#my fibromyalgia flared up in my legs

[somniphobicfox]

GUESS WHO FINALLY GOT COMPRESSION STOCKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[an--artistic--autistic]

one of my friends may be able to get me a rollator 🎉

it belonged to their grandmother (i think?) and they've been given the OK to give me one which is actually really exciting

[stars-and-branches]

I'm dueling whoever decided that knees can have cysts in them

[clownfangs]

-

[sorribu]

update: uoghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

your body wver flare up for no reason and you have no clue why cuz youve been doing the same thing for the past four years

[bellarkeselection]

Hi! I’m the person that requested the one shot for jay halstead x reader with fibromyalgia. To simplify it’s a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body. On some days the pain can be worse than other days. It’s called a flare up. (From personal experience my pain is about a 4 all over my body. When I experience a flare up it’s mainly in my legs and that can range from a 7 to a 10) Fibromyalgia also causes fatigue, brain fog/ forgetfulness and an increased sensitivity to pain. I hope this helps you and explains a bit of what fibromyalgia is.

A Great Caretaker

Hey there, thanks for sending me the description of fibromyalgia. I’m sorry this is short but I hope I wrote am okay request for you.

Coming out of the bathroom in my apartment I suddenly stopped gripping the doorway underneath my fingernails. I winced biting my lip hoping that I didn’t wake my boyfriend Jay who was sleeping in the next room. I tried walking forward but my legs suddenly flared up with more pain and I collapsed against the nearest wall. “Y/n!”

“Jay! I’m – I’m fine.” I called seeing him coming around the corner rushing to me instantly where he bent down on his knees in front of me.

He brushed my hair from my face helping me sit up with my back pressing against the wall. “You’re not fine. Okay, how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three. Uh – Jay I’ll be fine.”

He stared at me silently scanning across my face knowing I was lying to him. He had seen it before when we went on our first date where we were supposed to go out to a restaurant but my flare ups prevented when I had some pain spreading throughout my back. We ended up ordering take out because of it.

I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia when I was very young. I had told him about how it effects me when I do have a flare up. It wasn’t easy having to deal with this.

He shakes his head no moving his arms underneath my back and my legs carrying me into the bedroom across from the bathroom. “Let’s go. I’ve got you babe.”

“Jay, there’s not really anything you can do – ahh!” I gasped feeling the pain begin to go up my back now along with the current pain in my legs.

Jay comes to sit down beside me on the bed. “Hey, hey, look at me. You’re not fine, okay. So how many fingers was I holding up a minute ago?”

“Uh – um two – no three.” I stuttered feeling frustrated that my brain was foggy over this illness that I have.

Jay nodded getting up to get me a drink and some medicine that was supposed to help me get through this flare up. Laying my back against the pillows I ran my hands down my face. “Jay, what about work today?”

“I’ll call Voiet. Don’t worry about that and just take the medicine.” He came back with some water and two pills watching me swallow them and take a drink before sitting the glass on the table beside me.

I winced sharply again feeling like my entire body was fighting a very harsh sunburn in the inside of my skin. “Ugh! I just want this to stop.”

“Anything I can do?” My boyfriend asked sending me a half smile, hating to see me in discomfort.

Closing my eyes I slide down underneath the covers patting the side of the bed next to me. “Come here please.” I figured I would just try and get some sleep instead of just laying here awake in agony.

“Just get some sleep, Y/n. I’ll be right here when you wake up and you’ll be all better.” He climbed back in bed, wrapping his arms around my waist. I snuggled into his warm embrace closing my eyes and instantly falling asleep in his arms.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[cncities]

for angst reasons i hc that the static on robs body can cause physical pain for him and flares up at times, esp when hes emotional. and after contemplating this, i came to the based conclusion that rob is a disabled icon and that he needs a mobility aid right NOWWWW

in my eyes his condition is essentially fibromyalgia! causes intense and chronic long-term pain flare ups where his static is, thus it can make it hard for him to walk, move around, etc. so, on some pain days, he uses a cane! he also wears compression knee pads and arm sleeves for extra support.

