The summer is getting hot here in NYC! Sometimes it feels like my Iontophoresis treatments are not working as well, but I am going to attribute that to the heat. My hands have been sweating a lot and I’ve pretty much given up on my feet. My feet sweat terribly but it doesn’t bother me as much because I stopped wearing open toed shoes a couple of years ago, and wear socks or peds with all my shoes. I’ve been able to cut my Iontophoresis treatment time in half! When my fiance is with me, he helps work and monitor the device so I can treat both hands at the same time. 20 minutes of treatment is a lot better than 40 minutes!
A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate to play with an orchestra at Merkin Hall. During our rehearsal a few hours before the concert, the stage was impossibly hot and humid. The heat made my hands constantly sweat. I had my yellow towel with me, but it wasn’t helping! Every note I played on my flute made my hands feel mushy and like I was breaking my instrument. I knew at that moment that I would not be able to make it through the concert without a towel, but I couldn’t bring my yellow towel on stage. Orchestra members wear all black during performances, so I needed a black towel so it wouldn’t stand out. I actually went to a store between the rehearsal and concert to find a black washcloth. After searching the entire store, the best I could find was a dark blue. I bought it and brought it on stage with me that night. It was helpful, but by that point, the AC was working a lot better and I didn’t need it as much. At least I now own something that I can bring on stage with me in the future. The concert was a huge success and I can’t wait to play with them again!
Caryn
Just a Little Sweat 
Do you find that your anxiety and sweating is the worst in anticipation of the event?
It’s been really bad for me too this summer, and I work in a lab with human participants and have to attach all sorts of recording devices on them.
Before they arrive, I’m a frantic mess, rubbing my hands with anything absorbent I find. But by the time I’m faced with the task, I’m concentrating on the task and forget about sweating as much! The same used to happen when performing in high school and college drama productions.
I think that is a great thing, in some ways 🙂
I definitely sweat more when I’m anxious and anticipating something! It usually cools off eventually, but if the heat is against me, it feels like I’ll never win. I’m impressed with your work! I understand how you can feel anxious at first, but I am happy to hear your sweating lessens when you are forgetting about it and concentrating on the work. I am usually the same way. For now, I feel lucky that I have really cold AC in my office this summer!
Do you ever just wish you could slip on a pair of flip flops? I still sometimes feel a little bitter that I can’t enjoy that simple summer pleasure.
I do! I would love to wear all the dressy platform sandals too, but know that I would regret buying them because of HH. No sandals for me 😦 it’s okay though. The heat of a closed toe shoe with a sock doesn’t bother me. In fact, it makes me feel more comfortable because the sweat is being absorbed.
I wanted to add to this and say that many people without HH have asked me if sandals are better for HH because they would help my feet cool off. This is not the case for me at all. In sandals, my sweat has nowhere to go. I end up just walking in a slippery puddle in my shoes. It’s much better to have the support of a closed toe shoe and socks too!