Linda
My name is Linda, and I've always aimed for great things. Now nearly 80 years old, I can say that like everyone, I've had my wins and losses. But I'm proud of my life. I've helped people from all walks of life be better communicators, work better on teams, be organized and efficient, and strive for what they want in business and in life. I've worked in nearly every sector you can think of, except maybe actual space flight. But hey, I've still got lots of good years ahead of me. Maybe I'll shoot for the moon.
I started having issues swallowing and using my hands several years ago, and like many who eventually get diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), it took years to find out what was going on. Now I have my diagnosis and have begun the journey, terrifying at first if I'm being honest, of learning to live with this debilitating disease. My new hope to do something great is to share my experiences and what I learn along the way with others, in the hopes that some of the mistakes I make others won't have to, and some of the long winding roads I take to a solution can be made straighter. I hope we can learn together.
Sherri
My name is Sherri and I am Linda’s daughter. A writer and scholar, I think a lot about the human condition, health and dis-ease, spirituality and the arts, and all the phases of life, including the one we call death. When my mother was diagnosed with IBM, I was shocked. She’s been such an athlete for so long. I’ll be honest, I’d have her carry the heavy stuff whenever I moved. I’ve had my own autoimmune issues since I was quite young, having celiac disease and then in my early twenties, being diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia when I had fewer than 20,000 platelets (normal low is 150,000). So I know what it is to feel that one’s body has a different agenda than the heart and mind, and how frustrating it is to figure out how to get things back in balance and do the best you can.
I’m here because the loved ones of those diagnosed with IBM also experience the disease. I want to talk about my experience, share things I’ve learned about how to support someone with IBM, and even share poetry and spiritual writings that have helped me or that I think might help you. I also am a practiced researcher, including medical issues, and will continue to search for ways my mother and others like her can improve their quality of life and their disease process. I hope that some of what I share resonates with you or your loved ones, as we find our inner warriors.