Bubble

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

The chronically unwell face plenty of daily challenges, some big and some small. But my latest battle was brought to my attention by binge-watching a TV series. I am ... Read more

January 29, 2019January 28, 2019

Celebrating the Bravery of All Scleroderma Warriors

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

It’s the middle of summer here in New Zealand. Today the temperature reached 91 degrees Fahrenheit — we Kiwis consider that pretty hot for Down Under. During the ... Read more

January 22, 2019January 18, 2019

Seeking a Second Opinion About My Systemic Scleroderma

Columns, Scleroderma and the Ordinary Girl

I’m going to fess up: sometimes I Google my symptoms. I know it’s not a sensible thing to do, especially when I come across a website that goes ... Read more

January 9, 2019January 10, 2019

A New Year and New Challenges

Columns, Living The Dream

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 ... Read more

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