Renal Cell Live!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Freeze - Thaw - Repeat

My logon problems appear to have been resolved for the moment (updates downloaded for numerous programs; who knows what happened and who knows when it will strike again). In the meantime we've cycled through some of the coldest weather I've encountered here. One day last week we had the dubious distinction of being the coldest spot in the state according to the National Weather Service, with a -22F air temp and a -37F wind chill. This weekend we soared up past freezing for the first time in nearly 2 weeks and we actually saw the sun! I forget how much I miss the sunshine here, until we enter the next grey winter cycle (Ohio on average gets 30% available sunshine in winter. Ugh) And now, once again, we've settled into temps below freezing for the rest of this week at least.

Cold weather is a conundrum for me. My favorite seasons are autumn and winter. Since my diagnosis and particularly since my liver resection in 2004, however, I have trouble maintaining a reasonable body temperature. If it's just cold, I feel that I can cope with it pretty well by adding layers. If it's both cold and damp, my joints stiffen and swell, I CANNOT get warm, and I feel useless and depressed. Top that off with grey skies and high winds, and I feel like crawling back into bed for six months or so. At least we're nearly through January now.

Saint H has been diagnosed with essential tremor. He's going in for a sleep study to see if his insomnia and fatigue can be resolved, and perhaps (if so) that will reduce the effects of the essential tremor. Right now it's not too bad but we'll have to watch things carefully. I've been panicked by this and he's been very calm. Blessed man.

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2 Comments:

  • I just want to say that my mother (82) has had essential tremor for years. It's been a nuisance, but not a real problem. Recently she has been taking a beta blocker to control it and that has reduced the nuisance factor. St. H has the right attitude.

    By Blogger just to say, at 8:05 PM  

  • Our biggest concern is that we both have personal experience with Parkinson's; tremors raise all kinds of miserable memories for us. We're both relieved that it's not as bad as it could be.

    By Blogger rcclive, at 12:07 PM  

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