Panic disorder keeps quilter homebound

Her designs traverse nation but agoraphobia makes it difficult for her to step outside her door.

Rose Mary Reiz / Associated Press

BEAVERTON, Mich. -- Cindi Glinski's hand-sewn quilts travel the country to the homes of their purchasers.

Their creator barely can travel to the corner store.  Glinski, 49, is an articulate woman with a great sense

of humor who suffers from agoraphobia, a panic disorder that makes it difficult for her to leave her home

north of Midland. She dreads going to a store, a restaurant or the movies. Sometimes, gardening in her yard is a challenge.

Gradually, Glinski's quilting skills improved, but her health didn't. She gathered her courage and visited a

nearby psychologist. He listened to her for 10 minutes and asked, "Have you ever heard of agoraphobia?"

She found her way to the office of Steve Haupt, a clinical psychologist in Saginaw.

With help from him and her husband, Glinski is gaining confidence and making progress.