Warmth

Warmth for me is welcome, but it is also a curse sometimes.  I have Reynaud's.  Have you heard of it before?  My hands and feet have a tendency to be cold and then turn whitish and black/blue.  It is a terrible feeling. 

Gloves help but if I'm going to be out in the cold for a while, even with the gloves, I use "hotties," those warming things you shake up to use.  They are awesome.  I can stay outside to shovel snow for a long time with the hotties inside my gloves.

My feet are another story.  Once my feet start to get cold, they sweat.  The sweat causes them to stay cold and wet and that is miserable!!  Cotton socks are the best for me because they wick off any normal moisture.  Once my feet are cold, though, I'm either going to need a change of socks or a heavy blanket.

Some people who have Reynaud's really get into trouble because there are two types -- one more annoying than serious and the other serious enough that the blood supply is cut off to the hands/feet and gangrene is a possibility.  Thankfully, I have the less serious kind.  It runs in families.  I have it, my two sisters have it, my niece and nephew have it and so far, that's all that I know of. 

Years ago, I just thought that everyone hated buying food from the frozen food section because handling the food actually hurts!!  It wasn't until much, much later that I found out that this is yet another symptom of Reynaud's.  For example, if I'm making hamburger with refrigerated meat, it physically hurts and the relief comes from running very warm water on my hands.

When I have cold hands or feet, I can help myself by either getting busy and doing something, like running the sweeper, dusting, that kind of thing.  OR, I can bundle up on the couch and sit there for a while with hands and feet covered.  When I start warming up, that's when Reynaud's is a curse.  I always fall asleep!!  I hate that.  Last night, I thought we were watching the Olympics and then around 9:30 p.m. I woke up and realized that I'd been napping for about 20 minutes.  My sister says she does the same thing. 

There are a number of great products out there for Reynaud's sufferers.  One of them is a pair of heated gloves.  They are only $275.00 or something like that.  Wow.  But I suppose if I spent more time outside, it would be well worth it.  As for now, the hotties will help me make due.

So when I always say, "Stay warm," I really mean it. 

That's about it today.  I have been thinking that since a number of you enjoyed the fiction in the blog some months ago that maybe we could do a Part II of Anna's story.  If that idea appeals to you, please let me know at knelsen@uakron.edu.  Also, from what I have seen, you can subscribe to the blog which means you get the daily postings without having to log on first.

I think one way I'm going to use the Reynaud's for good is to say a prayer every time my brain is telling me, "Your hands are cold."  I can pray for the people on the prayer list or perhaps a special intention.