Tag Archives for Invisible Illness

Not So Easy Fashion Choices: Rubber Boots

I’m happy to own a pair of rubber boots. That’s not a sentence I ever imagined writing. But today, was a day that without them I’m not sure I would have been able to leave home to go to my Pain Management Program. In fact, even with them it was still a near miss.

My feet and legs swell – often. It started as a side effect from one of my pain medications. However, I’ve come to believe that it’s more likely an uncommon symptom of my illness because it wasn’t an issue before; and because I stopped taking that medication over a year ago and the frequency with which the swelling still occurs hasn’t changed much since then.

When I woke up this morning, the pain in my legs was intense and I could feel the tingling sensation that usually accompanies a pain flare going up and down my legs all the way to my toes. Getting out of bed revealed that my feet and ankles were swollen – yet again – and the swelling would continue. It’s an odd thing to watch a body part swell to twice its normal size. It’s even stranger feeling it happen.

I hoped lying in bed again and putting my legs up on a stack of pillows for a while might help to reduce the swelling, as it has done in the past, but that didn’t happen today. By the time I showered and dressed, it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to wear any of my usual boots or shoes. I had to choose between a pair of sneakers I don’t often wear and my rubber boots. Because it was cold and raining today, I decided to go with my rubber boots.

I didn’t expect it to be, but it was actually a struggle to get my feet into them. When deciding what to wear I had chosen cuffed cotton pants that look like sweatpants and thin cotton socks to avoid any extra bulk. Neither of those clothing choices made any difference. Pulling my rubber boots on was still a struggle, although they were quite roomy and comfortable once I got my feet into them.

It was an even bigger struggle trying to take them off my feet when I got back home. This particular pair of rubber boots has a zipper along the back of the calf, which usually makes slipping them on and off easy. After undoing the zipper, I wasn’t able to pull them off. I had to engage in a real tug of war to get them off my feet. Unbelievably, my feet and ankles had swollen more since putting the boots on a few hours earlier.

When I started it, it seemed silly to write a post about my fashion choices, but this is and may continue to be a real problem. What would I have done today if I didn’t own a pair a rubber boots? What would I have done if I couldn’t manipulate them enough to push my feet into them? It’s not exactly flip-flop weather outside and wearing an ordinary pair of shoes or boots might have proven to be extremely painful.

As I started out saying at the beginning of this post: I’m happy to own a pair of rubber boots. Because had I not, I might not have been able to leave home today…

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Gratitude and Creativity: Thank You Card

These days it’s so rare that we receive anything but bills and junk advertising in our mailboxes. However, today there was a lovely surprise waiting when I opened my mailbox. I received a thank-you card in my mail. Receiving it made me smile from ear to ear.

Someone who will always be special to me sent me the card: my nephew. He wrote me a personal message of thanks. I’m so glad to know that he’s cultivating his own practice of expressing gratitude while he’s so young.

I have a bit of a thing for thank-you cards. I always have a bunch on hand at home to send notes to people when they do something nice for me. Sometimes I send a card or note for no reason at all except to let someone know how much they mean to me.

I’m sharing this because I feel so happy and proud of my nephew; and I want to encourage everyone to send a card or note to someone to let them know you care. If you don’t have cards think of another way to express gratitude for having her/him in your life.

Thank you S for your thoughtfulness

Bruised

I’ve written extensively about my issues with sleep. I’m an insomniac. I’ve been one for years. That means I’m happy to get sleep whenever and wherever I can. Because of this I’ve developed the terrible habit of spending the night on my sofa where I often (read most nights) fall asleep, while watching TV, writing, surfing the interwebs, reading, using my phone – actually while doing just about anything.

A few nights ago, I dozed off on the sofa, yet again. I’m not sure how long I was asleep. However, while I was asleep, I fell over and landed on a plastic container in which I keep some of the art supplies I use most often. When I woke up, I had a deep indentation in the skin on my shoulder from where it had rested on the square lid of the container while I slept.

I also bruise easily. Because my skin is apparently as soft as a peach, that indent is now a lovely sore dark purple bruise that hurts a lot. I think my bruised shoulder might be a sign that it’s time for me to give going to bed at a reasonable hour greater effort. After all, who knows what I might bruise the next time I fall asleep somewhere other than my bed…

If anyone has advice for the best way to soothe a bruise, please share.