Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

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: 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,…

Chronically Ill, Partying and Hanging on to Normal

It’s 9:30 p.m. on a Saturday night and I’m attempting to draw a perfect wing liner on my top eyelid, with my left-hand – even though I was born right-handed. I don’t use my right hand as much because, due to tight arms, it doesn’t reach my face. So, I’ve…

The Beauty of Being Forced To Change

A new year can bring a hopeful new mindset. A New Year’s resolution is like a magical cure for the illness known as “old habits.” We convince ourselves to believe that a new year will help us get back on track, even though we had the option all year to…

What I Wish I Knew When I Was First Diagnosed

The beginning of any journey in life is the most crucial place to set the direction the path will take. Childhood is an important stage to teach manners, responsibility and respect. Even the beginning of a song can make someone change it or leave it. Diseases work the same way,…