Yolanda

My name is Yolanda. I just turned 20 and have been in and out of remission for linear for ten years. My story starts like so many others. When I was ten years old, I went for a camping trip to a lake and noticed a small round spot on the inside of my right ankle that itched a lot. It reminded me of a mosquito bite. I thought nothing of it. My mom saw the now reddish brown spot after I returned from the trip and thought it was either ringworm or a tick bite and I had Lyme's disease.

We searched the greater Seattle, WA area for someone who knew what these now multiple spots were. We had no luck. About two years later after moving to eastern WA, a small town nurse practitioner had a good hunch what I had. She recommended a dermatologist who took a biopsy of what was now a very thick patch of scar tissue. The results were in within the week. I was diagnosed with scleroderma in 1993.

At that time, I had 3 patches of scar tissue. One was on my ankle, the others on the inside of my calf and lower thigh. I have been in and out of remission for the past 10 years. I am not in remission at this time either. Everyday it seems more and more that I find new patches of tanned skin connecting the scarred ones. I went back to Seattle and saw a rheumatologist who explained that I had a fairly aggressive bout and Raynaud's phenomenon. This explained why my hands, feet, nose, ears, and general self was always so cold. I still have problems with this and it too, has progressed fairly quickly.

Through my day to day life, I have to say that it has not affected me mentally or physically all that much. I graduated high school in 2000 with Honors, played three sports (volleyball, track, and one season of cheerleading), was in almost every club that my small high school offered (FFA, FBLA, Pep club, and band), plus was the class vice-president, in Equestrian (horse) 4-H, and was a princess on a rodeo court. What great fun I had! I moved from my 'home town' back to the Seattle area for college. I attend Highline Community College and threw the javelin last year in track.

With all the sports and activities I do, the first question I get asked is if I the scleroderma hurts. Sometimes it does. The plaque on my calf is quite large and deep. Scar tissue doesn't stretch all that well so I have to be careful that I dont' rip or crack anything. Another thing that I find odd about the patches, is that they itch when I work out. Lotion of any kind helps. I have a great job working for a laboratory in Kent, WA in the Cytology department. The one person that has kept me going through all of this (especially the times when I thought I was a freak) is my high school sweetheart, now fiance'. He accepts me the way I am and I in turn, accept what I cannot change. I also have my friends and my mom who have helped me so much. My mother is my inspiration, even though she in no longer with us (Car accident 1999).

I thank you for taking the time to read my story. Feel free to e-mail anytime. Yolanda

londamarie@hotmail.com