Raynauds Scleroderma Global Patients: Jan Petrie Procter, UK. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH, 2018. Scleroderma, Raynaud’s, Autoimmune Rare Disease

Jan Petrie Procter, UK

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH 2018

Scleroderma, Raynaud's, Autoimmune Rare Disease.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sclerodermaunit-royalfree

#RaynaudsFreeWorld #SclerodermaFreeWorld

blog.raynaudsscleroderma.co.uk

Name and Location:

Jan Petrie Procter, UK

Presenting symptoms:

Digital ulcers

I was diagnosed with CardioMyopathy (Heart Failure) in 2012. Until that time I was extremely healthy and had had no major illnesses. The cause of the heart failure is still unknown although my doctors have suggested the most likely cause is having contracted a virus at some point.

Managing my heart failure took a couple of years but eventually we got the condition pretty much under the best control possible and life continued, albeit I had to stop work for a while due to my health.

Approximately one year on, in 2013, my fingers were very painful, with increasingly severe ulceration. Tips of a couple of fingers were black, others had digital pitting. A number of visits and pleas for help to the GP and also the practice nurses came to nothing.

In desperation, I was doing my own research into the problems I was dealing with regarding my fingers, such as extreme pain when I had hardly knocked them.

I was then rushed into hospital in an unrelated incident, and happened to have a doctor see my fingers, I was immediately admitted to hospital, where I stayed for five weeks – yes five long weeks in the middle of the summer – not knowing what was wrong – why I was there – with very sick people – and feeling sicker than ever myself!

What are your 3 biggest current challenges due to your diagnosis?

Managing to do normal things with such painful fingers eg. typing, opening jars, washing hair etc

I hate the way I look when my skin is particularly tight, dry, sore and flaky

Tiredness

What are your 3 wishes for the future?

Yes, sometimes I feel desperately frightened for the future.

Googling symptoms, life expectancy, outcomes, etc has previously sent me into a pit of depression, but in general, I think I tend to manage my symptoms, probably not as well as I should, as I think do have a tendency now, to bury my head in the sand to some degree.

But my philosophy is – there are far worse things happening to far better people than me. I have been lucky- it could be so much worse.

I am so, so, fortunate to have a wonderful support network of family and friends (despite the fact that I pretty much never mention my illness and just hope that they understand when I have to pull out of events etc).

So, it’s ever onwards to the next adventure – who knows what’s around the next corner – for me, it’s a diving trip to Egypt in four weeks – I will not give up.

To read more about Jan’s Scleroderma, Raynaud’s, Autoimmune Rare Disease reality, Click here

An edited version of this article was published here, in my Column with Scleroderma News.

March 2018.

INDEX to patients

Scleroderma Family Day 2020

25^th Anniversary Meeting

The Atrium, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2QG

Chair: Professor Chris Denton

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

09.30 – 10.00 Registration and Coffee

10.00 – 10.20 Welcome Dame Carol Black

Prof Chris Denton & David Abraham

10.20 – 10.40 What is a Biopsy? Dr Kristina Clark

10.40 – 11.05 Dental aspects of Scleroderma Prof Stephen Porter

11.05 – 11.25 Gastrointestinal problems – Dr Fiza Ahmed

shedding new light on old problems

11.25 – 11.50 Pulmonary hypertension and the heart Dr Gerry Coghlan

11.50 – 12.15 Scleroderma cohort studies – Dr Francesco

‘Learning from our patients’ del Galdo

12.15 – 14.15 LUNCH BREAK – see below

14.15 – 14.45 25 years of progress – Prof Chris Denton

from ‘black box’ to ‘positive trials’

14.45 – 15.15 International speaker – Dr Madelon Vonk

Scleroderma Management in Netherlands

15.30 Raffle

Lunchtime Discussions Groups / Demonstrations include:

Clinical Trials Rachel Ochiel and team

National Institute of Health Research Christine Menzies

Drug Information / monitoring Pharmacy

Massage Keith Hunt MBE

Pulmonary Hypertension Education / nursing Sally Reddecliffe/Adele Dawson

Rheumatology Laboratory Research Laboratory Staff

Scleroderma Education / Nursing Louise Parker/ Joseph Cainap

Thermography Dr Kevin Howell

SRUK Ollie Scott

Sjogren’s syndrome British Sjogren’s Society

To Read My Articles:

Gift in My Will, Click here

Planning for the Future, Click here

Rare Disease Day:

Rare Disease Day 2020:

Listen to my interview with John Smeeton, (Silver Fox), from the Royal Free Radio, here

Raise awareness and donate to medical research, order your #SclerodermaFreeWorld #RaynaudsFreeWorld tshirt here

Rare Disease Day 2020: NIHR 'Research gives hope to Rare Disease patients', Click here

