Fibro Diary - May 15-31, 2008

Fibro Diary - May 15-31, 2008

by Marilyn Mackenzie

I'm back to TRYING to keep a daily diary of my fibro problems.  I may need it.

I decided to put it here, because it might help me remember.  I'm not going to publish this widely, just tuck it away.  If you've stumbled upon it, feel free to comment and to come back if you wish to see how the days progress (or don't).  And if you notice that I haven't kept up with this, do ask me about it.  There are so many things I forget these days.

May 15, 2008

I have a cold or maybe a sinus infection or maybe flu going on.  Not sure.  Chills and slight fever, sore throat, drainage, upset tummy, coughing, tired, plus aches in places where I don't usually hurt.

That's on top of the other things, the ones related to fibro.

Today my hands hurt.  Probably about a level 5 pain.  They're also tingling.  Last time that happened, I had a flare up of the skin condition I have - palmaplantarpustulosis.

My thin skin seems to me much thinner this week and more sensitive.  Bumping my hands anywhere ends up with an open wound and bleeding.  So does just having one of the dogs or cats lightly nip at my hand in play.  They look so sorry when they realize they've made me bleed.

My ears are HURTING!  No, not inside like an ear infection.  Outside.  They're hot to touch.  Tingling.  And painful.  I grew up in the north and am back in the north now since 1993.  I know what it feels like to get you ears so cold (from not wearing a hat, for instance) that you think they're going to get frostbitten.  That's how my ears feel.  In the house.  With the thermostat turned up to 78.  My ears HURT.

My left knee (the only I injured in 2002) acts like it doesn't want to cooperate today.  I feel like I'm having to tell it when to move and bend.

My lower left back (also an injury) hurts about twice as much as usual.  Probably about a level 8 pain today.  Too much.

And today my skin hurts.  It would feel so good to just prance around the house naked.  Well, I can't prance.  And I can't really run around naked either.  But I am still in my jammies, since they're not as heavy and hurtful on my sensitive skin.

Oh yeah.  Ever since that first eye infection I got which forced me out of contacts (after 40+ years) and into glasses keeps coming back.  Just when I think I can pop my contacts back in, I'll wake up with those eye boogers again.  Gross.

I'm tired, tired, tired.  It's not the cold medicine, 'cause hubby was careful to get the pharmacist to suggest something that is non-drowsy. 

And I have a really sad face on today.  No Ms. Merry Sunshine today.  Could be the dark clouds in the sky.  Could be all the hurting.  And looking around the house and realizing what I can no longer do.  I'm still not used to that.

My brain is in major fog mode too.  It's like my brain is in slow motion. 

May 16, 2008

Yesterday at one point my temperature was up over 101.  This morning, it's 96.8 - a bit lower than my normal 97.2.  I have a rather foggy brain this morning.  (Did also yesterday afternoon.)  I don't know if it's all fibro fog or if adding some over-the-counter cold meds to my regular prescriptions is the cause.

The aches and pains are many - some from the injuries I've had, some from fibro, some from arthritis, and some from whatever bug I've had. 

My ears are still painful, but not as much as yesterday.  Same with my hands.  They hurt, but not as badly as yesterday.  My skin is not as sensitive as yesterday either.  Clothes don't bother me today.  Yippee skippy!

Yesterday, I napped quite a bit throughout the day.  Again, I'm not sure how much of that was my usual chronic fatigue or the new bug or a combination.  I didn't get out of bed until about 9:30 today, and then only because the phone rang.  I didn't answer it, but it wakened me. 

My limbs feel heavy today.  Like I'm having to tell them all to move and they're not responding very quickly.  The world is in slow motion - for me, anyway.  Sometimes that's how my fibro fog reacts, so maybe that's all it is.

I have a pain that I don't often get.  As I told my chiropractor once, "I'm having labor pains in my underarms."  I'm not sure what causes that.  But the pains come and go, increase and decrease.  Strange.

Depression?  Yep, it's obvious today.  The sky isn't as gloomy as yesterday's sky, but my mood is still low.  Feel like a good cry would help.  But then again...with my dry eyes, I don't produce many tears and if the emotions do well up to the point of needing a good cry, it's physically painful.  Don't want to go there.