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Lupus Showers
by Courtney Stafford
Snooze wears off, alarm shrieks, snooze wears off, alarm shrieks, admit defeat, rise
Turn left, crack spine, crackle crackle crunch, turn right, crunch crick crack
Remove watch, push PLAY for Disney tunes and Beatles
Rotate faucet, test temperature, enter, close curtain
First the face, hot water, rub eyes, splash, WAKE UP, banish chronic fatigue
Then cold hands, raise to showerhead, hottest water, from cold purple to pale skin
Chill down back of neck, soak scalp, heat, heat
Hot water down chest, warmer, warmer, rub purple Raynaud's feet away
Stretch arms up over head, lean, rotate
Bend at hips, flex feet, stretch calves, point feet, rotate ankle
Pull arthritic knee up, bend, stretch, bend, stretch, bend, stretch and repeat on left
Crack fingers, massage palms, rotate wrists, warming cold nose under hot water
Reach for soap, scrub, scrub, count anemic bruises, 24, 25, 26, rinse
Shampoo, lather, pause, clean hair off hands, lather, clean hands, lather, clean hands, rinse
Sigh at clump of lost hair, silently curse strong drugs, condition, and rinse
Accomplish a day
Return to shower, water hotter, music higher, heat on face, rotate, heat on back
Warm, warm, warm, warm, cry, warm, warm, warm, cry, warm, dry hair, to bed
And repeat.
About the Author
Courtney Stafford graduated from Johns Hopkins University in May 2002 and will be attending the University of Maryland Medical School.
Courtney, (aka courts, on the Creaky Board), is charismatic and caring despite her sometimes difficult battles with arthritis.
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