Hello my friends,
I have been absent from the community for a few days beset by a series of small niggles that have all added up to the point where I’ve felt overwhelmed. Each of them is minor but put them together and it’s all been a bit too much.
For a start, there are the mouth ulcers that are making eating painful. I have followed the advice various people gave me and I am managing them better but they won’t heal. The largest, on my tongue, is the size of a penny.
Then there are the skin splits on my thumbs and forefinger. The finger split in particular has made typing on my iPhone painful. My phone won’t recognise my finger print so I am repeatedly typing my PIN. They won’t heal although at least they have stopped weeping now (I’m on blood thinners so I struggled to make a decent scab). Now I’m developing an ulcerated area on my coccyx.
I already have lymphoedema in my legs and last week this suddenly worsened, despite my wearing the ghastly stockings in the heat. I put on 4lb in weight over 24 hours as the fluid accumulated and now I can no longer kneel comfortably.
Then there’s the pain and fatigue. It’s now five weeks since they zapped my spinal tumour and I had rather hoped to be seeing the benefits. Unfortunately both are getting worse. My bladder control - the trigger symptom that kick started last month’s saga - is not improving either and don’t get me started on the insomnia.
I have taken advice about each of these discomforts. My CNS says lots of “her ladies” have also had their lymphoedema worsen. My GP wants to do a thorough work up to check for vitamin deficiencies.
As is often the way, coping is about getting my head on the right way round, practising gratitude and hoiking my big girl pants up good and proper. Operation sew some Velcro into my armpits has commenced
Xx
