Columns

Systemic scleroderma has taught me many things; some useful and interesting, and others relating to the more difficult side of life. When the disease hit me, it was like a tornado wiped out every energy store I had, leaving me empty and depleted. Because of this,…

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 skin across my chest, arms, hands, face, legs — all over my body. My…

Over the past week, I have been an angry little person. I contracted my husband’s head cold, and my immune system hasn’t coped well at all. Three weeks later, I remain exhausted. I’ve also had clinic appointments for my adrenal insufficiency, and doctors have concluded…

Life certainly is complicated, isn’t it? Over countless cups of tea with friends, I get to hear all about tricky mega-deals tangling big corporations, complex staffing issues, and legal wrangles with contracts. My friends have full and intricate working days and deal with perplexing problems at the…

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 define invisible disability in simple terms is a physical, mental or neurological condition that…

Since childhood, I have had a wonderful reoccurring dream in which I fly around a town on a magic carpet. The carpet arrives and hovers around knee height, waiting for me to climb aboard. I get on, lie on my stomach, and hold the edges while…

I want to write about a strange little topic today that some may find uncomfortable to read. I am sure it is a theme that those without a serious disease also can identify with, but I think that being chronically unwell can magnify the entire matter.

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 50 shades of blue “party trick,” where my hands and feet change color…

I notice that something happens whenever I feel unwell and overwhelmed by my disease and the life challenges it brings. During these times, I get the overwhelming urge to run away. There is a particular place to which I escape. Spending some time there…

My filtering system is wonky.  Kidney issues are likely the first things that come to mind when discussing faulty filter systems in a scleroderma column. Fortunately, I have escaped those nasty complications. My psychological filter is faulty. I feel as if this…