Wish I was a real artist...

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Verapamil

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Since July 11, I've been applying  Transdermal Verapamil 15%  to both palms. It's hard to tell whether it's helping or not. I know it can take several months to notice any difference. From the little I know, Verapamil – an oral medication used to treat heart issues – has the potential to  " block voltage-gated calcium channels in cardiac nodes and vessel lining smooth muscle" and " decrease myofibroblast-mediated contracture." What does THAT mean?!   According to the Mayo Clinic , "Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker. It works by affecting the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels. As a result, verapamil relaxes blood vessels and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload."  Since I tend to have low blood pressure, my physician's assistant advised me to monitor mine once I start using topical Verapamil. Some of my questions were answered on this  FAQ page  about topi...
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I just can’t look

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See that ridge on lower right side of the second finger in the photo? I think it’s a cord starting to run up my middle finger. But I can’t bear to look at it for very long. It’s hard to scrutinize and study the cords and nodules in my left palm. Because then my mind wanders beyond what I see. What will my palm look like next month? Where will this Dupuytren’s disease take me in a year? How did it find me? Is it really for real? It’s not really about why me because things happen to anyone and everyone. But still, I wonder why me?   A few days ago, I tried to come up with descriptions of what my left hand feels like. Tight. Crowded. Sharp pain if I accidentally jab a nodule. Prickly at times. A constant sensation of being bruised or slightly achy. I can still fully open and extend that hand open, which is good and is a blessing. But it's very uncomfortable to do so.   Since Dup came on board, I look at other people's hands more often. I notice how smooth their palms are and how ...
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One day at a time

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I'm a journalist by profession and training. Since my high school days, it's been part of my nature to document, document, document. Whatever I learn and/or experience, I also want to share if it can help someone else. S o here we are. Me and Dup. That's what I've decided to name this new addition to my life. Dup's short for Dupuytren's disease. But you already know if you're reading this. If we ever meet up, don't be surprised if I show you my left hand. It's not because I want pity or even special attention. It's because I want to make you aware of this crazy disease. Not many know about it. I sure didn't. But turns out there's a lot of us out there. I've read different statistics, but roughly 8.2 percent of people around the world suffer from this debilitating but benign condition. It's no fun. And it's worse for some than for others. That's the thing — Dupuytren's affects everyone differently. So far, t...
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