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 summer months, Christchurch puts on many outdoor events, and Max and I decided it would…

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 into details about disease progression and prognosis. After all, each case of scleroderma…

Electric scooters have come to Christchurch! For the cost of a few dollars, you can ride around town on these zippy wee numbers to see the sights, get to where you’re going without walking, and best of all, have some fun. My husband…

Last weekend was our son’s graduation in Dunedin, a city in southern New Zealand that is home to Otago University. We were extremely proud to be there to watch him receive his degree in physical education. Traveling to Dunedin involved a five-hour car…

Here in New Zealand, the festive season is upon us. Your average Kiwi Christmas in the Down Under is vastly different from holiday celebrations in the Northern Hemisphere. Today’s temperature is 29 degrees Celsius and barbecues all around the country are being cleaned for Christmas Day.

I’m horrified to discover that I’ve been keeping a secret from myself, locked away in my subconscious. It has to do with my scleroderma and what I appear to have been secretly believing about it. I’m not sure why I haven’t stumbled across this…

Scleroderma is a pretty “random” disease. I think the word “random” sums it up nicely for me at the moment.  Currently, my symptoms are haphazard, ranging from heart palpitations and low oxygen levels one day to spending the next day in bed with…

At times, I can become really despondent when I see the changes that scleroderma has caused to my physical appearance. One of those times happened last weekend when I was trying to decide what to wear to a friend’s wedding. As usual, the normal kerfuffle occurred…

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,…

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…