Paying the Price for a Short Period of Good Health
For the most part, healthwise, I had a good week while we were at the lake house last week. And, the previous week was pretty good too. I am definitely paying the price for all that good health now though!
"All that good health"... That seems to imply that I had years of good health... or even months... No, this was just a matter of 12 days or so.
A body burdened with a myeloproliferative neoplasm such as Systemic Mastocytosis rarely goes longer than a few days without some debilitating symptomatology. Having 12 relatively good days was a blessing.
Unfortunately, when I have a few "good" days, I tend to overdo it. I don't nap... I stray from my specialized diet which minimizes mast cell degranulation... I become active which causes a rise in body temperature which causes idiopathic anaphylaxia... activity also causes inflammation and pain in my spine due to all my spinal injuries (for those unfamiliar with my spinal injuries, the injuries include two herniated disks, four bulging disks, six compressed disks, two areas with spinal stenosis, a broken up disk/vertebra in my neck, and osteophytosis... so my spine always hurts... it is just a matter of how debilitating it is at any given moment)... and I simply wear my body down causing major stress on my health. I definitely did all of these things last week!
When my mast cells degranulate due to Systemic Mastocytosis, the mediators they release into the tissue cause nerve irritation and inflammation. After an active week such as last week, I expected this nerve irritation and inflammation, among other symptoms, but I always forget how bad it can get!
Earlier this week the pain reared its ugly head. Today, the pain in my bones and joints moved to a level which is causing nausea even though I am hungry. Now that is an odd sensation... being nauseated and hungry at the same time!
I'm hungry because I don't have the energy to cook for myself. I'm hungry because I don't have the energy to go out to get food. I did make a quick trip to the store today to get food but had no energy left to do anything with that food when I arrived back home. I'm hungry, yet, I am terribly nauseated due to all the pain I am feeling.
I'm exhausted... I am having cognitive problems as a result... and I am just generally in a lousy mood. Let's see... enough pain throughout my entire body to cause nausea... being exhausted and overwhelmingly fatigued... being hungry but not having the energy to prepare any meals... wanting to do something, anything, but barely being able to walk across a room without grimacing in pain or digging deep for the energy to get across that room... yes, that is enough to put me into a frustratingly lousy mood.
In some ways, I suppose this lousy mood helps me survive. I think it must trigger some endorphins and adrenaline. This mood seems to allow me to dig deep into my life experiences and inner strength to survive.
I managed to get to the local supermarket this evening and there was a minor incident in the parking lot. I'm not going to get into specifics about the incident because the specifics aren't necessary for my point. Basically, a relatively young troublemaker intended to stir up some trouble (it was obvious he was either in an irrationally bad mood and preferred to bring everyone around him down with him or he was just an ignorant fool... probably both)... he started to approach me... my frustrations and anger due to this clown were now bubbling to a boil bringing forth some strength from deep inside my soul... I stood my ground... the young, ignorant troublemaker must have immediately noticed my hard-earned 1000 yard stare because he suddenly looked like a frightened deer in headlights, eyes in disbelief, mouth agape, then moved on his way, tail between his legs, without even a peep. So, this mood must trigger some endorphins and adrenaline to help me survive. And those who know me, know I am not one to back away from trouble... ever. As a matter of fact, I have always seemed to find some energy from someplace deep within me in situations like this. This is still true today. Even with this debilitating illness. So, perhaps this is a basic survival instinct of the human body.
So, now I feel like I am paying the price for a few "good" days. My bone and joint pain is so bad it is causing terrible nausea and even stomach pain. Yet, I'm hungry. It hurts just to sit. It hurts lying down. My experience is that this may last a few days, or it may last a few months.
I'm hoping for 'days'...
"All that good health"... That seems to imply that I had years of good health... or even months... No, this was just a matter of 12 days or so.
A body burdened with a myeloproliferative neoplasm such as Systemic Mastocytosis rarely goes longer than a few days without some debilitating symptomatology. Having 12 relatively good days was a blessing.
Unfortunately, when I have a few "good" days, I tend to overdo it. I don't nap... I stray from my specialized diet which minimizes mast cell degranulation... I become active which causes a rise in body temperature which causes idiopathic anaphylaxia... activity also causes inflammation and pain in my spine due to all my spinal injuries (for those unfamiliar with my spinal injuries, the injuries include two herniated disks, four bulging disks, six compressed disks, two areas with spinal stenosis, a broken up disk/vertebra in my neck, and osteophytosis... so my spine always hurts... it is just a matter of how debilitating it is at any given moment)... and I simply wear my body down causing major stress on my health. I definitely did all of these things last week!
When my mast cells degranulate due to Systemic Mastocytosis, the mediators they release into the tissue cause nerve irritation and inflammation. After an active week such as last week, I expected this nerve irritation and inflammation, among other symptoms, but I always forget how bad it can get!
Earlier this week the pain reared its ugly head. Today, the pain in my bones and joints moved to a level which is causing nausea even though I am hungry. Now that is an odd sensation... being nauseated and hungry at the same time!
I'm hungry because I don't have the energy to cook for myself. I'm hungry because I don't have the energy to go out to get food. I did make a quick trip to the store today to get food but had no energy left to do anything with that food when I arrived back home. I'm hungry, yet, I am terribly nauseated due to all the pain I am feeling.
I'm exhausted... I am having cognitive problems as a result... and I am just generally in a lousy mood. Let's see... enough pain throughout my entire body to cause nausea... being exhausted and overwhelmingly fatigued... being hungry but not having the energy to prepare any meals... wanting to do something, anything, but barely being able to walk across a room without grimacing in pain or digging deep for the energy to get across that room... yes, that is enough to put me into a frustratingly lousy mood.
In some ways, I suppose this lousy mood helps me survive. I think it must trigger some endorphins and adrenaline. This mood seems to allow me to dig deep into my life experiences and inner strength to survive.
I managed to get to the local supermarket this evening and there was a minor incident in the parking lot. I'm not going to get into specifics about the incident because the specifics aren't necessary for my point. Basically, a relatively young troublemaker intended to stir up some trouble (it was obvious he was either in an irrationally bad mood and preferred to bring everyone around him down with him or he was just an ignorant fool... probably both)... he started to approach me... my frustrations and anger due to this clown were now bubbling to a boil bringing forth some strength from deep inside my soul... I stood my ground... the young, ignorant troublemaker must have immediately noticed my hard-earned 1000 yard stare because he suddenly looked like a frightened deer in headlights, eyes in disbelief, mouth agape, then moved on his way, tail between his legs, without even a peep. So, this mood must trigger some endorphins and adrenaline to help me survive. And those who know me, know I am not one to back away from trouble... ever. As a matter of fact, I have always seemed to find some energy from someplace deep within me in situations like this. This is still true today. Even with this debilitating illness. So, perhaps this is a basic survival instinct of the human body.
So, now I feel like I am paying the price for a few "good" days. My bone and joint pain is so bad it is causing terrible nausea and even stomach pain. Yet, I'm hungry. It hurts just to sit. It hurts lying down. My experience is that this may last a few days, or it may last a few months.
I'm hoping for 'days'...
-sigh- Wish there was something that I could do! :(
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