The Worst Winter On Record With Psoriatic Arthritis

So much has been in the news about Texas and how they are faring with this winter snow. See, I live in Louisiana and only 40 short minutes from the Texas state line. I am lucky that we are not on the same power grid, we did have power throughout the winter storm.

However, with that being said, my psoriatic arthritis was not happy with me or the weather all week.

The impact of a winter storm

In January, we had some snow. See here in Louisiana, when it snows, everything shuts down. There are no snowplows available to keep the streets passable. Most of the major roadways or interstates shut down. That storm and snow only lasted a day. See, that is what we are used to here.

However, this past month has been unlike anything we have ever experienced. We got snow on Sunday. It was still on the ground Tuesday. Wednesday came ice on top of that snow, along with more snow.

There were many busted pipes, roofs collapsing, carports falling on cars because of the weight of the ice and snow. Sadly, right here in my city, there were deaths.

The cold winter is a hindrance!

I used to love winter. The cooler days seemed to a blessing from all the heat we experience during the summer. Now, seven years into my psoriatic arthritis journey, the cold winter is more of a hindrance.

The winds just seem to cut right through my clothes and go straight to my bones. The cold air makes me tense up and the pain is almost immediate. To make matters worse, I am dealing with a tear in the meniscus in my knee. I have been flaring something awful.

I had also been taking care of my one-year-old granddaughter during the storm. Her parents only have electricity so they feared losing power. I was happy to get to spend that time with her since they live three hours away. However, what I did not take into consideration was the toll it would have on my already raging flare.

Recovering from the snow

The Louisiana weather is crazy at best. One week we are dealing with the snow and ice with 6-degree temperatures. This week we are topping out at the mid-70s. There is no snow to be found. My granddaughter is at home with her parents.

My body hurts beyond belief. I am spending my days with a heating pad. The mental and physical fatigue is overwhelming.

As for that terrible week of snow, it was one of the toughest weeks I have gone through mentally and physically. I do not mind telling you that at one point, I actually cried. It showed me that my psoriatic arthritis is not under control.

Have you ever had an event like this show you that your psoriatic arthritis is not under control?