Cold Weather Red
Normally here in New Haven Connecticut we have pretty mild winters compared to the winters of Michigan when I was growing up. Those were tough, days with the actual temperature below 0 degrees. The only way they would close school was if the buses literally could not go down the street.
And if you have to walk? Well it was waste deep trudging for miles uphill... both ways.
The good old days.
Move ahead 40 some odd years and now the whole Northeast has had one of the coldest and snowiest on record.
If you are like me, and have some autoimmune disorder, the cold can be an exhausting experience. For me it has meant limited ability to do any strength exercises do to my wrist flaring famously fine friends. Add to that, my hips which show no damage, feel as if someone is pouring hot oil on them. Sometimes just when I move or when I'm really lucky, all the time! Oh Joy CPPD.
In case you don't know Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease is caused by calcium crystals forming in all your joints. Especially wrists, knees, shoulders and oh my aching hips.
If you live to be 90, you have a 50% chance of getting this disease which has no known cause or cure. If you are under 60, as I am, you have a 2% chance of this aching arthritis. Just a lucky guy.
But if the winter makes all the joints feel flared, it can make you little helpless. The constant pain takes a toll. If you don't participate in cognitive behavioral therapy and you suffer from any of these debilitating diseases, therapy is a must.
Sometimes I think my therapist is the only one who knows, or maybe my hairdresser, I forget.
At times, you feel that no one can possibly know what its like to be in pain. It makes everything complicated and difficult. You, like me may not be able to help as much as you want.
Sometimes I do too much and it takes almost a more mental toll than physical. But the stress and anxiety are like fuel on fire. Let's say it doesn't help.
But you can feel that really no one does know but you and you fight through, even though people can be pretty naive that they say to people with these invisible diseases.
People not understanding is a major problem I see in my search through the blogashere. Strangers have no clue and even friends can say hurtful things. It happens to me. This can make you angry and ornery.
All this is very challenging when you want to do things. Luckily, I have a wonderful supportive wife you understands. But there have been some difficult days, and if you are like me, makes you feel a little bit of a burden.
So I write.
I write another blog, the Wooster Square Blossom Blog which is where I can highlight my photography with a fun, informative blog. People read it and I have gotten good feedback. Writing is good therapy and a good distraction.
Pain can all be about distraction. Below is an article about arthritis pain and its effects on about.com.
You need distraction from your pain. I do. Sometimes it can be medication for anxiety or my 600 mg gabapentins that can make me very tired. I am trying not to take too much medication but I now seem to have a whole mess of pills. You do what it takes.
If you found your way here, you are searching for answers too. I will try to post more links to sites I have found useful.
Until then, how do you get distracted from your pain?
Bart Connors Szczarba
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