Knees Up

Since the hospital visit on the 22nd Feb (including the days leading up to it), my leg hasn’t been too good. It started with a small blister on the side of my knee and was really sore, stung like mad and was really painful, even though it was only a small one. Funny how it’s always the small ones that seem to be the most painful isn’t it?...

Anyway, by the time I woke up the next morning it seemed to have calmed down and it wasn’t as sore. But by that same evening, another blister surfaced, this one was bigger and more painful and it felt like my leg was on fire where the blister was. This same ‘process’ went on for several days. Up and down, up and down. Just as I thought 'ah, it's calming down' it started again, can't always get my hopes up when it 'seems' to clear up. It doesn't always necessarily mean it's cleared up altogether if you know what I mean?

After my hospital visit/experience though, well I’m not blaming the whole incident for my bad knee, but it certainly didn’t help as stress definitely seems to be a significant factor in triggering off the blistering as well as general infection these days. My knee just got worse, not bad enough for antibiotics but let’s just say it was very painful and generally made me feel ill within myself, as the blisters often do. It was too painful to straighten my knee at one point.

I’ve posted a few photos of my blistered knee. It’s the first time I’ve ever shared such pictures of my condition with my friends, let alone the public (apart from a couple I posted on my website when I felt brave enough one day). Yes the photos to some people may be a bit graphic, but at the end of the day I and no-one else can control how my condition is or can be. It is very unpredictable, as are the blisters. I never know where, when or as to how bad they will be. It’s just a case of taking it as it comes and dealing with it as and when. I've never known any different, and the blistering is the norm for me all part of the Ichthyosis.

So, apologies if I offend anyone by posting these pics, but as I’ve said previously, I started this blog not only to keep my friends up to date with what’s going on in my life (to a certain extent), but also to share my experiences of living with Ichthyosis and to raise awareness. I therefore, feel it is very important to tell/show it like it is, so that people can better understand just exactly what it means to have Ichthyosis (in my case Bullous/EHK) and what is involved. I now also have a bad cold which I think has developed in response to the blister. Sometimes when I get a flare up of blisters it can mean a full blown cold will soon follow. Somtimes it can take a while to develop into the cold, sometimes as long as a few weeks, which is what has happened here I think. This winter has been really rough here in the UK this year, and I've found it difficult if I'm completley honest because it's really hit me hard as regards my skin. But hey-ho, tomorrow is another day :-) (the photos were taken on the 4th & 5th march 2010 by the way).








Thanks for reading