Being cold is a pet peeve of mine. I think I grew into the cold natured curse because as a kid I didn’t seem to ever be so cold. My sister and I could never understand how our mom could wear jeans in the middle of the summer. Now, my sister and I wear layers year ’round.
Getting cold so easy is annoying. Nobody likes to be uncomfortable but often people don’t understand the problem when the cold “gets into the bones”. It actually hurts and is miserable. I think that having an auto-immune disease makes a person more susceptible for becoming cold. Arthritis is aggravated by the cold and on rainy, damp days – even when the weather is warm, a chill can come over someone stricken with the disease. A diabetic can get cold because of poor blood circulation. People often think that the solution is simply another layer of clothes, but it’s not that easy.
I used to work in an environment that believed in air conditioning hard core. I was not the only one to get cold, but I was not afraid to suggest raising the temperature. I made many efforts to relieve my sensitivity to the cold by wearing layers, holding hot beverages until my skin would scald – drinking them too. Very little helped. Adding layers of clothing almost insulates the cold instead of warming my insides.
If you are dealing with a situation where your rheumatoid arthritis or another disease makes you sensitive to the cold, don’t be afraid to try to make people understand. It can be difficult – I did not want other people to be uncomfortable at my expense. However, your health and comfort are not any less important than the people around you.
Here are some links that might help dealing with the cold:
It can be difficult to get people to empathize, try to consider their point of view as well. Do everything in your power to help yourself, but don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Hopefully you are surrounded by warm, caring people that understand and are willing to compromise. -pm