Posts by: Lisa Weber

One evening in January 2014, I answered a call from my doctor’s office. After going over my lab results, a nurse nonchalantly told me I had scleroderma. I pressed her ... Read more

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022

I’m Scheduling Free Time, Not Just Appointments

Scleroderma News Columns

Do you remember playing “house” when you were little? I have fond memories of each of my little friends choosing a family member to imitate, and together we would act ... Read more

April 1, 2022April 2, 2022

CellCept Ended My Love Affair With Pedicures

Scleroderma News Columns

It had been years since I’d stepped foot in a nail salon. Yet the moment the doors opened, I was immediately reminded how much I missed those days of being ... Read more

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022

Battling Scleroderma Doesn’t Make Me a Hero

Scleroderma News Columns

I couldn’t find our family’s teacup-size dog. She had only been out of our sight for a few minutes. I scanned the dark, fenced-in yard looking for this adorable, fluffy ... Read more

March 18, 2022March 18, 2022

Scleroderma Has Dented My Ego and My Forehead

Scleroderma News Columns

Having a rare disease often means dealing with uncommon symptoms. Sometimes I get lucky and one of my specialists can explain and treat them. However, the mysteries of my scleroderma-stricken ... Read more

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022

Smart Technology Helps Me Outsmart Scleroderma

Scleroderma News Columns

With medications, doctors’ appointments, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life, there’s no way I could remember it all if I didn’t have reminders. Most days I’m lucky if ... Read more

February 25, 2022February 25, 2022

The Personal Choice of Telling My Bosses I Have Scleroderma

Scleroderma News Columns

My classroom door flung open, and the principal of the school where I work swiftly entered. Closely behind her was our school officer. Realizing there was some kind of emergency, ... Read more

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022

4 Ways I Bargain Hunt for Better Prescription Drug Prices

Scleroderma News Columns

At the start of the year, I received a call from my local pharmacy. The lovely employee told me she was giving me a courtesy call because my prescriptions were ... Read more

February 11, 2022February 11, 2022

I Wish ‘Feeling Better’ Was Permanent

COVID-19 Columns, Scleroderma News Columns

Cradled in my husband’s arms is one of my favorite places to be. His 6-foot-2 frame engulfs me in a blanket of warmth and safety. When I’m in pain, his ... Read more

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022

Learning to Catch My Breath With Interstitial Lung Disease

Scleroderma News Columns

I stare at the two flights of stairs in front of me, wishing there was a magic elevator. With no other choice, I start climbing, slowly. Suddenly, my breathing is ... Read more

January 14, 2022January 14, 2022

The Strange Gastrointestinal Sounds of Scleroderma

Scleroderma News Columns

I remember it like it was yesterday. The classroom was quiet. My stomach suddenly decided it was angry with me for skipping lunch. The grumbling gastrointestinal noises were like thunder ... Read more

January 7, 2022January 7, 2022

I’m Not Losing My Mind, but It Sure Feels Like It

Scleroderma News Columns

The scleroderma fog has struck again! My entire brain is floating inside a haze, and nothing is clear. I’ve been sitting in front of my computer for hours, writing and ... Read more

December 17, 2021December 17, 2021

Tiny but Mighty: What I Learned Fighting a Finger Ulcer

Scleroderma News Columns

I pleaded with my doctor. “I want to chop off my finger! Please help me!” With pity in his eyes, he said, “It’s an ulcer. It’s common for people suffering ... Read more

December 10, 2021December 10, 2021

Scleroderma Stole My Christmas To-do List, and I’m Thrilled

Scleroderma News Columns

When we became parents, my husband and I started our own holiday traditions. One of our favorites was taking our two daughters to snag the plumpest pine tree, and then ... Read more

November 19, 2021November 19, 2021

Finding the Right Doctor Can Make All the Difference

Scleroderma News Columns

The alarm on my phone starts its disruptive routine early, and the repetitive noise annoys me out of my slumber. While the rest of the world remains cuddled up for a ... Read more