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May 24th, 2007

I have ailments

ailments

[This cartoon is a repeat]

I have not been feeling very well today. It started last night with a slightly dazed feeling and a headache and then I had a numbness of the side of my face and tingling in my right arm. It was similar to how I was in March, but a bit different. I rang NHS Direct, who decided that I was suffering from anxiety. This was indeed true as I was feeling anxious because I had a slightly dazed feeling and a headache and a numbness of the side of my face and tingling in my right arm.

Today I went to the doctor who said that I did not have problems. This is what they always say when I go to the doctor. I am thankful that I do not have problems of course, but the problem with being told you do not have problems is that not having problems does not make the problems go away.

I think the ‘anxiety’ diagnosis is worth considering though. If anyone has any messages along the lines of ‘the world is lovely and you do not need to worry about anything’ then please do feel free to leave them. I will meditate upon them whilst sitting around tomorrow trying hard to feel better and unanxious.

In the meantime I must remind myself that there are of course many millions of people with greater needs in the world than I. Take the appeal for Darfur and Chad, which was launched today or recently.

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21 Responses to “I have ailments”


  1. Ann says:

    prayers for you – I think they have cause and effect mixed up.

    May 25th, 2007 at 1:43 am
  2. Ian says:

    “the world is lovely and you do not need to worry about anything”.

    Feel better?

    Lots of prayers ascending from Down Under: God bless.

    May 25th, 2007 at 3:59 am
  3. Jane E. says:

    Man… You’re the first person I’ve “met” that feels anxious about his anxiety situation. What a vicious circle, I hope you’re feeling better though :)

    May 25th, 2007 at 6:05 am
  4. Anne says:

    That’s strange in the past I’ve had numbness in the side of my face and tingly right arm too. The doctor couldn’t put his finger on why. I’ll let you know if my doc ever works out why.

    May 25th, 2007 at 7:46 am
  5. Kate says:

    I’ve got ailments too – which is probably no help in the ‘the world is lovely’ stakes but there we go. I don’t think mine is anxiety related though, I think it’s more headache and raging throat related.

    One of the hardest parts about being a grownup is having to decide for yourself whether or not you are well enough to go to school. I will use my mother’s failsafe method and take my temperature shortly. If it’s all ‘normal’ I shall go to school.

    Of course – one problem with following mother’s methods is that if one hasn’t been to work due to the illness, one then isn’t allowed to do anything fun in the evening.

    Let’s hope we’re both better soon, eh?

    K.

    May 25th, 2007 at 8:55 am
  6. Jack the Lass says:

    Oh dear, there seems to be quite a lot of ailments going round – I am at (hopefully) the tail end of a migraine, of which I have had a lot recently. If it’s any comfort, at least you don’t have nurse training. If you did, you (like me) would spend that time in the small hours of the morning when you’re wide awake but shouldn’t be diagnosing yourself with all sorts of silly and totally ludicrous and unlikely things that would make you much more anxious.

    I think I am going to start a campaign against being awake in the small hours of the morning. Previously I have diagnosed myself with brain tumours and amoebic dysentery (not on the same occasion, fortunately) at that time of the morning, when it was just a case of being a big girl’s blouse (with a bit of food poisoning thrown in). In the morning I am much more sensible.

    All of which to say, hope you feel much better soon.

    May 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
  7. Nicola says:

    Hi Dave – I had nervous ailments a couple of days ago too (mostly caused by the PCC, but that’s another story…). I too was slapping myself about because of Darfur, but then God made a friend call me to comfort me. She was trying to go out but God made her ring me, even though she had no idea why and really didn’t want to. So you see God’s big enough to care about Darfur AND your tingly problems… you’re in my prayers.

    May 25th, 2007 at 10:15 am
  8. Farli says:

    The world is indeed exceedingly lovely in many and various ways and you do not need to worry or fret or be anxious about anything at all.

    No, really.

    May 25th, 2007 at 10:18 am
  9. Cathryn says:

    these exact symptoms happened to my friend in very early pregnancy…. Is there something you’re not telling us?

