playing a little....

Right hands two weeks apart. Same lighting and background. The skin looks a little better on the right hand, more recent picture. The joints appear ever so slightly smaller. It has only been two weeks, though.....

Left hands, same description as above. The joints are smaller as the left hand picture I couldn't get my ring on and the right I could. The skin doesn't look very different to me. I guess it is mostly how it feels. I can move my hands and hold a pen or pencil with my right hand again. That is such a great thing!

October 6, 2008

Right hands side by side, one week apart. I don't see a big difference. The two outside shots are both from today, with different background and lighting.

Left hands side by side, one week apart. I don't see a big difference. The two outside shots are both from today, with different background and lighting.

October 6, 2008

Left hand: I have been using Melrose essential oil for the skin and PanAway for the joints, just on the ring finger. I put my ring on for the first time in about 6 months last week. It was very exciting as the joint swelling has gone down quite a bit. My hand works well and the joints aren't very stiff, even in the morning.



Right hand: It is still deformed, as I think it will always be. The skin is doing much better. I'm using the same regimen on the right as on the left with the exception of the PanAway, that goes on all the joints of the right hand. The joints are still somewhat stiff in the morning, but loosen up when I apply the PanAway. The skin is not peeling as much, still a little on the palm side. The nails are still pitted badly, I haven't found anything that will heal that as yet. The itching is all but gone, when I peeled a kiwi yesterday for the kids, the itching got really bad, so that is something I will be staying away from. No more night-time itching now, though.



I tried to take pictures of just the fingernails, but they didn't turn out. The nails on the right hand are pitted and ridged. I haven't found anything that is making a big difference yet, except the essential oil Frankinscense. I put a drop on all the nails and there is no pain from the deep ridges that are currently growing out.

My hands look better and feel great. We will see what the next week holds for me!

September 29, 2008

Right hand side by side one week apart.

September 29, 2008

Left hand side by side one week apart.

September 29, 2008

The skin on the back of the left hand is almost all healed up. The joints are fairly fluid and the swelling is down, I can put my wedding ring on again!

The palm of the left hand is still a little wrinkled looking

but the peeling and blisters are gone. The itching is gone also.

Now the right hand, the joints are still fairly swollen and not very fluid at all. Yesterday, I couldn't bend my thumb at all. Today, it bends almost at normal, but not quite. The joint of the first finger is quite swollen. The skin is healing nicely. The itching is mostly gone, except on the pinkie finger between the top two joint. The skin on the first finger itches at the same place.

The right palm is looking better. There is still some peeling cracking, but the itching is gone as are the blisters. I can see on the pinkie finger that the second joint if very swollen. This hand is going to be a hard one to get better.