My Right Foot Itches

It's 1.15am and my right foot was itching so bad, I had to get up and do something about it.

I know my feet are healthy. When I came out of hospital, I was convinced I had an ingrowing toenail and as I was having problems wiping my own bum, cutting my nails was going to be a bit of push physically. So I rang up and arranged for a lovely lady called Sharon who runs a mobile podiatry practise to come out and see me.

It turns out I wasn't affected by the embarrassing affliction, but meant I had a lovely foot massage instead! She gave me lots of hints as well for healthy feet. Such as using a very large nail file instead of cutting nails means they can never be too short (which is the main cause of ingrowing toenails!)

So tonight, because I know I don't have athelete's foot (the other embarrassing affliction related to feet, or are these all just me?!) I tried surreptitiously to rub my itchy right foot along the sheet to see if I could get enough traction to satisfy the itch. When that didn't work, I tried scratching it with the big toe of left foot. I've had to admit defeat and get up and do something about as I thought I was in danger of waking up Mr C with my fidgeting, or god forbid the dog, who sleeps in our room (I know we shouldn't let him, but I like it!)

Sharon had also impressed on me the importance, following menopause, of moisturising my feet. My body is going through changes, changes I don't like and have no control over (and you know what I'm like about that!) So my itchy foot and my conversation with her has brought it home to me tonight.

The BIG changes I had already come to terms with, hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia and joint pain. (and I am not even going to touch the sexual side of things, I think that deserves a post all of its own!)  But its the smaller, less obvious ones which I'm finding a little harder. My hair will thin, become dryer and brittle and this will also happen to my skin, losing its elasticity.

I'm surprised that its these things which are having the most effect, I must be either more shallow or care about my appearance more than I thought!

But, I can't change the fact these things are going to happen, its all in the biology! But I can decide what I do (HRT will help) and how I react to them.

So its now 2.10am and I'm sitting here at the computer, writing this blog, with both my feet plastered in hand and nail cream (its OK for feet isn't it?) and my face & neck has a layer of E45 slowing soaking in. I think the importance of regular moisturising has just hit home!