    May 25th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
  10. ruth says:

    My mother would say you’ve been sitting or lying in a draft. The nights are hotter at the mo – have you had your bedroom window open at night? According to my mother, drafts give rise to lots of symptoms. I once had streaming eyes for several days – “because I’d been in a draft”, apparently.

    You’re in my prayers and I hope that you feel better very soon.

    May 25th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
  11. Carolyn says:

    Could be a pinched nerve brought on by staying in one position too long, sleeping in an odd position or something like that. Pay attention to your posture for clues. Try stretching, hot baths, massage. These suggestions come from my own experience of symptoms like that.

    May 25th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
  12. Canadian says:

    I know someone who has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks. This can have physical manifestations, such as chest pains and difficulty breathing. Fortunately, medication often helps. It does not help to be told that the world is lovely and you do not need to worry, just like people with depression are not helped to be told to cheer up or snap out of it.

    May 25th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
  13. Happy Cheerfullness says:

    What a lovely day. Hello trees, hello sky, hello flowers.

    I have no feelings of impending doom and life is good!

    May 25th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
  14. Jen says:

    Jack – As you maybe have read, I’ve just finished a week of night shifts and I think I would have been less anxious if I’d had time to be anxious about my own ailments – we had to close the ward because there were too many sick kids!

    Dave – hope you feel better soon.

    May 25th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
  15. Mark Bennet says:

    Areas where I am suffering:

    In the lawn which is almost impossible to mow – but the first of our Bee Orchids (the things which get in the way of the mower) have flowered today, and that is a beautiful thing.

    We almost killed them last year because we didn’t know they were there, but they emerged before the garden was under control – no lawnfood, no weedkiller, no mowing.

    May 25th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
  16. Helen says:

    Things which are lovely with the (my?) world….

    – three whole days off work and a lie-in tomorrow
    – having the dog cuddle up next to me
    – cycling home as the sun set over the harbour last night
    – Listening to and singing along with Nina Simone’s “Ain’t got no/I got life” and “Feeling good”

    Look after yourself. I will also be praying for you.

    May 25th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
  17. Charlotte says:

    Dave, I don’t think I quite believe your doctor. “Anxiety” is what doctors say when they really have no idea. I’d get a second opinion. (Can you do that with NHS?)

    There is a whole collection of disorders resulting from things like “pinched nerves,” tendonitis and other kinds of inflammation, eroding myalin sheaths on nerves, and so on known as “neuropathy.” You might very well have something like that and it might be worth looking into.

    May 26th, 2007 at 1:52 am
  18. Jane R says:

    Ooh, so sorry you are feeling unwell. I had the other way around happen to me (sorry, that wasn’t very grammatical) about 13 years ago — the doctors wondered whether it was heart trouble and it was anxiety attacks. Silly physicians sometimes know what is going on and sometimes have no clue. But you did well to go. I’m all for consultations with acupuncturists,too. But I’m not about to play diagnostician, I just want to remind you that the flowers are blooming and that you are not crazy. Or if you are, you know the state of your craziness better than anyone else does and ought to be treated as the primary expert.

    P.S. If I had to produce dozens of cartoons I would be VERY anxious and I’d probably have tingles in my limbs too.

    P.P.S. Best to the cats. Are they any help?

    May 26th, 2007 at 6:17 am
  19. Philip of Samaria says:

    Dave – deaf in one ear this week – sympathies
    Helen – great

    The world is indeed beautiful, amazing surprising and so are we

    May 26th, 2007 at 8:53 am
  20. Brian (from Australia) says:

    If nerves are tingling, pinched, whatever, have a chat with an accredited chiropractor. Doctors don’t know everything. My doctor is excellent, but the chiropractor saved my life.

    When anxiety rushes in, get with people who love you, ‘cos love casts out fear.

    Love the cartoon! You make so many people smile. What a joy!

    Peace.

    May 26th, 2007 at 10:05 am
  21. Miss Dagurreotype says:

    Did you try the symptom checker at WebMD.com?

    June 6th, 2007 at 10:15 pm