A normal sort of a day, the alarm goes off, I hear rain pattering on the windows, I think about the day ahead, my daughter comes down sleepily and says 'good morning' suddenly we hear an alarming shout from another bedroom 'MUM HELP!!' We all think 'oh no'. I wearily get out of bed, my heart feeling heavy 'MUM HELP, HELP!!' I wander through to my son's bedroom - he has HME - as suspected he is screwed up in bed in agony. It's his ankle/foot again. It was a bit sore yesterday and now he can't move without great pain. I help him to the bathroom and then back to bed I get paracetamol for him and a hot water bottle with a pillow to elevate his foot. He quietens down a bit. Another day off school, another day of hopping round the house full of energy, bored, frustrated, in great pain.

We don't know what started the pain, we don't really know how to stop it, we just wait for it to get better. He has an appointment with the Orthopaedic Surgeon in one month's time when we can mention the problem, probably have an x-ray and see if there is anything obvious causing it, which is something positive I know, but for days like today...

Alternative Pain Relief

There are quite a few different ways to deal with the pain associated with HME. You may all have a fridge or cupboard stocked like the local chemist, but if you take a look around that are a few alternative ways to help.

Hot and Cold Relief maybe a hot water bottle and a tea towel filled with ice. Leave each one on the painful area for 5 minutes, alternating between the two.

Tonic Water this has quinine in it and is quite good for cramp like pain when drunk.

Heat Rub rubbed well into the site of pain this can give quite a good relief. Children need to be careful with this one as heat rub can become quite hot and burn.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation TENS uses tiny electrical impulses sent through the skin via pads to nerves to modify pain perception. It does not work for everyone but should help in reducing pain. Enquire at your local physio department for further information.

If anybody has any other drug-free pain control, and I am sure there is more than those listed above, please drop me a line and I will put it in the next newsletter.

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