^ bonus quick doodle of him in some forearm crutches and his besties! rob uses them during significant leg pain days if his upper arms are fine-ish. forgot his compression pads here oops but idk banana joe ate them

[sapphic-moon-child]

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia

Larissa x Wife!Reader

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia - Larissa x Reader

Chronically Ill Truths

Fibromyalgia - Larissa x Reader

It was truly the worst time of year for you. The warm summer days that eased your joints in the early sun were fading and the chill of fall was setting in. You knew a flair was coming on when you went to bed the night before, but when you woke up it was so much worse. You kept a bin next to the bed for bad pain days, and today was no exception. Rolling over your joints ached and cracked as you're swollen hands quickly reached for the bin. Retching almost painfully, you felt your hair being moved from your face and a soft hand rubbing circles on your back. Once you were finished the bin was removed from your shaking hands and taken care of quickly. You could hear the water running in the tub and the smell tea followed.

“Come darling, let's try to get a head of this and ease the symptoms while the needs kick in.” Larissa said sweetly, handing you your purple cane and helping to steady you on your feet. This woman was your rock, and you loved her. When you first came to Nevermore as an English teacher you only had mild symptoms, now 5 years later you were happily married to Larissa and together you co-taught your classes allowing you to still work and enjoy your passion even with your disability. The worst of your symptoms started two years ago, it was just a lot of swelling and aches. Now it was full blown flair ups, that sometimes lasted for days and on the rare occasion a week or more.

When a bad flare would start, Larissa would help start an IV of fluids to help ease your symptoms and push Your meds if you needed them. She was insistent that she learned how to do it, so that you could have them at home instead of the hospital. After a soak in the hot epsom salt bath and a cup of ginger tea she helped you dress in something comfortable and settled you back in bed. Starting one of your IVs she asked if you wanted some pain meds to help, you nodded and were grateful for her help and dedication. “Riss, I think I'm going to need my compression wraps” you told her, admitting defeat to the hell they were. She handed them to you and prepped your meds before pushing them through your IV and flushing it. After getting one leg wrapped in the tight compression wrap, you were exhausted. Handing her the other she took it without complaint and wrapped your other leg for you. The relief was worth the trouble of these stupid things, but you didn't care right now. “Can I have some Zofran please?” You asked, still feeling nauseous. She gave you a quick kiss and retrieved the minty tasting pill for you before placing it on your tongue to dissolve. After she did she set the flow rate on your IV and climbed into bed next to you. It only took about 5 minutes before you were so tired you couldn't hold your eyes open anymore. The fatigue set in and you easily succumbed to it.

When you woke it was midday and Larissa was gently stroking your cheek. “Hello darling, I brought you something to eat. It's time for some more meds too. You noticed she replaced your IV bag with a new one and it was on a very slow drip. Smiling, you thanked her and ate as much as you could of the cheese on toast and tomato soup she made you. “I have your pain meds as well as some anti inflammation meds and some more Zofran for you if you want it. I noticed you were perking in your sleep a bit too so I grabbed your spasm medication too.” She set the different syringes of meds down on your nightstand as she sat on the edge of the bed. “What would I do without you? You could have fallen in love with someone normal, and instead here you are taking care of me.” She almost looked hurt at your words. “Darling I married you because I love you, that means all of you. Good, bad and ugly.” You leaned forwards and gave her a soft kiss before settling back on the pillows again as you watched her push your meds again and flush your IV for you.

The day went on with lots of love and patience from your wife. You were blessed that she was compassionate with you, always making sure if you needed her she was there for you. You dropped your mobility aids and she would pick them up without question. And even during the night she would feel you start to get up and would wordlessly come around to your side of the bed and help you to your feet. She never complained, you hated how much like a burden you felt. She would just scoff and give you a kiss and tell you how much she loved you and that you were never a burden to her.

