The story of Jacqueline
It began in September 2010, I was waking with my friend to the gas station. On our way back home I noticed I began getting really cold, and until I got home, I didn’t realize my fingers were turning blue. I went to a Dr and he said it was called Raynauds disease and I just needed to keep warm. As time went on, I began having trouble breathing, I thought maybe it was because of weight. I dropped over 100 pounds, and as I lost the weight things got worse. My breathing, I began developing ulcers, finger infections and my skin was tightening, all over my face, chest, hands, and mouth began to shrink. I was losing grip on things. My world was turning upside down. Late 2014 I began feeling my heart palpitate, and my breathing would get worse, and I had begun having a hard time swallowing food, and the skin was getting do right my fingers started curling. I was so scared to go back to the Dr. But knew I had to. In March, I seen a Dr to get a referral to see a rheumatologist. It took three months for an appointment, and that visit changed my life forever. After looking at me and spending a moment analyzing my hands and ulcers, He said to me it looks like scleroderma. I’d never heard of it, he explained it, ordered blood work, and xrays.In August 2015 he diagnosed me with systemic scleroderma, sent me to a pulmonologist, I’ve had a CT scan done, he then ordered an echocardiogram and a left lung biopsy. It has now been confirmed that I have intestinal lung disease, Raynauds disease, digital ulcers, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, pulmonary hypertension, and within a week I have an appointment to schedule a right heart catheter due to inability to get accurate measurements of my hearts arteries. I have had to quit my job, and cancel my wedding as all my money saved went to paying for medications and Dr visits. My sister created a go fund me page to help give me my dream wedding especially with how this disease I’d do unpredictable, which I’m grateful for, but these are hard times for many not many donations have received. I do my best to remain positive, I have a beautiful 8 yr old daughter who is my world, and it’s hard not to be happy around her. A loving fiance a so much of fabulous support system. Of course all the stories help remind me I’m not aLone, and I get comfort in knowing that.