Mariposa: Progressive Systemic Sclerosis

Hello everyone. I am a twenty-eight year old girl and I have had rheumatic problems for a good ten years.

With the course of the years my health became worse until seven years ago. I was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Afterwards, not even a year later, Raynaud's Syndrome and then scleroderma.

I have finger ulcers, also a second degree esophagitis, but I should say that about a year ago it started receding thanks to the doctors that follow my case.

I am from Bari, Italy, and every four months I go to Florence, Italy to see Professor Marco Matucci Cerinic. I went to him thanks to my mother, who heard about him on TV. I have to thank this professor, because I have been in treatment for a year, and the illness is stopping. They tell me I am fine, and I feel fine. I can keep going.

I must admit I have been scared of not being able to enjoy life to the fullest, but I trust science. I also thank God for giving me a character that allows me to try and bring hope to other patients every time I was in the hospital.

I believe that recovering is torture if you are lonely with the illness. So the best thing to keep going is smiling!