Sincere Thanks to the Conklin Hand Dryers

It's gettin' cold out. As much as I love Autumn for its pumpkin coffee, apple cider doughnuts, and the ability to wear boots at every possible moment, I hate that the temperature is slowly dropping. That means Winter isn't very far behind. I hate the cold weather, since it makes RA symptoms worse. The flares are longer and move severe, and the numbing cold is harder to tolerate. Plus, some people with RA run constant low-grade fevers, which means getting the chills more frequently.

It's definitely the most difficult time of the year to function. The worst part? The cold weather is also right smack in the middle of the school year. Sometimes I wish that my parents took one of the opportunities they were given to move to warmer States.

So, what's a girl to do?

I realized that I needed to be crafty.  Stiffness is always unavoidable during the Winter. I needed a quick solution to unfreeze my hands while on campus, since I don't have the comforts of home. I spend most of my time in Conklin Hall when I'm on campus, since I work there. It dawned on me one day when I was in the bathroom: the hand dryers!

Believe me, I’m not as crazy as this sounds.  Here’s the thing: when you have RA, you’re in pain most of the time.  Even on days when the fatigue doesn’t hit you, you’re bound to have joint pain.  Since being negative and complaining about it usually only makes it worse, at least for me, I try to find other ways to find some temporary relief.  Along with my daily doses of medication, I’ve noticed that heat does wonders for my joints. Hence the hand dryer. On cold days, rainy days, or any other day that I’m flaring, I go into the bathroom at work every so often just to run my hands under the air dryers. I find that it loosens up my joints just enough to make it easier for me to type.  Okay, maybe I am crazy, but I’d rather have people look at me like I’m nuts than not be able to do anything productive all day.

I’m stuck with this disease for the rest of my life.  It’s not going to magically get better one day.  The best approach to finding relief is a proactive one, whether that means holding a hair dryer to your toes or wrapping yourself up in an electric blanket.  Even the most rudimentary methods will help.  Trust me.