I have to admit that I have always been a bit proud of my legs, I feel that they are one of my best features. Unfortunately the Lord has decided to humble me yet again (I am REALLY prideful) and has stricken my legs with a horrible skin condition called erythema nodosum. It is a side effect of my ulcerative colitis, my GI told me that I really have the worst luck because most people don't have to worry about this after having the colon removed, yeah for me! So what has happened is the inflammation effecting my guts has moved to my legs and caused these nodules to form, when they first started coming they just looked like little bruises that hurt like crazy, that's what I thought they were until I started getting them all over both of the lower portions of my legs. The one on my right leg is the worst and is almost 4in in diameter. So besides looking like I have been beat up the problem with this skin condition is that the nodes hurt really bad and after being on my feet all day I can just feel the heat coming from my legs, plus you can't tell too much in these pictures by my ankles swell up to atleast twice their regular size, I feel like an elephant! Plus, it also causes arthritis, so usually my joints take turns hurting which is good because it doesn't totally leave me unable to do things like it would if they hurt all at once. Today is my ankles, elbows, and left wrist, but it has effected my shoulders, SI joint, and especially my knees. My knees don't hurt to much anymore though, only if I am trying to stand up or sit down. So all in all the arthritis is much worse than anything else and somedays I can hardly walk. I do feel fortunate though because the GI also said that if I had a colon it would be totally inflamed now, well since my colon was never not inflamed I count this as a blessing because I have no doubt it would have gotten even worse. So what do we do for this? Steroids, they are the answer to everything it seems like. I just hope it won't take to high of a dose before the inflammation goes away because if this is anything like my colon than I am going to be on 40mg before I even begin to get relief, and we all know how I love steroids!
So the pictures really don't do it justice, it looks ten times worse than this in real life, I am just so happy that the weather is getting cooler so that I can wear pants and long skirts, there is no way I am walking around showing people my red/purple bruises and my elephant ankles!
5 comments:
Wow that looks really painful, I would have to cringe if I saw it in real life. From the pictures though your legs still look fantabulous! Mine look swollen all the time...but that's just cuz they are huge!
Hopefully the steroids work at a low dosage, we'll keep you in our prayers!
Oh, Sarah! My heart just aches for you! When you decide to have surgery, aren't you thinking that the pain and agony will go away? I'm so sorry you have to deal with this and I hope you find relief. Steroids suck! We can be 40mg prednisone buddies right now because that is what I am on. I'm praying for you!!!
You poor thing. I hope that they get looking and feeling better pronto. I was wondering, do steroids make you feel aggressive? I was taking some for my ear ache the other week and I felt like tackling people.
Ouch! You know your luck was pretty good for a while. Trials gotta come to remind us of our blessings, right? Arthritis, huh? Sounds like a lot of achy days ahead. But, you know what? You´re pretty tough and you take care of yourself pretty well. So, hopefully the steroids help at least control it. At least you´re conscious of the things going on around ya. My grandma has a certain sickness in the marrow of the bone thats uncurable and untreatable. So, with all her doctor´s visits and drugs she hasn´t been real consicious of what is going on around her. Count your blessings. There is always somebody better than you and there is always somebody worse off than you. Love ya, girl.
Sarah, I think that you are the strongest person I know. Even when you feel that you're not I will always hold you in high esteam. If I could choose to be like anyone it would be you. Seriously, you are amazing to me and I hope that this passes for you quickly! You'll always be in my prayers!
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