(English) by First Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V-Z

By Language: French   German   Greek   Italian   Polish   Romanian   Russian   Spanish   Turkish

By Illness: Main List, Linear/Morphea, Systemic Scleroderma, By Symptoms

Monica O: Daughter of Mother with CREST

I am Argentinean. My mother, who is now seventy-six years old, was diagnosed with advanced CREST scleroderma, after thirty years of going through several doctors and suffering without knowing why.

She is now under treatment, but suffers with pulmonary hypertension, calcifications in her trachea, bronchi, and part of a lung. The fingers and toes of her right side present necrosis, and she is in terrible pain due to her legs being affected with calcinosis under the upper part of her foot.

I would like to know if there is something that can help ease the pain and, however slightly, improve her quality of life.

It is awful to see how she gets worse day by day. I feel powerless, because I do not know what to do. She asks God every day for patience.

Thank you for reading this.

To Contact the Author

ISN Artist: Sherrill Knaggs (In Loving Memory)

Sherrill Knaggs, ISN Artist, created the digital photo to illustrate the story on this page. Sherrill lived in New Zealand. Her story was featured in ISN's book, Voices of Scleroderma Volume 2.

ISN Translator and Editor: Alba León

Alba León is the ISN Translator for this page. She is studying international relations in Mexico City.

ISN Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin

Judith Thompson Devlin is the ISN Story Editor for this story. She is also lead editor of the ISN's wonderful Voices of Scleroderma book series!

Winn Schillberg
Reading Voices of Scleroderma Books: Diana Kramer.
Sharing Scleroderma Awareness Bracelets: Deb Martin, Brenda Miller, Vickie Risner.
Thanks to UNITED WAY donors of Central New Mexico and Snohomish County!

Patricia Ann Black: Marilyn Currier, Shelley Ensz, Richard Howitt, Gerald and Pat Ivanejko, Juno Beach Condo Association, Keith and Rosalyn Miller, and Elaine Wible.
Gayle Hedlin: Daniel and Joann Pepper and Nancy Smithberg.
Janet Paulmenn: Anonymous, Shelley Blaser, Susan Book, Dennis and Pat Clayton, Cindy Dorio, Shelley Ensz, Nancy Falkenhagen, Jo Frowde, Margaret Hollywood, Karen Khalaf and Family, Susan Kvarantan, Bradley Lawrence, Michele Maxson, John Moffett, Joan-Marie Permison, John Roberts, and Maryellen Ryan..

SCLERO.ORG is the world leader for trustworthy research, support, education and awareness for scleroderma and related illnesses, such as pulmonary hypertension. We are a service of the nonprofit International Scleroderma Network (ISN), which is a 501(c)(3) U.S.-based public charitable foundation, established in 2002. Meet Our Team, or Volunteer. Donations may also be mailed to:

International Scleroderma Network (ISN)
7455 France Ave So #266
Edina, MN 55435-4702 USA

Email [email protected] to request our Welcome email, or to report bad links or to update this page content.

TOLL FREE HOTLINE 800-564-7099
Free to U.S. and Canadian Callers. Ask for our Free Info Packet by mail or email!
Scleroderma, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, and related illnesses.
Privacy Policy.