Columns

Taming the Fear That Scleroderma Brings

It’s two days before I have surgery as a scleroderma patient, and because I have endured one total knee replacement already, I unfortunately know what I am in for.  However, in the lead-up to the big day, I have had a visit from an…

An Open Letter to My Caregivers

Dear Caregivers, You are the glue that holds my life together, intricately filling in the cracks of emptiness. Your role in my life requires an alert sense of awareness, and I see myself in the reflection of your eyes, as you make my comfort your priority. This…

Scleroderma Awareness Month Kicks Off June 1, 2017

The first day of June marks the start of Scleroderma Awareness Month, and June 29 is World Scleroderma Day. Further to the theme of this year’s Rare Disease Day 2017 being “With Research, Possibilities Are Limitless,” I have made research the theme of my Scleroderma Awareness…

Scleroderma: The Soundtrack of My Life

Everyone on the face of this Earth has gone through something that temporarily halts their life, similar to a “pause” button on a CD player. It could be something aggravating such as breaking a limb, or something stressful such as moving to another state. In those moments,…

Committing to Scleroderma to Take Back My Power

I believe that there is a point when a scleroderma patient realizes that it is time to fully accept that they are unwell and commit to having the disease. Despite that this sounds like a one-way ticket to Depression City, it actually isn’t. The decision…

June is Scleroderma Awareness Month

June is Scleroderma Awareness Month, with June 29 being World Scleroderma Day. Sadly, as patients we all know too well that every day is “scleroderma day.” As such, I want to highlight the importance of maximizing Scleroderma Awareness Month, and provide some ideas for how you can get involved,…