Joplin: Day 10 A Bruised Banana

To date, the American Red Cross has served over 31,000 meals here in Joplin, and over 45,000 snacks.

I think I feel every one of those in my battered and bruised body.

Bruises that I obtain on disaster sites I like to call "souvenirs", and I have plenty of them on this trip...unfortunately, the number is growing by the day. Legs, arms, knees - even my elbow has a bruise. How does an elbow even get a bruise, anyway?

The last two nights have been very uncomfortable, as my Erythromelalgia has reared up, leaving me with burning hands while I try to sleep. It's so painful at night that I'm losing sleep, as I just can't get my hands to stop from hurting.

Erythromelalgia has triggers, and I seem to be hitting on a lot of them right now...caffeine (I'm sucking down diet soda for energy), sugar (lots of junk food here), excessive physical exercise (duh), and stress (double-duh.)

The work continues, however, and it's 6:15 am in the morning as I write this, getting ready to head out the door for another long, hot, physical day.

I have Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday off - and my family will be driving down to come pick me up for a family wedding that's in a small town about an hour from here. I'm SO looking forward to seeing Hubby and the kids, as well as my parents, siblings and cousins.

That brief visit should be enough to jump start the batteries and let me keep going.

I'm going to look like one sunburnt, bruised banana at the wedding - but hey. I think everyone will cut me some slack, right?!

Peace.