One of the things you most loved was how much she came to bat for you with your doctors, none of them seemed to take you seriously thinking you were just another drug seeker. She would tear each one a new one and bring your medical binder to slam in their faces if need be. She kept a detailed record of everything for you, calming her own anxieties in doing so keeping it all put together as fine as her updo. One doctor made the mistake of telling you on one of your bad days that it was all in your head and to try meditation. That was a mistake. “You mean to tell me that the pain, tears, swelling of her joints and other various symptoms are just a figment of her imagination? Well if that’s the case I’d rather like to take my stiletto to your ass and see how you think that imagination feels!” you still giggle over the memory of that poor doctor's face when Larissa was done with him. She could be down right scary when it came to the ones she loved. She was your lover, protector, wife, and blessed caregiver, and you loved her with everything you had in you.

Your students were also very loving and compassionate to you, they were always eager to help around the classroom and stay after class to help you prep if you needed it. You and Larissa thought of them like your own and had become mother figures to most of them. Your disability and adversity to it was the reason one particular girl came to you and Larissa with her own issues showing signs of the same chronic disease that plagued you. When you found out she had worthless parents, Larissa and yourself were determined to make sure Amara got the care she needed so she could thrive. When the diagnosis came back true, she cried and cried. That was when she told you she had lived with the pain for six years, her parents accusing her of attention seeking. Larissa made sure her medicine was picked up like clockwork every month personally and she had your cell numbers if she needed you anytime day or night.

There were a few times she was unable to go to class and would spend time in Larissa’s office doing make up work or homework under a heated blanket with a cup of hot cocoa. The girl thrived after she was given the help she needed. Her grades improved and she graduated in the top of her class, that was two years ago now. She stayed at nevermore as a dark arts teacher, and when she got married to a lovely gorgon boy a few months ago, her own parents decided they wouldn’t be attending. She didn’t mind though, because she walked down the aisle with pride having both of you on her arms guiding her and giving her away. This is what love was. This was acceptance. She was so worried that she would have a flair the day of the celebration and wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, you remember it like it was yesterday. Kneeling down to her eyes where she sat, you spoke softly.

“Your disability doesn’t define you, anyone who thinks it does can go to hell. You are strong and just as able as any other girl, your mum and I will be there with you and will hold you up if we need to, just like we did when you walked the stage at your graduation. You will never be alone my love, you have us to lean on when your own feet can’t hold you up.”

*********

My Groupies: @aemilia19 @lostmyotheraccount @shyladyfan @dingdongthetail @barbarasstar @maxfanartfan @no-phrogs-in-hats @weemssapphic @cissyenthusiast010155

[divinebunnii]

Hi Bunni, not sure if asking this as anon or not would be appropriate, maybe asking at all would be inappropriate, if so feel free to put me on blast haha I’d deserve it.

My question is this: I am asexual, been asexual all my life, though it took me til my early twenties to figure it out. I also have fibromyalgia, and while I’m not interested in sex generally, I do wonder how much of my aversion to it/repulsion by it has to do with the thought of physical exertion and inviting pain that I don’t want or am not ready to handle. I’d even say that pain I’ve felt in the past has kind of made me afraid of it, as well as afraid of disappointing my partners.

As someone with chronic pain, how do you manage it in regards to your sexual activity? Is there any type of prep you do beforehand to loosen up or prevent injury or debilitation? What are some self-care techniques that might keep one from worrying about how much they’re gonna regret gettin frisky by the morning?

Preferred roles/fantasies aside, you seem like someone who enjoys what they get out of sex, and that’s what I’d want, if I ever end up trying stuff with my partners.

I don’t do asks very often so I apologize if this is/was awkward. Also, no pressure to answer if this question is too intimate or crosses your boundaries. I’ll love your blog regardless!

