Too Blotto to Blog

Hi friends.

My blog and myself have been absent for a few weeks. Swirling through my head are many thoughts, insights and personal discoveries about fibromyalgia and the pain patch Bu-Trans.

Recently, our family took a week-long vacation to Hawaii. It's as close to Heaven as I've ever been ( not counting a brief, teenaged fling with cannabis). I pigged out, lazed out, tired out, blissed out and made out ... with a dolphin! I'll get back to him in a later blog. Love ya, Kaleeah!

Naturally, my fibromyalgia came along for the ride. I adore the sun, the heat and summer. Unfortunately, it no longer loves me or my age. The heat does drain me of what little energy I have and tires me out very quickly. I've noticed for 3 consectutive summers that the fibro worsens in the heat. Tough break for a sun-lover, like myself.

While in Hawaii, I did experience some minor fibro pain but it was quite manageable until I went into the ocean. After that, I noticed increasing pain and soreness, particularly in the evenings. It was uncomfortable enough that I had to 'top up' with Tramacet. I thought it might be due to the stress of travelling, jet lag and the like. Probably, all these factors played a role in the build-up to a flare, despite the patch.

My pain patch is placed on my ass or thereabouts. In hindsight (pun intended), I can 'ass'certain that it was not the best locale. Every time I bent over, it pulled and stretched. At one point, it started to fold over on itself. In addition, I took a hot bath soon after arriving home. Shame I didn't remember that was verboten until AFTER I had the bath. If you add in the extra sweating (gross, I know), it had all the makings of The Perfect Storm: warm, salty ocean water, hot bath and excess sweat. My patch had been compromised!

When we arrived home on a Saturday, at 8:30 in the morning, I dropped my luggage and dropped into bed. I slept for 11 hours and would have likely slept longer had my husband not awakened me. The next few days were a blur of fatigue, bed-seeking, pain, piles of laundry and did I mention pain? By Thursday I was in full-flare mode. I missed a school-clothes shopping excursion across the U.S. border with my daughter and husband. As it was, I had nothing to declare - only that I was in another effin' flare.

For almost 4 days I slept, mostly, slipping in and out of consciousness. Perhaps that's a good thing when you're feeling the pain. I recall that scratching an itch on my face became a major endeavour because my arm felt like a cinder block.

Having the flare was bad enough and I panicked with the thought that my patch was no longer working. I was terribly afraid and anxious that I'd have to up the dosage [which I am trying to avoid]. At the time, I was unsure if it was a flare brought on by the travelling or the fibro coming back to bite my ass, full-time.

Today is Monday and I am almost back to normal - which is a relative term. I have a few minor aches but it seems the fibro is back under control. I likely won't have to up the dosage on the patch... for now.

I learned some do's and don'ts while wearing Bu-Trans: if you insist on wearing the patch below the belt, keep yer ass outta hot water!