Open Writing

‘Listening’ to one’s body, and doing what it’s asking, isn’t always a matter of life and death, but it can mean the difference between living in comfort or pain. For instance, minor but chronic discomfort should be referred to a doctor, not only to relieve the discomfort but to rule out the possibilities of more serious underlying causes.

For the last few years, I’ve largely ignored my body’s increasing discomfort. It began in my fingers, essential to the joy that playing the flute brings me. The joints frequently swelled, my hands grew hot and ached abominably.

Physiotherapy helped, so I continued with treatment of the symptoms, desperate to keep these suffering digits working at any cost.

After a while, the treatments became less effective. My long-suffering physio-therapist, after hinting several times that I should see a doctor, take anti-inflammatory tablets or go for an injection, finally lost patience: “You have inflammation in the joints, it must be stopped and I can’t do it. Go to a rheumatologist and get chemical treatment!”

He recommended the best specialist in town. She was so heavily booked that I waited three months for an appointment.
In the interim, I visited my GP and asked for three months’ worth of ant-inflammatory drugs. The swelling subsided to a point where I could wear my rings most of the time, something I’d not been able to do in almost two years.

When I finally arrived at the rheumatologist’s rooms, I sat down and filled in a long questionnaire about how much my movement and ability to function on a daily basis was hampered by pain and stiffness. “Well,” I thought, “I’m still coping with all the basic functions of life, only a little stiff first thing in the morning and some difficulty with my hands… Maybe I’m wasting the doctor’s time!” I almost got up and walked out.

The doctor was running late. “Just as well I brought my book,” I thought to myself. After a while, I noticed that my rings were tight, my hands hot and my left ankle and foot were swollen. “I might as well stay, I’ve waited three months to get here!” Two and a half hours after I arrived, the doctor finally saw me.

After a brief ‘getting to know you’ chat, she examined most of my joints and told me they were all seriously inflamed. We discussed every medication and supplement that I’ve taken over many years.

“You have an inflammatory form of arthritis,” she concluded, “definitely rheumatoid, but very likely a thing called Sjögren’s Syndrome as well. Both of these conditions are caused by your immune system attacking your body in places such as joints, causing swelling, inflammation, pain and damage to the surrounding muscles. Sjögren’s also attacks tear and saliva glands and mucosa, causing inflammation and drying. It is quite often linked with renal tubal acidosis, causing potassium loss from the body. You’ve been treating all these symptons for years. Whatever the cause, inflammation is not good for the body. In the joints it puts pressure on the tiny capillaries, which in turn can cause circulatory problems such as clotting, heart attacks and strokes. We have to stop the inflammation.

“The treatment is the same for both conditions. I’m giving you two medications which will get your immune system under control and stop the inflammation. We’ll have to watch for and control side-effects, but they’re very effective drugs. Meantime,” she said, producing a huge hypodermic syringe, “I’m going to give you a cortico-steroid injection to deal with the inflammation until the medication begins to take effect.”

She jabbed a very long needle into a particularly ticklish spot just above my hip. It took a lot of will-power not to levitate.

She was extremely professional, knowledgeable and an excellent communicator.

Two days later, I woke to a startling realisation. My entire body was comfortable. The injection had taken effect. For two long years, I had been so worried about my hands that I had all but ignored the rest of my body. I’d suffered completely needlessly.
Since my first visit to the rheumatologist, there have been time-consuming return visits, blood tests, and visits to other doctors to control some of the lesser symptoms, as well as negotiating with the medical aid society to have the medications added to my ‘chronic’ list so that they don’t cost us anything.

However, bringing this condition under control is very worthwhile. It means I can look forward to pain-free living, enjoy walking, going to gym, spending time with Leon, our children and grandchildren, and playing my flute to my heart’s delight.

I wish I’d listened to my body earlier this time round.

Until next time… ‘here comes Treble!’
© Copyright Reserved
By Isabel Bradley

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