About those bruises....

Charming title isn't it?  Do you sometimes find yourself surprised at the things we talk about now that you could never have imagine when we were younger?  I say 'we' as I have chosen to believe that I am not alone in noticing this!!

So - the bruises, if you are like me and take blood thinners or have thin skin (the real stuff not the stuff that makes you cry when people are mean!) you may have noticed these bruises that I used to call "old people bruises".   They are almost scary the first time you see one and now I am so used to getting them that Hubby will say "what did you do there?" and I have to reply honestly "I have no idea"!

They are dark and look terrible but hardly ever hurt!  They are the result of aging, blood thinners, thinning skin, loss of protective fat layer ( I intend to remember that term 'Protective Fat' for future use, if WEB MD used it it must be true), and some dietary deficiencies.  Even fish oil supplements and ginkgo biloba can cause enough blood thinning to see these.

I am not really upset about getting old, I have adjusted to the idea and most of the reality.  They are ugly though, they take forever to go away, and people can't resist the urge to ask you "what did you do", and then you say "I don't know, I don't remember banging into anything" and then they look at you like you might need to be watched for signs of senility!!  Younger people think anything that looks that bad must have hurt to get!!!  This one is from reaching under the wire on the strawberries - didn't hurt at all!

Years ago I had a client who had been badly burned in a fire and had had skin grafts.  She got these bruises very easily and the Sherman Oaks Burn Center, where she had spent so much time recovering, gave her this tip, that she shared with me, that I will now share with you. 

It is not what you think!!  Yes it is a hemorrhoid medication, but you will not use these as directed on the box!!  Open the little packages inside and break off a little piece of the suppository and rub it on your bruise.  That's it, do it at least once a day for a couple of days and you will be amazed at how fast the bruise will go away!  Mine used to last for a couple of weeks, but after I remembered this - they go away much faster - this one in 5 days!

Here it is, the 6th day and no more bruise.  I swear I am not being compensated by Preparation H!  I also do not know why the suppositories work better than the cream - they just do.  Sherman Oaks is one of the premiere burn centers in the country and they know their stuff!

Spending more time in the garden means more opportunity for bruises, but the fun things are starting to ripen.  Yesterdays harvest turned out to be about 3 cups of shelled peas, just a few strawberries, one lone green onion, a bell pepper, and some pie cherries off the recently trimmed tree.  Hubby even had one tomato this week - Hooray!!


Hope this wasn't too off putting, pass it along to your elderly friends.  We will move on to more pleasant topics next time - I tried a new recipe that is going to be a go to for church dinners and socials and get-togethers when I have to bring something!