SoCS October 23

Linda is our host for SoCS. It is easy to write a stream of consciousness post because it means I don’t give it thought ahead of time.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “body parts.” Pick a body part and talk about it. Make sure to leave a comment below or put a disclaimer at the top of your post if it’s NSFW! There are people who participate in SoCS and love to support others, but not every one will want to read about private parts. Have fun!

I tried to think about a specific body part to write about. I could write about so many things because just like everyone else, I have lots of parts. My brain went a different way so I am going to go with the flow.

I started thinking about the body parts that have gone awry from what they were intended for.

My giant feet have been plagued by plantar fasciitis for more than 30 years. Most people have it for between six months and a year. Most people who get it are runners. I was an avid walker before the disability, but never a runner. Most people have it in one foot. I have it in both. There were years when I could not walk more than ten feet without a cane. There were a variety of specialists. There were some very painful treatments.  There were some terrible long term prognosis given to me. The bottom line though, is that with acupuncture, PT, chiropractic treatments, and sometimes CBD, I am not in horrible constant pain any longer. I count my steps, and I take care of my feet.   

Osteoarthritis has continued to consume more and more places in my body. I continue to fight the villain with mostly alternative treatments. When necessary, I take the meds needed to function. My knees, shoulders, hips, wrists, toes, back, and fingers have all joined the group.  Rheumatoid arthritis began in my fingers. It was quite frightening to not be able to move my fingers at all. The pain is more severe than I ever expected.

My poor eyes have changed every year of my life. I have never had the same prescription two years in a row. I wore coke bottle lenses for years before undergoing radial keratotomy surgery. It was such a strange experience because you are awake as the blades come down on your eye. My doctor was a world renowned eye specialist who also did eye transplants. Now my eyes are getting worse every year and I was told that it is not unusual after 25 years for the procedure to lesson in its effectiveness. That’s a scary thought.

My super sensitive skin is highly allergic to numerous things. A simple mosquito or spider bite often turns into a need for an urgent care visit. Normal cleaners, detergents, lotions, and potions are very dangerous if I come in contact with them.   

I won’t even go into the internal organs that have failed me. The list is too long and can be overwhelming. Too be honest, there are some days that it is all too much for me. Luckily, those days are few and far between.

I am who I am. I have been given this body with all of its flawed body parts and all its idiosyncrasies. I search for treatments that make my life better. I limit the RX whenever I can. I try to take care of myself.  I cherish the good days I have. I am still working on not overdoing it when I have a good day. This is the only body I get this time, on this planet.