Flare Time

Last night I had a really terrible arthritis flare, one like I haven't had in a long time.

Phil and I had plans to go fishing last night for catfish at the lake, but about two hours before we were supposed to go I started not feeling well. I told him to go on without me though, because there was nothing he could do to help me and my mom was here if I needed anything, and I was starting to feel better, but just thought it was best to rest.

About ten minutes after he left, I was in the kitchen helping my mom finish dinner, when my knees started to swell up and throb, and the pain went up my leg. And it go to the point where during dinner, the rest of my body started swelling up and getting very stiff and sore, and I could barely feed myself dinner because my hands and arms hurt so bad.

After dinner I decided to lay down in my bed, and took my anti-inflammatory pill and my muscle relaxer that I normally use for back pain. I laid down in bed and started getting the chills, which I knew right then that I was having an arthritis flare up. My temperature gets high and I get the chills because my body is fighting off the flare. I found some Advil as I was out of the Tylenol I normally take, and was able to get a few hours sleep, and when I woke up, I was drenched in sweat, which is what I wanted because then I knew my fever broke and I would start feeling better soon.

I was finally able to get to sleep around midnight and Phil came home from fishing around 6am and was so sad to hear what I had gone through during the night, but I was actually glad that I was by myself because when I get that sick like that, I really just want to be left alone and ride it out because I just like to be miserable by myself. That's why I didn't let him know I was going through such a hard time, plus my mom was here if I did need anything.

When I woke up this morning, my body was feeling so much better. Most of the time, by the next morning, I am feeling back to normal. But the index finger on my right hand was very swollen and tight feeling, and it has not changed all day. I have been putting ice on it to see if I could get the swelling to go down, and it hasn't. So if it is still the same way tomorrow, then I am going to call my arthritis doctor and let him know and see if he has any suggestions as to how to fix it, or see if he needs to see me. Phil is really worried about my finger being like this, as is my mom, and they don't want to see this finger turn into anything worse, but I really just feel like it is the last of my flare and keeping ice on it until I go to bed tonight will help the swelling go down in the night.

Brandi was such a good dog last night though. I really think she can sense that I wasn't feeling well. Her and I have gotten really close, I think mainly because I have really been working with her, training her on behavior and walking on the leash without pulling, and during the day when Phil is working it is just me and her hanging out, because with the weather above 100 degrees, I no longer keep her outside after noon. But last night she sat either right at my feet or up toward my head, sleeping with me and making sure I was OK, and sometimes just staring at me and putting a paw on me to let me know she was there. Even now, as I write this, she is laying on the pillow I have my laptop on just starting at me, I suppose to let me know she is here in case she needs me. I really lucked out in finding her at the Humane Society, she has really turned out to be an amazing dog, and companion.