Thanks!

hello sweet love I’m so glad you sent me this ask! This is something I haven’t touched on in all my advice talks and this is a perspective I really think more should be more aware of! nothing awkward ~ but long response heheh

I’ll start with the term pillow princess, it’s mostly used in queer lesbian spaces, but as a queer and someone with chronic pain, I 100% identify as a pillow princess. my partner does the work for me, if my body is a bit more nimble or limber or *not in as much pain* I get a lil freaky and do missionary, but for the most part i’m the one always “being used”. some see it as lazy, but honestly it’s not their relationship and if they can’t garner any kind of forethought for someone else’s lifestyle then fuck em ~

make sure you trust whoever your potential partner(s), it seems obvious but people can manipulate anyone into a sense of trust, and push boundaries that someone like you or I can’t have pushed. make sure you know without any doubt this person or people aren’t going to try and spring something onto you, or perform an action your body can’t handle. everything is about communication, them being aware in full honesty from you (ie. I’m physically disabled / have chronic pain etc, there are things I cannot do). we are 100% responsible to make sure everyone involved knows everything about us that they can.

I do try to stretch every day, and I also walk up and down the stairs multiple times a night. my pain is mostly nerve damage in my neck, and I have a very specific way of sleeping that helps prevent flare ups, and arthritis in my knees and my hips (which prevents 85% of most positions most people are able to do freely). Low impact stuff like using stairs is super beneficial to keeping those tricky pain places at bay. I cant be on my knees, so we avoid those positions and ones that might cause pain. my hips will lock into place and really fucking hurt, so unless I know I can get into a position that won’t hurt my hips, we won’t do it. lots of prone, on the belly ~ and a lot of against the wall from behind ~ I get all my squeezing and spankings without risking becoming bedridden for an unknown amount of time!

and of course, learn your body. you have to know “well this position hurts and that’s something I have to tell them, I can’t life my leg or arch my back like that, and they should know this.” being able to come at it with a bucket of knowledge of yourself is super helpful for any new potential partner, and makes it much easier to weed out the ones that might not be capable or willing to adjust their sexual practices to your needs. start slow, start calm and relaxed, put yourself in different positions you know you might be able to try and be very gentle. and don’t push yourself, or let anyone else try to push you into anything ~

closing thoughts, if you find out you’re asexual and nothing works for you, that’s also totally valid! but i definitely know my hypersexuality has more or less forced me to find ways to get and give pleasure ~ but I do know that asexualtiy is just the other end of that spectrum, and you can be asexual and still partake in the sexi every now and then ~ it’s up to your level of comfort, and what you’re willing to try or not try ~ 98% of the time im just a wee bag of meat and he gets to squeeze me and use me and tease me without me ever having to move many muscles. arms can stay where I want, eyes can stay closed because I’m weird about eye contact, and he finds ways to support my legs should I find myself getting uncomfortable.

feel free to ask me for any kind of advice about anything c: ! I’ll always do my best to answer 💗

[monachopsis-11]

Does anyone else with fibromyalgia get severe pain flare ups specifically in their legs? It happens to me periodically, sometimes if I stand/walk too much but other times it can be from sitting on an uncomfortable seat or in a bad position, or just randomly.

Anyway it usually starts at my lower back and affects my hips, knees, ankles and all the muscles in my leg to the point where I can barely walk. It’s probably like a 7-8 on average when it happens and I was curious if this is something other people experience.

I had it as a kid and was told it was growing pains but it’s gotten worse and more frequent as I’ve gotten older.

[this-smile-is-real]

When the chronic health conditions flare up they don’t do it lightly… all whilst recovering from eye surgery 6 days ago.

I’ve been noticing both FND and Fibromyalgia getting worse over the last couple of weeks with the weather change, but I didn’t expect today to hold 3 seizures, being unable to move my left leg as a result (it’s always been the right leg affected), an ambulance and being unable to hold my own weight standing due to how shaky my legs were and how dizzy my head was.

