I am twenty-eight years old and I live in Montevideo, Uruguay. I was diagnosed when I was eight, after years of studies of every kind, to figure out what was going on with me. As the years went by I began to become more conscious of how complex this illness is. For many years I was tortured by the pictures and sad news that I refused to accept.
Today, after two pregnancies and normal births, I have two beautiful and healthy children, one is four and the other six. Many times I have cried thinking that I may not see them become adults and form their own families, but then again, who really knows that?
Some days I wake up in a lot of pain, or when I am fixing breakfast for my kids I drop things because my hands become rigid. But a lot of that “clumsiness” and the pain disappears when I see everything I have: a family to run, a job, many friends, and most of all, a lot of energy, I feel like nothing can stop me from living life to the fullest.
Nathalia Email: [email protected] Story edited 07-14-09 JTD Story posted 07-17-09 SLE Story Artist: Shelley Ensz Story Translator: Alba León Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin |
LINKS Español/Spanish: Nathalia: Esclerodermia Sistemica Progresiva English: Medical: Diseases and Symptoms Scleroderma Experts (Worldwide) Sclero Forums Symptoms of Systemic Scleroderma Types of Scleroderma What is Scleroderma? |
Alba León is the ISN Translator for this page. She is studying international relations in Mexico City.
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!
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