My sister and I recently had a discussion about my Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome... We've become quite close since she became pregnant and gave birth to my nephew in 2021. She knows how much I hate that my POTS limits what I can do (especially when it comes to my nephew) and how exhausting it can be.
The other day she was asking me if there's a way to cure my POTS and the Dysautonmia. I explained to her as best as I could that there isn't a cure, but there are some things I can do (and have been doing) that will lessen how much it wrecks my life. Like strengthening my leg muscles, increasing my salt intake, getting up slowly and so on...
Yesterday afternoon I was hit with a pretty bad migraine so I went to lie down in my room with my blackout curtains shut to keep out any light. Not long after I'd put my head on the pillow, I suddenly really needed to pee. So, obviously, I got up quite quickly.
Next thing I know, I can hear my mum and sister shouting, trying to wake me up - I'd fainted (not for the first time). As I came around, I could feel that something in my left elbow was really sore and burning. When they finally helped me up, they started freaking out. I was still a little out of it but when I looked down, my arm was covered in blood, as was my top and the rug I'd fallen on.
Turns out, there was a small plate on the edge of my chest of drawers, by the TV, and we think that as I'd fainted and gone down, I'd knocked the plate to the floor, it smashed, as as I landed, it sliced into my arm in two places. As they tried to clean me up, it really fricking hurt. While we were waiting for a friend to take me to hospital, my nephew kept toddling over and handing me his favourite toys, and I just didn't have the energy to play with him and his bottom lip started wobbling. It broke my heart.
Anyway, they got me to the Minor Injuries department nearby. I had to have nine stitches, then some antibacterial squares covering each wound, then a dressing, and then a bandage to keep it all in place.
I felt awful, and I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I hate this stupid condition. It's embarrassing and it's dangerous. POTS has also caused me to break my wrist and fracture one of the long bones in my foot before, by fainting at the wrong time. Admittedly, I don't think there's a way to faint at the -right- time, but you get what I mean.
I guess I just really needed to rant a bit. I'm feeling very sorry for myself. Thank you for listening, though.
#chronicillnesswarrior #ChronicPain #posturalorthostatictachycardia #POTS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #EDS #InterstitialCystitis #NAFLD #LiverDisease #Diabetes #BPD #Depression #Anxiety #GERD #IBS #Ranting
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