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Hand-Hell: About Us


Hand Hell - raynauds, cracks, ulcers, no fingerprints

About Us:

I'll start with a special greeting to anybody else suffering from hand problems. Here's a blessing for you: "May your problem be atopic dermatitis and may your visit to hand-hell soon be a distant memory."

I don't want to give away too much information about myself because of the personal health related nature of this enterprise. My real life involves property management and meetings with people who wear suits. Imagine googling my name and finding a photo of my crusty blue fingers. Forget about renting from me and go off on a tangent pondering gangrene and trench-rot. A non-psychotic voice in my head tells me to keep this area of my life 'compartmentalized'.

I am not a medical professional and this site is not intended to provide medical advice. Always seek the advice of a medical professional before starting or discontinuing a treatment. If your hands look like mine, you should probably have a rheumatologist in the 'favorites' of your contact list.

Hand-Hell Q&A


Q. Why did you start this website?
A. This website started for selfish reasons. Suffering from painful hands sucks, and it feels good to complain, bitch and moan at certain points in the misery cycle. But, IRL nobody wants to be around a whining, caterwauling moaner all day long.

Q. Dear God! What's wrong with your hands?
A. I have an autoimmune condition, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ('Lupus' for short) that makes my immune system attack normal cells. Lupus manifests in different ways, but for me the worst part is my hands. It's not contagious and most people with Lupus don't have this happen to them.

Q. What is your vision for this blog?
A. This will be my virtual outlet for real-life suffering - when the anguish gets so intense my visualization techniques and primal scream therapy don't work I will log on, file my complaint and get on with life.

Q. What is your educational background?
A. I am a product of American public education. I graduated from public high school, BS Biology, MS Food Science.

Q. I know that crazy shit X is going to cure you, how can I send some?
A. This isn't a blog where you can send stuff and get a nice puff piece in return. My hands are a serious problem and my objective is not getting free stuff. I have a small dedicated budget to purchase products or treatments for evaluation on this page. Please use the comment form on the right to suggest products or treatments.

Q. How can I contact Hand Hell?
A. Please use the comment form on our website/blog or e-mail us at HandHellBlog@gmail.com

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Background information from the first Hand-Hell blog article:

I suffer from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the healthy tissue of the body. 'Lupus' manifests in different ways, generally lasts a lifetime and symptoms flare up and go into remission for a variety of reasons. Many elements of lupus and autoimmune disease in general are poorly understood. At least it isn't contagious.

My biggest ongoing problem is my hands. These wretched little paws turn a spectacular shade of blue from Raynaud's syndrome. The tips of my fingers get crusty patches which fall off, leaving me without fingertips. It looks painful, and yes, it is. Dressing oneself- buttons, pulling socks on, shoe laces - it all requires delicate action from fingertips. 

A further indignity took me a while to fully realize. Strangers sometimes think of crack heads/ meth users who burn their fingers on the hot pipe, and mistake me for such a tragedy. Ugh.

Since my diagnosis in 2004, I have gone through cycles of remission, flare up, etc. The symptoms of my autoimmune situation return again and again, with the worst thing being my hands. Again and again. Sometimes I yell 'F-U FINGEY!!' at my hands, but it doesn't help.

The arthritis and stiffness are well managed with NSAID treatment, so at least there's that. I am aware that people who lose their hands to land mines or IEDs would be thankful for what leaves me feeling defeated and pathetic.

I dedicate this to anybody else suffering with hand problems. Sometimes it feels good to know you are not the only one out there with bad skin problems on your hands. So if you see this, and it helps you feel better only because you think, 'at least that's not me!', I am glad this helped. 

I will share my voyage of lotions, potions, treatments, ablutions, therapies - anything that might help me regrow my fingertips. Very little is off the list of possibilities, I am desperate, not squeamish and resourceful. Maybe I will try something along the way that will inspire your health voyage!

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Join the Hand-Hell Club!

If YOU want to join the Hand-Hell club, send an email to HandHellBlog at gmail.com with 'Join Hand-Hell Club!' in the subject line and tell us all about your hands and anything else about yourself you would like to share. Please send a photo or illustration or your hands for free deluxe membership in Hand-Hell, which will include a place on our Hell Club page along with an honorary-honorary (a special club nick-name).

(C) 2021 Hand Hell


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