The itching catches up

Finally, its itching. Everyone has been asking, how do I cope with the itching? To which I say, it doesn't itch.

Until today, that is.

I suspect part of the trouble is the fact that I have started jogging again the last few weeks - only two sessions a week, and I don't exactly do much, but obviously I sweat, and I guess it builds up.

The lymphoedema swelling comes and goes, and I imagine is also a key contributing factor - it tends to swell to fit the cast, which means there is no room for the skin to breathe. Heaven knows what state my skin will be in come October 15th when the cast comes off - I keep imagining it all rotting underneath. It certainly smells a bit now - like cheesy feet. Not very pleasant.

I have just taken a couple of paracetemol/codeine capsules in the hope it will ease things: it was also twinging a bit - not sure whether that's down to the tendons or not, but maybe I've pushed it a bit too hard the last few days. It certainly took a lot more than usual when we were babysitting young Alfers on Saturday (as did most of the muscles in my body, I felt like I'd spent ten rounds in the ring not a few hours with a baby nearly ten months old!)

So, doing my normal lymphoedema exercises morning and night is more or less back on track - I have been really shocked how easy it is to lose the habit though, after - what - eight or nine years I would have thought it was pretty ingrained, but in the first week of breaking my arm it hurt to do anything, and after that I found I just kept forgetting - didn't even think about it! I've had to really work at it - if I get to the office and realise I forgot to exercise, I make myself go into the corridor and do it.

Hmm, arm under cast does feel hot and sweaty (and still very itchy around the wrist, maybe it is the bone healing?), though fingers are not too swollen at the moment. Painkillers have kicked in - I guess it just needs a rest. Time for bed then :-)