WELCOME
Come along and follow me to the other side of some of the bridges I have crossed in my battle against Scleroderma. I embarked on this unexpected and unpredictable journey in the Spring of 1998. At the age of 40, with a 7 year old daughter, (who is now 13 and just happens to be the joy of my life), and a 20 year marriage already in the "check out" line, I realized that I was in the battle of my life...and for my life.
If you know much about Scleroderma, you know that there are several different forms of the disease, unfortunately, I have the Diffuse form, technically called "Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis". I have also been diagnosed with Raynaud's, Fibromyalgia, moderate Pulmonary Hypertension, GERD, Bursitis and Arthritis. You will hear more about these conditions in my "Bridge" segments.
Currently, other than the normal pain and the constant struggle to stay warm, my focal point is a problem with my blood pressure. To avoid potential terminal Kidney complications I must monitor my blood pressure very closely, and recently I had a "spike" that has caused much concern. My medications were adjusted and there hasn't been a recurrence, so hopefully when I return to my regular dosages things will go smoothly.
I hope that the information I am sharing with you on this website will be a source of inspiration and comfort to you, if you or someone close to you has Scleroderma. That is the reason for this website...to share and support! Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about anything on this site, or if you just need someone to talk to that truly understands what it is like to live with Scleroderma.
~ Kim
March 23, 2004