Karen

Hi my name is Karen. I am 49 yrs old was told that I had scleroderma in 1998. I live in North Carolina. I have two childern ,one girl and a boy, 32yrs and 22yrs, and three grandchildren. I remarried three years ago to a wonderful man, have two stepdaughters 16 and 14. The 14 yr old lives with us since March on 2001.

I love crafts use to work with my hands a lot. I love to do creative memories, making picture albums for my kids. My health- I have problems using my hands a lot, can't grip things. I have fibromyalgia, acid reflux, bad throat problems from this. I just found a good dr. that seems to care and has other people that he treats with SD. Never had any kind of treatments. I take meds. for acid reflux, thyroid, nerves, some pain meds when needed for muscle spas ms. My face bothers me a lot. I had to quit my job - I went through a time that I could hardly dress myself, but thanks to God that has gotten much better. Still have to watch what I try to pick up - my hands give away sometimes.

I get very tired easy have to pace my self for things that I want to do . But the days that I feel good I always over do it. I guess the biggest adjustment for me was not being able to do all the things that I used to take for granted. Little things, like cleaning my house from top to bottom in just a few hours now takes me all day or longer.

It took them a long time to find out just what was wrong a lot of blood test and ex-rays. No family problems - they were great and great support. After I found out I was not married at the time, but my boyfriend told me that he loved me for who I was not how healthy I was. He asked me to marry him a few months later. He worries a lot now, sometimes too much.

Hope that this may help someone who reads it. Love to hear from other SDers anytime. I'll try to answer anyone who e-mails me.

Karen - k1031g@msn.com