As an arthritic human, my immune system basically doesn’t work. It attacks my joints instead of attacking the stuff that it’s meant to fight. Which is a bit of a ball ache, really.
But it’s not just about getting illnesses more easily. Sometimes your immune system can be so low that you just don’t show symptoms. Which is dangerous, because then you could be ill and not know of it. This used to worry my mother a lot, and if I had the slightest temperature I’d be straight to out of hours. However, now I’m an adult and I have to manage my own shit show of a body myself, I get super complacent. I’m the worst for just sitting on an issue for ages before actually seeing a doctor about it. Because I have to be in hospitals a lot anyway, so why would I choose to go when I don’t want to? This is my mentality sometimes. I’m getting better with it though, I promise!
Bodies are gross. This is no secret. But one thing I’ve noticed as I’ve came into being my own woman is that I like to shave (I’m only talking about legs here Mam, please don’t worry I’m not going there). I see many posts about getting into the bath, shaving your legs, getting into fresh bed sheets, etc.. WELL much like good physical and mental health, that type of goodness just cannot happen to me.
I bet you never thought of that. Because I didn’t either.
If I want to shave I have to make sure I use a clean towel afterwards and basically avoid wearing clothes for like 24 hours unless I want a skin infection.
Another thing that I simply cannot do normally is shower. I have what I’ve named my ‘mobility shower’ every morning. I’m a very clean human. But if I don’t block my ears with ear plugs EVEN ONCE, boom, ear infection. That also sucks because sticking cotton wool and vaseline into your lugs every time you want to wash your hair is a right faff.
My terrible immune system also means that I could have a viral issue or an illness and be blissfully unaware of it. This is why I seldom get colds. The bodies way of fighting such ailments off is to show symptoms, which mine simply doesn’t do sometimes. I’m not complaining, because colds suck. I get to watch you all suffer whilst my body works overdrive to fight something off that I don’t even know is there! From my perspective that’s pretty cool, but if something kills me one day I probably won’t be laughing (much).
I do not believe that any of this is actual medical fact so please do not quote me on any of this. It is just my own personal experience of many years.
Thanks once more for placating me, if you made it this far. Good for you.
Painfully,
ME.
Growing Pains 