December , 2010

A reflection from 10 years back. From what I can remember, I was working at the Medical research center at Doha and was told that my grandfather, who was a very important part of my life was sick with a hemorrhage. Born in 1917, he was 93 then. He passed away on December 10,2020. I travelled that night to Kochi airport- my mother had already gone home to her ancestral home and it was just my father and my nephews and niece there.Together we drove to Kozhencherry our ancestral place for my grandfather’s funeral.

December 7, 2020

After my previous blog, I have to say I feel better. My finger is still crooked. Two X-rays and ortho consultations later, they haven’t been able to find the cause of the subluxation of my joint in my right thumb but now we have a name for it- a subluxated inter phalangeal joint.

As to how I became better- the way I usually adopt when I am in trouble- I prayed for healing. I am not sure how it happened but somewhere in the middle of my prayers it stuck me that all my ills had started from the time I moved to Kerala, hot water soothed the pain, cold water aggravated it and apart from my thumb joint almost all my finger bones and joints( I can’t say which) hurt really badly. I also noticed the palpitations I had had in Doha in May had become more frequent- even my fitbit told me my heart rate was too fast on a few occasions. Mid october I was plagued by extreme fatigue and couldn’t get up from the couch in front of the TV where I spent most of my time after my husband went to work. It was a task to get up to get to the kitchen. Domestic chores like cleaning and mopping went to the back burner, never to be done. It was a horrific time.

I researched a bit during my couch days and I finally decided to try various supplements. Someone mentioned on Youtube that trigger finger improved with Vitamin B6- so I ordered some online and started myself on those pills. I forgot to mention the pedal oedema in my feet which has been there on and off for five years. As a thiamine deficiency could cause this, I started myself on Vitamin B1 tablets too. Soon it was the turn of B12 to get added to this family. I had been on various diets for so many years that I would not been surprised if I had a lot of nutritional deficiencies. And there was my PICA- on occasion, I had a chocolate craving and just had to eat all the bars in the house or get cup of hot chocolate. My hair was breaking off from everywhere and I had only a rat tail for a pig tail. Seems like my gum bleeds could be scurvy so vitamin C was added and then iron because I menopausal, and when I have my periods, they went on for two months( surely I was anemic). So in went iron. So far, I was on B6, B1, B12, iron, vitamin C.

Finally I decided I was protein deficient because being Indian I lean towards vegetarian food and do avoid meat and fish when I can. So I started off on collagen powders and this is when the tide actually turned. Concentrating on protein rich foods has helped me a lot. I have no more joint stiffness and the subluxated joint is almost back to normal. I can type again. Best of all, I can sit up and do some domestic chores without getting exhausted. Oh I forgot to mention, that Magnesium was also added to my list of supplements.

So my days now pass with trying to remember what pills I have consumed and what remain. Also focussing on my diet and trying to eat proteins. It has been a crazy few months- from good healthy to total deterioration. Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil- for thou art with me. Thy rod and staff they comfort me.