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Rodriguez: Linear Scleroderma

I went to the ER and was unable to receive a diagnosis.

I have lived with linear scleroderma since 1999. I was eighteen when I was first diagnosed and I was unaware of what I was in for. Being from a small city in Texas was even harder because at the time I was the only case and there was little information on linear scleroderma.

It was February 5,1999, when I first noticed the discoloration in my leg and how stiff my skin was. I went to the emergency room and was unable to receive a diagnosis.

Finally in April of 1999 a biopsy was conducted and I was diagnosed with linear scleroderma. I later moved to Pennsylvania with my brother to look into going to school, but my leg seemed to get worse.

I was then taken to a rheumatologist who started me on Methotrexate injections which later changed to pill form when I was referred to Dr. Alan Friedman in Houston, Texas.

I have lived with scleroderma for the past eight years and I have been off of Methotrexate for the past two years. Little by little pigmentation is coming back into my leg and there are times I still feel joint pain but I have gotten through it.

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ISN Artist: Sherrill Knaggs (In Loving Memory)

Sherrill Knaggs, ISN Artist, created the digital photo to illustrate the story on this page. Sherrill lived in New Zealand. Her story was featured in ISN's book, Voices of Scleroderma Volume 2.

ISN Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin

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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