I survived years of being laughed at and called names because I am different
by Amy Gietzen | August 31, 2022 I was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2001. Finding out I was sick changed my whole life, and everyone’s lives around me. My parents, my siblings, my friends, my co-workers, my boss, and even strangers I’ve only met once were affected by my illness.

At first, things stayed fairly “normal.” I think because I didn’t necessarily look sick, it was easier for everyone to go on with their routines like everything was just dandy. As I started to get worse, my body developed physical changes that stood out to someone looking. My skin started to become hard, tight, and shiny. My face changed, thinning out my lips and making my mouth so small I had difficulty… continue reading