We moved to the Northwest to escape the heat and rays of the California sun.

My photosensitivity arrived with my pain approximately 20 years ago. I owned a wonderful blue Mustang convertible and often rode to work and back with the top down. I should be ashamed to admit it but even when it was too inclement to ride with the top down, I would do it anyway and turn the heater on. My husband’s favorite toy was his ski boat.

Unfortunately, all that sun exposure came to an abrupt stop for me. Rashes, fevers and diarrhea were all too high a price to pay. I also noticed an increase in joint pain.

I read a wonderful article by Dr. Daniel Wallace, a rheumatologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who explained the process. It seems that for some of us who are extremely photosensitive, the sun attacks the skin cells causing the DNA to escape from the nucleus of the cells. The escaping particles or debris enter the joints. The sun can also rob the body of its immunity for a day or more.

I may be the only person here in Astoria, Ore., who doesn’t complain about the long stretches of rainy weather. I love it because I don’t have to slather on as much sunscreen. I still wear a hat every day because the scalp can still process those nasty rays, even on a cloudy day. Remember when you were a teen and got some of your most memorable sunburns beneath those overcast skies?

I have found some sunscreens that are tolerable, without the slip and slide effect. I have purchased sunproof clothing from the following companies and found them to be of excellent quality: LLBean.com, TravelSmith.com, SunPrecautions.com and Sahalie.com. This year, I discovered a wonderful hat company with stylish and fun hats that are made with sunproof fabric found at Wallaroohats.com. The price ranges vary for these, but you don’t have to pay a fortune to be protected. Price is important because I don’t have a fortune due to the fact I have not been able to work for 16 years due to this disease that came to live with me.

I miss working very much. When I became an R.N. 30 years ago, I didn’t realize I would be using so much of my education to treat myself. Having a chronic illness makes this thing called life a challenge for some of us, but since we have been given little choice in the matter, why not do the best we can to win?

Sue's blog can be found at http://blog.healthtalk.com/chronicpain/ For more information, articles and programs about living with chronic pain please visit http://healthtalk.com/

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