I can’t take damp cold anymore. Actually, I can’t even take damp mild temperatures. My hands go white and numb instantly, my legs ache, and when it’s really getting to me I feel cold even in my core. This has been going on for several months, pretty much since the start of winter I think.
The first time I remember it really hitting me was when Jenn and I were in Sointula, meeting with some builders and land clearing guys one morning at our property. It was fairly cold, like 3 or 4 degrees C, and the air is always really damp up there, but I was dressed appropriately — I was wearing my trusty puffy down jacket, a few cozy layers under that, jeans, and some wool socks and boots, but within just a few minutes my legs were cramping up like crazy. I was trying to have normal conversations with these guys but I had to stomp my feet and march on the spot because my legs were so cold they ached. I was shivering constantly too. That was the first time I was like “wtf is going on with me right now?” And since then, it’s been more or less constant, and on days when it’s not even really cold. It will be 10 degrees out but a little windy or misty, and after being outside for five minutes my hands are completely pale and numb and I’m shivering like I’m in my underwear in the arctic.
Besides this, I’m pretty dang healthy. I’m get lots of exercise almost every day and never get sick. I’ve only had two colds in the last 10 years, each was minor and lasted a few days. That’s it, so this is pretty perplexing. Jenn keeps joking that I’m dying, which I find hilarious. Honestly though, any time I encounter mysterious symptoms like this my guess is cancer. I don’t actually think it’s cancer, but it’s possible. If in five, 10 years I suddenly get worse and docs are like “you’ve got terminal cancer, Chip. Looks like it’s been going on for quite some time. You’re gonna die,” I wouldn’t be entirely shocked. It would actually be pretty funny considering Jenn’s “you’re dying” joke. Well, I say that now but it’s quite possible I would be a little less “har de har har” when actually confronted with dying soon. But maybe not! One never knows, one never knows.
crimson highway 