My eyes were still so swollen this morning that I couldn't apply liquid liner.

that's some serious shit. I hope that you feel better soon.

that's some serious shit. I hope that you feel better soon.

What Vortex said. Jilli, I meant to say, you are most certainly not an imposter.

Thanks for the kind words, folks. The problem is, I don't feel like an impostor when it comes to my personality/how I present myself/my involvement in the Goth world. Nooo, I feel like an impostor at work. I trap myself in spirals of worry about not being able to do my job, and that all the smoke and mirrors I've used to hide my inability and slackerdom are not up to the task of diverting everyone anymore.

In other words, part of my brain is trying to break me, and I need to ignore it.

that's some serious shit. I hope that you feel better soon.

Pete made sure there was mac & cheese for dinner (comfort food!), and this morning's eye makeup experiment to hide my swollen eyes turned out pretty well: [link]

Avoiding nightshades has been SOP for the systemic psoriasis since I kicked the steroid topicals to the curb. When I made dinner for Mom and sampled her mashed potatoes ("just to see that they were right", yeah), I could feel the achiness next day. I mostly avoid them, consequences being what they are. But I do slip occasionally, mostly on purpose, having weighed cost/benefit.

Sometimes a day of achey hell is worth a homegrown 'mater sammich on wheat bread with mayo and salt and paprika. Say, once a year.

bonny,

my friend went on a "no inflammation" diet because she was experiencing some arthritis symptoms. She cut out all meat (except seafood) and some other shit. She said she feels really good.

I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong with my foot. I have pain along the lateral edge (along the side just below my pinky toe). It hurts when I bear weight along that side of my foot. From the research I've done, it sounds like a broken metatarsal bone but I had it x-rayed yesterday and no break. I see my doc about it on Friday.

I'm really thinking of giving a "no inflammation" diet a shot. Not thrilled at the prospect but if it meant cutting out some constant low-grade pain and unpleasantness, well, that's not a bad thing.

From the research I've done, it sounds like a broken metatarsal bone but I had it x-rayed yesterday and no break. I see my doc about it on Friday.

I had a weird fractured metatarsal in high school that only showed on the last xray. It was something that only "twisted" apart sometimes. So it mostly sat together and didn't hurt awfully and then my foot would do something and it was crazy pain. Needed to get the crazy pain happening during an xray.

But it was also the foot that got smushed by the driver's ed car a year earlier so I have no idea what was really going on inside it.

I do hope you get an answer and a solution from your doc.

Anti-inflamatory ~ma to all of you who are in pain.

Jilli, I'm sorry you are having a rough time with the brain-monster.

Huh. Does the taste mean you have enough potassium? Because I always taste that, which is why I don't drink V8 or tomato juice from the cans anymore. I do like V8 juice, though.

I don't hate that metallic taste. In fact, it takes me back to a happy childhood memory - a friend I used to play with, her parents kept stock of little cans of fruit juice in the basement of their home. When I played with her, she would always offer me one. As my parents were firm believers in milk and water, juice was a treat.

But in that particular circumstance, when I am short on potassium, I do take the re-emergence of the taste as a signal to stop and assess how my body is feeling, muscle cramps-wise. As I tend to be still in the parking lot of the grocery store where I bought the V8, it is usually a good time to drive home. Then if need be, I can drink some more at home.

didn't hurt awfully and then my foot would do something and it was crazy pain

Yes. This. Not looking forward to the doc manipulating my foot, but whatever it takes to get an answer.

Oh, yikes, Suzi. I was kinda hoping my story wouldn't be familiar to you. Good news: one crutch and just not putting weight on the foot (but generally letting it touch the ground was fine) let it heal.