Rare Disease Day 2019: Leaving a Legacy Gift, Click here

Rare Disease Day 2019: 11am 97.4RockFM headlines, NO CURE, Click here

Rare Disease Day 2018 – Research, Taking Part in Clinical Trials. Scleroderma, Raynaud's, Autoimmune Rare Disease, Click here

2017 Rare Disease Day Medical Research

2017 Rare Disease Day unmet clinical needs to the scleroderma patient

2016 Rare Disease Day Patient Voice

2016 Rare Disease UK Parliamentary Reception

Rare Disease Day is a fantastic opportunity for the entire rare disease community to shine a spotlight on their reality, combining as one unified voice. Where, at least one commonality presides –

Medical Research
provides the brightest light,
for the illumination of
the rare disease patients’ plight.

To read about medical research at the scleroderma unit, Click here

Although rare disease patients are few in number, eg. 2.5 million scleroderma patients worldwide, (the World Scleroderma Foundation), the commonalities and golden hallmark for each rare disease patient are the same overall.

For optimum patient care, 3 hallmarks preside:

Early diagnosis

Expert specialist centers

Access to innovative medicines

supported by a medical ‘dream team’

(expert specialist as the clinical lead).

INVESTMENT in MEDICAL RESEARCH is CRUCIAL.

To read my articles:

Celebrating 20 years of being a patient at the Scleroderma Unit, Click here

2019 New Challenges, Click here

NIHR Video: 'My Experience of Clinical Trials', Click here

If we only had more RESEARCH investment for Scleroderma, Raynaud's, Autoimmune Rare Disease, Click here

The Importance of Medical Research and Awareness to the Scleroderma, Raynaud's, Autoimmune Rare Disease patient, Click here

2018 Scleroderma Awareness Raising and Medical Research, Click here

SCLERODERMA:

Importance of an early diagnosis, Click here

Taking Part in Clinical Research Trials, Click here

The Importance of a Multi Disciplinary Medical ‘Dream Team’, Click here

Expert Specialist Centres, Click here

My Skin is Cured from Scleroderma, Click here

UK Guidelines for Managing and Treating Scleroderma, Click here

Fatigue, Click here

Mobility, Click here

Diet and nutrition, Click here

Raynaud's- How to Diagnose, Click here

'All you need to know', 2016 Awareness Video, Click here

Global Patient Profiles 2018 Video, Click here

Unmet Medical Needs, Click here

Calcinosis Video, Click here

The scleroderma tooth fairy, Click here

Skin Cancer and scleroderma, Click here

Sept 2017

Prof Chris Denton and I, Sept 2017

June 2019

This year, 2020, I am celebrating 22 years of being a patient at the Scleroderma Unit, The Royal Free Hospital - a world leading expert specialist, research centre.

Read more, here.

I am eternally grateful to the global scleroderma trail blazers Dame Prof Black and Prof Chris Denton, whose commitment and dedication to unlocking the scleroderma enigma, is nothing other than, superhuman. Along with the Raynaud's world trail blazer, Dr Kevin Howell.

I am truly humbled and inspired by their work ethic and commitment to their patients.

I am wholly appreciative for Prof Denton’s continued medical expertise and support, especially during my barrister qualifying years, 1997 - 2004.

1^st March 2004, I qualified as a self employed practising barrister. Further to having been told in 1997, by my original diagnosing doctor, that I was looking at a 15month prognosis.

Chat Magazine May 2019

I very much hope to utilise my professional skills and qualifications along with my patient experience, to help achieve the #SclerodermaFreeWorld dream, hoping to improve understanding and best practice, in the meantime. Read more, here

World Scleroderma Day 2018, Click here

World Scleroderma Day 2017, 29th June, Click here

World Scleroderma Day 2016, 29th June. Origins of the date, Click here

World Scleroderma Day 2015, 29th June.

James Carver, myself, Prof Chris Denton

I had the pleasure of being a presenter and part of the European co-hort who gave a presentation at the European Parliament, Brussels, in honour of World Scleroderma Day 2015.

I am immensely grateful to James Carver, former MEP, for organizing this event in memory of his late wife Carmen, who sadly passed from Scleroderma.

To view the presentation, Click here

Raynaud's:

October:

Raynaud's, Click here

To view the UK treatment guidelines for Raynaud’s Phenomenon, Click here

To view the EULAR treatment guidelines, Click here

To view Thermograph Video, Click here

To view Thermograph image, Click here

My Raynaud’s reality, Click here

The global Raynaud's trailblazer - Dr Howell and I, Sept 2017

To view Nailfold Capillaroscopy equipment (used to identify possible blood vessel damage), Click here

Invisible Disability Awareness Video, Click here

To read My ‘Invisible Disability’ experience, Click here

50 Shades of Blue, Click here