Good morning on a bright and beautiful if cold October morning. What this means to those with Anorexia is pain. Pain especially in their hands and feet. The circulation become comromised, the sking dry and cracking, the pain unbearable and a pain which is impossible to alleviate. Some sweet soul suggested silver gloves which are used for other illnesses such as Reynaud’s and this might be a way forward. It is the inability to hold on to any heat that causes so much pain.
I remember Kae’s poor hands and feet. Gradually as things progressed her nails became infected both on her hands and feet. She used the thermal products that you crack and they give immediate warmth and that was fine for now but in 5-10 minutes we were back to freezing. Holding a hot cup became the only way to alleviate this pain however I worried that the cup was a disposable and the heat would burn her but that never seemed to happen. She would put a boiling hot water bottle with no cover between her thighs resulting in horrendous patterning which made me wince. Changing socks became obssessive as she felt that once her feet got cold that the only way to change things was to change her socks.
Not only hands and feet of course, her whole body was cold all of the time. She would wear so many layers to just try and trap the warmth between them. Always big sizes that swamped her but she didnt want people seeing her body. Leggings would be 3 or 4 pairs and I would try and get thermal ones, or lined ones, anything to help. Her feet were so bad and she had to have insoles, couldnt wear her boots, it all seemed to be so cruel. So much pain and yet she walked and walked and walked. She carried huge weight in her backpack of things for other people, of food to give to others and to want to see them enjoy it and be happy.
So as we enter the colder times and the begining of undending pain please think of these things. Please remember that they are not having a happy life by any means. They are suffering more than ever yet cannot take in extra food to try and help because that is the illness that they have.
This is not a choice this is a sentence to a living hell.