Grateful that it’s not an eating disorder admission but surprised that I have been admitted medically.

Current status: completely exhausted, legs burning with pain but grateful to finally have a bed to lie down in 🙏🏻

[thatbxolivia]

warnings- mentions of chronic pain and cussing

tbh i don’t really have a name for this one just a summary!! you have chronic pain and you have a bad pain day and daddy takes care of you

sn- i myself only suffer from fibromyalgia so if this is too similar to that and/or it isn’t accurate depictions of other chronic illnesses im so sorry

———————————————

you woke up feeling like you’d been hit by a truck. you almost thought you were sick and these were fever pains. but as you moved and the familiar flash of nerve pain went up your spine, you knew it was a flare up for your chronic pain. you groaned, gingerly moving your legs out of bed and sniffling. this pain was very bad, worse than normal.

“daddy?” you called out weakly, and he came running.

“what’s the matter, baby?” he asked, crouching down to your level. “i’m here, tell daddy.”

“daddy, the pain is so bad today.” you sobbed. his face softened and he lightly rubbed your back.

“i’ll take care of you like i always do, i’m always here for you, you don’t have to worry about anything.” he reassured you. you sighed, knowing today would most likely take away all your mental energy just to stay alive.

“thank you…” you trailed off. “i’m sorry you have to, though.”

“don’t be, i’m happy to do it, always.” he said, gently picking you up bridal style and carrying you to the kitchen table. “let’s get some food in you.” he said, making breakfast. you sat in the chair, shifting uncomfortably against the hard backing. daddy noticed your pain and went to get you a pillow, adding at least some comfort. “it’s going to be okay, remember the flare ups always pass.” he said. and he was right, maybe it took longer than usual sometimes, but they always passed. you could deal with what you deemed your “normal amount” of pain. it was these flare ups with pain worse than usual that made it hard.

eventually, breakfast was ready and your daddy served it to you on your favorite pink plate that caught your eye at a traveling market. you just had to have it.

“eat up, baby. you need energy.” he told you, lightly kissing your forehead. the two of you sat in silence, eating, while anakin would occasionally check on you or fuss over you, helping you eat or wiping your face. you loved the attention.

“daddy, my back really hurts.” you told him, sighing. you’d been trying to ignore it but it was the worst pain today. anakin frowned and took your plate up when you were done, coming back over to you.

“let’s put salve on it, i know it doesn’t help a lot but it does help a little, right?” he asked, checking it was still true. you nodded.

“yes, daddy, it helps a little.” you confirmed. he brought you back to your shared room and had you lay on your tummy while he applied it to your back, careful as to not press harshly on any sore muscles. you soon felt the warmth from the menthol in the salve and felt some relief coming your way. you sunk into the mattress, feeling a little more at ease.

“would you like to just have a lazy day today? you can go back to bed, i’ll join you.” he said, lightly running his fingers through your hair. you were already exhausted just from barely being up an hour so you nodded, taking your body’s sign to relax today.

“yes please, daddy.” you said, turning your head to the side to look at him. he looked back at you, smiling.

“i got you. i’ve got you always.” he said. he always knew how to make you feel better.

[charon-cries]

if it's not too personal an ask/you don't mind sharing: what is your disability/illness? I have something that sounds similar and it's nice to see someone with the same worries/struggles.

no worries! i have fibromyalgia + chronic plantar fasciitis. both of them run in my family; my aunt and my grandmother were both diagnosed with fibromyalgia a few years after they turned 18 and i started developing it when i was twelve. and a good deal of people on my mom's side of the family has plantar fasciitis as well. apparently, that usually goes away, but literally no one in my family has ever been able to get rid of it so the doctors diagnosed it as chronic for me right off the bat based on my medical history haha

fibromyalgia tends to vary for different people from my experience, so for context: i can't sit in one position for too long and need to adjust almost constantly or i'll be super super achey the next day. i can only really stand for about five minutes without pain, but i can push it to about 45 minutes before i start getting into the "i'm about to collapse" territory. and i can walk for about two hours (with breaks) before my physical timer runs out.

