Still Blessed

Hi, my name is Sharon. If you would asked me 2 years ago to describe myself, I would have told you that I'm blessed. I'm blessed because I'm a woman of faith, a wife, a mother, and I am a nurse. I love my life. Now I am a person with Limited Scleroderma.

I am 37 years old now. I first noticed something wasn't right when my hands, lower legs, feet and toes started swelling and hurting. I was extremely tired no matter how much sleep I got, and my husband said while I was sleeping I made this raspy gurgling sound. He had made the comment it sounded like it was coming from my throat and chest. I went to a Nurse Practioner (my DR. Had retired) and she said, "Well, I guess at your old age you are just falling apart." She never examined my hands legs or feet but told me because I was a nurse and on my feet a lot that is causing the swelling and I need support hose and that was it. She made me feel like it was all "in my head."

Over that year any new symptoms I had or any pain I just told myself it was all in my head until OCT 27,2015 when my stomach started hurting so bad along with difficulty eating landed me in the hospital. I went to a specialist in a bigger city and he was amazing. He did a series of test and told me I had limited scleroderma with G.I and lung envolment. It has been life changing for me.

Instead of taking care of people, I now have to be taking care of. I still work but some days are so bad. My nursing friends had never heard of it but are reaserching it so they can try and help me. My husband and 2 boys are trying to pick up the slack at home and my special needs brother (who lives with us) keeps asking if I want my pillow to lay on the sofa or do I need something to drink. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends that are so supportive. So I am still a woman of faith, a wife, a mother, a nurse, and a person LIVING with limited scleroderma and that's because of God, my wonderful amazing family and friends. I'm still blessed.

I said at the start if this, I AM a woman of faith, a wife, a mother, and a nurse.

 

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