This week you’ll find me inside women’s mag, Pick Me Up (Issue 14, Apr 4).  For the first time away from this blog I decided to share my experience of a condition I have called Raynaud’s disease.  I spoke about it here last year and Pick Me Up were really keen to hear more about my story.

Raynaud’s isn’t an uncommon disease, in fact, it’s not so much a disease, more a phenomenon.  It’s not normal and doesn’t affect every person but there are quite a few people in the UK alone suffering with the condition that causes numbing, coldness and pain.  What happens when a Raynaud’s attack strikes is the heart stops pumping blood to certain areas of the body in an attempt to concentrate on the important inner organs.  Feeling cold or anxious can trigger an attack, although it’s not as simple as wearing plenty clothes and sitting by a radiator.

How badly Raynaud’s affects you is also varied among people, with some people dealing with one or two fingers, whilst others have a more complicated array of body areas affected, including the hands and feet, ears and nose.  Basically, any part of the body that’s an extremity and isn’t essential of the body’s functionality to survive can be affected.  For me personally, it’s my hands, feet and nipples that come under attack and let me tell you, describing the feeling as numb doesn’t even touch on it as the pain it incurs is incredibly painful.  I liken the sensations to plunging my hands and feet into ice cold water and cigarette burns in my most sensitive areas.

I wanted to share my experience so publicly because you’d be surprised just how many people suffer with Raynaud’s and yet not know they have it.  Having my story published in a widely read magazine seemed the perfect place to open up and I really hope I’ve provided some food for thought for even one sufferer.

So here it is, if you’ve not had chance to buy a copy or sneak a peek in a newsagents’.  🙂