When My Joint Hypermobility Flares Before I've Even Left for Work
It’s 7:00 a.m. and I’ve just woken up with my alarm, well-rested and feeling ready to start the day. Today I feel good. There’s no pain yet. I feel full of energy and I’m determined to make it to work.
I go to the kitchen and put the kettle on for a cuppa. My iPod’s playing music and I’m singing along while deciding what to wear and getting changed. It’s all going well until my shoulder starts to ache whilE putting my dress on. Uh-oh.
But now I’m changed and everything’s fine. I’m not in pain and I have my cup of tea to regain some energy before putting my make-up on. Putting my cup down, I notice I’ve got the shakes today. No problem, it’ll pass.
It doesn’t. My mood’s starting to drop from happy to frustrated. My eyeliner’s not going well due to my shaky hands and now my fingers and knuckles are starting to swell at the joint and are becoming quite sore. I quickly finish my make-up and move onto straightening my hair after a break.
I usually stand to do my hair as I find it easier on my back that way, however it does mean standing for more than 10 minutes, which can either be OK or unbearable. Today, despite how I felt when I woke up, it’s unbearable. My knees are shaking and becoming weaker and weaker, my hips are hurting and I can feel my ankle beginning to sublux. And so I stop. Put the straightener down and sit on my bed for a break – only my hips are really hurting so I need to lie down.
But now my shoulder blades are hurting and and its 8:20. I’ve got 10 minutes until I need to leave and I know there’s no way I can walk to work today. There’s no way I can go to work for nine hours feeling like this. I’m not even sure I can stand up right now because of the pain. I can feel all of my joints teetering on the edge, just waiting for me to move the wrong way so they can pop out and dislocate.
And so I crawl back into bed and admit defeat for the day.
I tried, but at least I know there’s always tomorrow. I’ll try again tomorrow, because maybe then I’ll manage to make it through the front door.
We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.
Thinkstock photo via twinsterphoto.