2 new ulcers and a dream

My pain level has ranged from a 3 to a 7 lately.

I developed 2 new ulcers on the top of my left foot today. I am sad and aggravated. I am resisting what seems inevitable.

This winter has given us a smooth clear freeze on the lakes with no snow so far. Perfect for ice skating. Today I went out on the ice taking out a very large quad line (steerable) kite that I made a few years ago. I put on my ice skates and set up the kite. The wind was marginable but at times was strong enough to lift the kite airborne and pulled me for an incredibly exhilarating ride across the lake. This is something I have been dreaming about doing for years. I realized today that this may be the only chance I will ever have. It's rare that winter gives us such a nice clear freeze. And even if it does happen again, I may not be able to withstand the pain enough to enjoy it. I was out there about an hour and a half as the pain grew worse and worse. But I am glad I did it. I fulfilled a dream.

Notes

I continue to experience this new pain sensation from a month ago. It is in both ankles now and feels how I imagine athritis feels. More of an ache and soreness in the joint radiating in from the top of the ankle.

My pain level has been pretty steady around 3-4 for the last couple weeks even with this new pain.

I developed a new ulcer on my left shin about 10 cm above my ankle bone yesterday. I will post pictures shortly. I shaved the area to minimize the risk of infection and also so I can use the Duoderm dressing which is self adhesive.

Because it is further up my leg than any ulcer I have had in the past, I believe it is a another sign that my condition continues to progress. The ulcer on the interior of my right ankle has not fully healed yet.

I reviewed pictures from the past and noticed that the skin on my right shin where I had the "kicked in the shin" pain earlier has now developed purple discolored patches similar to those near my ankles.

I finished my last weekly session of 10 in a class called "Living with Pain" run by the MAPS pain clinic. It was a class with 8 people who all have chronic pain and lead by a psychologist. In the class we talked about the experience of pain in general, our personal experience and how outside factors can alter the pain experience. We talked about different ways to manage pain, different medical procedures, relaxation, medication and others. I found the class somewhat useful though nothing presented was really altogether revealing for me. Most of the information was fairly general in nature.