if i DO end up pushing it on either of those things, then i tend to be pretty out of commission for the next at least three days, in which i can't really move without pretty terrible muscle pain & my leg muscles will get extremely stiff and difficult to stretch because of the plantar fasciitis.

i don't get migraines (as in actual migraines— i do get pretty bad headaches but i'm sure that's caffeine addiction related) but i DO experience some mild brain fog where i tend to forget unimportant facts (such as birthdays or my exact age) and have trouble stringing together efficient and complete sentences.

i also tend to get random-ish pain flare-ups, typically at the start and end of winter, where i experience all of that ^ but from just sitting around on my couch like some guy.

i once housesat for a dogowner for a week, and the only exercise i did the entire time was taking her on two five-minute walks a day, and by the end of the seven days i was in full smegol from lotr stance for like a full seven days after hahah

all of this stuff, of course, is inconsistent— there are some days where i'm able to be out for a few hours, deal with some pretty bad pain that day, and be at baseline the next morning. it's a mystery to me. anyway that's all, i hope this helps ^^

[thelocalweird]

I have to do some tasks that require me standing up but my fibromyalgia is flaring up in my leg again and SHIT! it hurts more with every step

[cpunkwitch]

happy disability pride month

[id: image on the right is a flag with a dark grey background, a dusty rainbow diagonally going across it from the bottom left corner going up to the right and two dark grey circles in the middle of the image one smaller in the middle of the other. the mage in the middle is a green uerbox with the flag on the right and white text reading "this user wants people to understand that living with a physical disability in this world today is a waking nightmare". the image on the left is the same flag as on the right. :end id]

i want to talk about chronic pain. might make more posts similar to this one for other things but right now lets discuss chronic pain.

Chronic Pain Syndrome, aka Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), is a broad classification of prolonged pain typically outside injuries or outside the usual timeframe for pain caused by injuries.

there are plenty of things listed under chronic pain like arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia and more, however not everyone realizes what they have is chronic pain.

chronic pain is not about how bad the pain is, how much it hurts nor about how consistent it is, its about how long it goes on for.

if youre feeling pain for days on end in some area, thats chronic pain if youre feeling pain for a while after every time you try to do something with a limb (ex. lifting causes pain that stays all day and even the next day, getting up in the morning causes pain that lasts etc), thats chronic pain

if the pain goes on and off but still lasts a while when its there thats still chronic pain, it doesnt have to be consistent with how it lasts but pain that lasts longer than it should is chronic pain.

i always have pain in my spine when i get up in the morning, stand too long, walk or just be on my feet too long, lift heavy things etc and that pain lasts at least till the next day but usually much longer. strained muscles and exhaustion, soreness and aches are normal after activities but if they last longer than a day that isnt normal.

if someone tells you prolonged pain after doing something even mildly strenuous on your body is normal pain, they dont know what they're talking about and likely experience chronic pain themselves and no ones told them.

chronic pain can be caused by injuries, by conditions you were born with or gained over time. i was born with a defect in my spine thats caused me back pain, jaw pain, headaches and more for years and i only found out about it rather recently.

chronic pain can cause exhaustion and even be accompanied by chronic fatigue more often than not. it can cause you to need longer breaks and rest and avoid usage of your arms or legs or avoid further strenuous activity more than an abled person would need.

often any pain that causes you to avoid usage of your body isnt normal. pain that flares up after you move, be active or arent active enough isnt normal

pain that lasts longer than it should and pain that is always there after doing something is not normal and more likely than not, a sign of chronic pain.

