Sandy

My name is Sandy. I have recently been diagnosed with Morphea.

The Doctor told me that it was ok and it would get better with treatment, either shots or ointment (which is slower). It originally started about 1 1/2 yrs ago with a bad rashy area on my stomach. The Family doctor I was going to gave me some cream to make the "rash" go away, but it never really did, it just eased up the irritation of it. About a year ago I noticed a bruised area on my upper arm. I was going to the doctor about every 2 months and mentioned it each time, but was told that it was unusual that a bruise would last that long, but not unheard of. As the weather started warming up and I started wearing short sleeves, friends of mine became concerned that my husband might be abusing me. (I've got a really sweet and understanding husband who wouldn't hurt me for the world.) I decided that bruise or no bruise I needed to know what it was and went to a dermatologist in May. He took one look at it and said "Morphea," but "let's do a biopsy" to make sure it is only surface and not inner organ also. Tests came back. Morphea.

As I started to look on the internet I found out a lot about it, also that it is a form of Scleroderma, which the doctor didn't tell me. I saw him last week and insisted on tests to verify that it was not more serious. So far the tests say negative on anything more serious, like full blown Scleroderma. The spot on my arm is still there, just white where he's given me some shots, the "rash" on my stomach goes from one hip to the other, and I've noticed 3 spots come up on my chest since I've started the treatment. (Just to make it clear, he never said he could stop it from occuring, just treat it once it had.) One of the spots on my chest is kind of interesting. It actually started with a cat scratch (actually puncture would be more accurate). I've had cats off and on all my life and never had a reaction of any kind to them. About 5 months ago, while holding my cat, Mazda, he got scared and dug his claws into me before jumping down and running away (it must have been a passing car that scared him). The hole he made healed ok, but it remained red. I thought it was kind of weird, and while I was at the Dermatologists for my second set of shots I asked him to look at it. He confirmed that it was also Morphea, just in the early stages, not really shiny or discolored other than the redness. What I thought was I'm not going to give up my cat if he caused this, but then I realized I'd had it before my cat ever came to us.

My husband tries to hide it but I can tell he is worried. He wants to go in with me on my next visit so he might hear the doctor say it's nothing to worry about. Think of what the doctor will think of a 30 yr. old woman who has to have her husband with her in the examining room! (I haven't had to be chaperoned since was 13.) I try not to go too indepth with most people, they just don't understand about it. When I first got the shots my arm turned black and blue for a solid month, and even people I didn't know would ask me what was wrong. Trying to explain to your parents that the doctor knows what it is but can't stop it is the worst sort of nightmare right now. They really do care for you and hate to see you with anything wrong, even if it doesn't really hurt at this point.

My husband and I have spent most of our adult life getting him through college. Now that he has his engineering degree we were supposed to get some time for ourselves. We were both actually in college, but I dropped out about 3 classes before my associates toward accounting, to help pay for his. Now I'm not sure about going back, or staying home to raise children (I'll do one or the other, but not both - my decision.) Currently we both work within 15 minutes from work in small informal
office settings, him with engineers and me as an administrative assistant. I had Pati, my Shepard/Lab mix when we met. My husband decided after about 5 yrs. to get a dog of his own, Blitzen - a Husky/Malamute mix. Though I still love my Pati, Blitzen is so sweet you can't resist him. Living in the South, it's not exactly the right weather for a thick haired breed like Blitzen, so both the dogs have become "house pets".
Though neither of our dogs are purebred, we both like going to dog shows, which we can usually go to 4-5 towns within a 3 hr. drive from home, the hard part is finding a sitter for the animals, or getting back by feeding time!

If anyone would like to share their experiences, health and life stories
with me or just listen to crazy dog stories, feel free to send me an
e-mail.

My e-mail is ksmartin@mindspring.com