the pain would probably abate a little once her joints got used to the cooler temperatures ( or so she prayed , and so it always had been , but she was not blind to the progressive nature of the disease ) , but since early this morning it had been very bad when it was like this , she was never sure what she would or would not be able to do with her traitor hands , and her initial refusal had been out of worry and potential embarrassment now she stripped off her gloves , flexed her right hand experimentally .