a lot of people wont realize they have chronic pain unless they discuss their symptoms with someone who knows about chronic pain or understands that those symptoms arent normal pain. its okay to not realize or know something about your body, thinking it was normal then being told it isnt, its better to learn these things about your body, listen to your body and accommodate it than remaining ignorant and not doing any of that.

everyone's experience of chronic pain is different, not one experience will be the same as another or fit in a box, but they all have the similarity of their pain lasting longer than it should, however that presents.

the pain doesnt have to be excrutiating, there are days where it can just be dull and manageable, times where its just sharp and stabbing meaning you need to take it easy and so on. any manner of pain no matter how manageable or fierce, lasting longer than it should, is counted for chronic pain.

your knee pain flares up and stays in pain (regardless if its gone from fire to a dull ache) for the next few days or longer? chronic pain. your wrist has been in pain for a week and this happens often? chronic pain.

it doesnt matter where on your body, pain is pain and prolonged pain is chronic.

theres ways to make it more manageable, so long as you listen to your body and care for it. ice packs or hot showers/baths and anti-inflammatory meds can bring down swelling and relax the muscles, for example. you might find different things work for you and different pain you have, thats fine! not everything suggested might work for everyone.

not everyone has the ability to see a doctor but its important to try and talk to one if you can. and its okay to change doctors if you have any issues with your current one, especially if they arent listening to you.

its important to know your bodies limits as well, and to try not to push yourself past them unless you absolutely have to. dont let anyone pressure you into doing so. pain becomes more manageable once you understand your limitations.

feel free to add on tips and stuff about your experience with chronic pain! but please note im not a doctor and cannot diagnose you all i can tell you is what your symptoms sound like to me and suggest things for you to look into.

POST IS ABOUT CHRONIC PAIN AND PHYSICAL DISABILITY, DO NOT DERAIL.

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[contentment-of-cats]

Getting through the rough ones

Today is my chemoversary! On this day in 2022, I had my last chemo treatment!

Also, the incision doesn't need to be packed any longer. It can close the rest of the way naturally!

~

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia back in 2007 after recovering from viral meningitis and an adult case of human parvo virus. I have experience with bad days where everything hurts. One thing I have learned is that when a certain point comes, 'pushing through' like a good little soldier will hurt you badly. I have also learned that I am a horrible judge of my own pain levels since my tolerance has gradually increased over time to live with levels of discomfort.

For example, for me a ten on the pain scale is me not able to do anything but scream. Higher brain functions off line. Scream until I pass out, wake up and scream some more. My first ten was waking up after my first cancer surgery in November 2022, my second was getting my chest tube pulled in July 2024. Now that I know where ten is, I can evaluate downwards. Also, when I was first given morphine, I was stunned at the lack of pain, but when the morphine wore off, then I understood what I'd been living with. Same thing with the benzodiazepines - my head was quiet for the first time in my life. Amazing. A revelation. I'd forgotten what it was like to be pain free, and never had any idea what it was like not to have anxiety constantly running as a subroutine in my head.

This week, 'pushing through' became a bad idea. One CT scan with contrast, one spider bite, one wasp sting, a body gearing up for a psoriasis or FM flare, and holy shit was that too much. So, not pushing through.

Nap as needed

Lots of hydration

Epsom salt foot baths - the incision's almost closed, but no full-body baths until it is.

Beeswax hand and foot dips - I was doing paraffin, but raw beeswax seems to have a longer effect. I just use the paraffin warmer.

I slowed down on the 'it's always leg day' workouts.

When I was looking at the possibility of another round of chemo and radiation, I went on a campaign to gain weight. My doc told me point blank that the only reason I lived the first time was that I had the fat to lose over 25 radiation treatments plus FOLFOX and 5FU chemo for six months. I did not lose enough weight and muscle for my body to start shutting down. I'm trying to maintain a body weight that if I have to go into chemo tomorrow, I can rely on that fat that I'll burn off by not eating.

It worked a little too well. :/

Back to work.