The First Year: Scleroderma: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

by Karen Gottesman

Scleroderma--a chronic autoimmune condition that causes hardening, thickening, or tightening of the skin and attacks the heart, lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract--is extraordinarily difficult to diagnose and can take a huge toll on the psychological well-being of the individual. From the first moment of her diagnosis, author Karen Gottesman took charge and educated herself on every aspect of her condition. Now, as a "patient-expert," she...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569244391
• ISBN13: 9781569244395
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Restores a sense of control of your own destiny

I cannot say enough about this book. After being diagnosed I felt completely terrified and powerless. This book walks you through things you can do to ensure you receive the best treatment possible. Full of great facts about scleroderma that my doctor either didn't know or just didn't tell me. Really stresses the fact that you must be your own advocate and that is a great impetus to get out of bed and do everything you can. Emotionally supportive, just a wonderful book (that came for me at exactly the right time).

For a scleroderma victim, a comprehensive overview

I purchased this for my niece who was just diagnosed with scleroderma and her medical team were not educating her as to the long term affects and prognosis associated with this disease. After reading the book, she was able to quiz her physicians on those points she needed clarified and has been very satisfied with this book's comprehensive overview for the newly diagnosed scleroderma patient. Highly recommend this book.

A must read for scleroderma patients

This is a wonderful book! As a newly diagnosed patient, I have found this book to be the best book I have read on scleroderma. Not only is it the most comprehensive, but it is extremely well organized and easy to read. The information and guidance the author provides is both practical and uplifting. I was so impressed with this book, I even bought a copy for my doctor! I highly recommend this book for anyone with scleroderma, regardless of how long they have been living with the disease.

This book is spectacular!

This book is spectacular! It is filled with lots of helpful information to help get you through this disease. The bottom line is: If you are diagnosed with scleroderma, this book is a must have.

A must read for anyone needing to understand Scleroderma

This book was extremely helpful in my quest to better understand what someone very close to me is experiencing. I now have the knowledge and the understanding to help my friend cope with her disease.