100 Questions and Answers About Chronic Illness

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Dr. Robert A. Norman is a board-certified dermatologist who has been in practice for over 20 years. He is a faculty member for five medical schools and has been honored with numerous service and teaching awards, including Physician of the Year (2005) and Distinguished Service Award (2007) in Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida, and Tampa Bay Medical Hero Award (2008). Dr. Norman has written 23 books, including the recently published The Woman Who Lost Her Skin (And Other Dermatological Tales) primarily based on articles he has written in Discover magazine, and Mother Nature, Father Time-Tales of Medicine. He has been the editor of four textbooks on Geriatrics and Geriatric Dermatology and published over 100 articles in various major media publications. Dr. Norman has a private practice and is the chief physician and owner of Dermatology Healthcare, founded in 1994, which delivers essential skin care services for nursing home patients. He provides many national and international lectures each year; in October of 2007 he was the section director and lecturer in Geriatric Dermatology at the World Congress of Dermatology in Buenos Aires, Argentina.He is a frequent medical volunteer and is at the gold level in the AAD Leadership Circle for Volunteerism. His most recent mission trips were to Jamaica in April of 2009 and July and April of 2008 and Guatemala in January 2007. Other trips have included Haiti, Cuba, and Argentina.Dr. Norman completed his pre-med, medical, and public health training at Michigan State University, Midwestern University, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of South Florida.

Linda Ruescher has been a performing classical musician and educator for nearly four decades. A near fatal encounter with systemic lupus erythematosus in 2003 added a new dimension to Ruescher’s career. After four years on disability, she gradually returned to the work force in 2007. Today, in addition to working as a parish music director and part time musician for a private school, Ruescher is Editor and Facilitator Coordinator for the Lupus Foundation of America Greater Florida Chapter. She is both a Facilitator and Master Trainer for the Stanford Chronic Disease Self Management Program, leading workshops for the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging. Her conference presentations inspire and empower people with chronic illness to take charge of their own care and live their best life!