Through Teal Colored Glasses – a Column by Jessica Massengale

A portion of the human race embodies a longing in its heart to help the disadvantaged. One often can find them donating to charities, volunteering, or lending a hand ... Read more

August 3, 2017August 2, 2017

3 Moments When Scleroderma Broke Me

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

As I’ve adapted to a life of chronic illness, key moments have broken my soul. These moments have refocused my view about life by pushing me past the definition of ... Read more

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

Why Are Scleroderma Patients so Stubborn?

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

A kaleidoscope of thoughts pass through our minds every second of the day. The unpredictable nature of a disease can change the way we think, rewiring our emotions and ... Read more

July 13, 2017July 13, 2017

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Coping Through Social Media

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

Facebook recently announced it has reached 2 billion monthly users worldwide. This means that a quarter of the world is using Facebook. Social media has become one of the main platforms ... Read more

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017

What It Feels Like to Look Rare

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

According to the Census Bureau, about 30 million people in the United States walk with a cane, crutch, or wheelchair. What do you do when you see someone with ... Read more

June 8, 2017June 8, 2017

The Drawbacks of Staying Still with Scleroderma

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

What does the phrase “fighting for my life” mean? Often when someone is going through a struggle, one will hear them say, “I’m fighting for a chance to survive.” ... Read more

June 1, 2017June 1, 2017

An Open Letter to My Caregivers

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

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, ... Read more

May 25, 2017May 25, 2017

Scleroderma: The Soundtrack of My Life

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

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 ... Read more

May 11, 2017May 10, 2017

Chronically Ill, Partying and Hanging on to Normal

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

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 ... Read more

May 4, 2017May 4, 2017

The Beauty of Being Forced To Change

Columns, Through Teal Colored Glasses - a Column by Jessica Massengale

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 ... Read more