Dry Hot Weather and Fibromyalgia / Rheumatoid Arthritis

We have been having a heatwave in the Canary Islands since last weekend until Wednesday of this week, and in particular Lanzarote and Fuerteventura were hit with temperatures of over 40C degrees (105F).

My body transformed into a state of joy during that time. I almost felt like I could fly and even went swimming one day, something I usually do not do without my small bodyboard that I have to use because of shoulder pain and weakness after just a few seconds of moving my arms in the water. Of course, it has been proven over and over again, that dry heat (the humidity was down to 20%) is extremely beneficial to illnesses like fibromyalgia and all types of arthritis, but I do not remember having *six* days in a row of being in almost no pain and with seemingly boundless energy. I felt like a “normal”, healthy person, for a change.  

But then, heatwaves never last, and long remissions of these “invisible disabilities” (especially fibro) don´t either, sadly.

Today, the delayed shock to my system of the temperature suddenly being 15 degrees lower again yesterday, has brought me back into the painful reality that I am *not* a “normal”, healthy person after all.

Waking up with a tension headache this morning spreading into my neck and upper back wasn´t the worst of it, but the realisation that a couple of hours after getting up the wrist, shoulder and hip pain wasn´t going to shift, and didn´t shift after a couple of painkillers (Nolotil) either. And wondering for how long it was going to stay this bad this time. 

Don´t get me wrong, I am extremely grateful that the Universe has granted me a whopping 6 days of feeling amazing, and 95% of the time I am a positive person and try to see the positive in any situation.  

However, when each time you open or close a door, walk some stairs, put on or take off your clothes, carry very light shopping and clean out the cat litterbox – any tiny chore really – you are reminded of pain and weakness in your limbs, it´s so damn difficult to stay positive….

The Canary Islands are an autonomous community of Spain, but are situated quite far from the Spanish mainland off the West Coast of Africa.