Healing from Injury and Erythema Nodosum: A Journey Through Friendship & Coffee

I never thought I’d be the type of person to struggle with depression. I always thought of myself as a strong woman, I even said before I wouldn’t know what it’ll feel like because I am not PRONE to being depressed.

But I was wrong.

Let me tell you about this particular time of my life. What was I healing from?

How It All Started: My Half-Marathon Injury

Physically, I sprained my ankle after running a half marathon. I was supposed to be ecstatic that day but I didn’t get the chance with my twisted ankle. Don’t get me wrong, I am SO proud of myself for that achievement. I trained hard for months, I was disciplined.

Then, erythema nodosum. A term I’ve never heard of before. One that’ll hit my confidence like a truck.

Running, a sport I enjoyed. A twisted ankle and random painful bumps on my leg, how will I run again?

So, with everything said, why was I feeling down?

Dealing with Erythema Nodosum and Anxiety

I read every article about mental health after injury but rarely found one that mentioned erythema nodosum. That made me feel more alone.

Imagine, from being highly active, achieving multiple milestones – to suddenly sedentary. Being active became my lifestyle. I loved going to the gym and going for runs. I gained confidence with the mind and body I built.

The running injury impacted my mental health. The confidence I built came crashing down as I was gaining all the weight back. Seeing myself in the mirror and in photos became a daily struggle. I knew the proper ankle sprain recovery time, and I just had to be patient.

My Erythema Nodosum Symptoms

The painful bumps caused by erythema nodosum hit my mental health because it made me conscious of my how legs looked. Then, I had a biopsy and a skin test which made me have scars.

My Erythema Nodosum Diagnosis and Tests

I felt helpless. Waiting for a diagnosis filled my head with anxiety. It took months to find out I had septal panniculitis erythema nodosum. All the tests done came back negative. I was tested for tuberculosis, hepatitis, bacterial and other infections. What caused it to this day is still unanswered.

For weeks, I kept my feeling and my thoughts bottled up. And that’s not helpful, AT ALL.

How Friendship and Coffee Helped Me Heal

I decided to unload the burden by sharing it to someone I trust, my boyfriend. And instantly, I felt better. The burden was lifted from pouring my heart out to someone. Someone who cares.

I just needed someone to listen.

I started opening up again and going out with my girlfriends. Who knew sipping matcha lattes and girl talk were so HEALING?

If you’re searching for how to cope with erythema nodosum, I hope my story helps.

You’re not alone, and your story matters too.

And if you’ve dealt with something similar, I’d love to hear your story. Let’s connect!