Hi, I'm Heidi Nolan. After many years, I have retired as Manager of the ISN's Sclero Forums. I am also on extended leave as an ISN Support Specialist right now.

I have been diagnosed with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease and my story can be found at Heidi: Difficult Diagnosis of UCTD.

I am forty-one years old and married with three step-children and two grandchildren (a three and a four year old). I am a retired university professor. My degree is in clinical psychology with a specialization in children and adolescents and I conducted research investigating anxiety disorders in youth. I taught classes in abnormal psychology, child therapy, and child psychopathology and I worked with graduate students, teaching them how to become competent therapists.

The smartest thing I ever did with regard to my disease is join this online support group, and I hope you will find that to be true for yourself as well. This is a truly caring group of people who all want to give one another as much support and help as possible.

My personal story is featured on page 236 in the ISN's book, Voices of Scleroderma Volume 2. This book series is a valuable way of providing much-needed medical and support information to patients and caregivers, for scleroderma and related illnesses.

I have really enjoyed getting to know each of you in my role as a support specialist and hope that you will find the same comfort and support in this board that I have. Please feel free to e-mail me at heidi-nolan@sclero.org anytime.