cancelled the physio after two sessions

nick55

after much thought, i decided the physio therapy was just window dressing. the lady who helped me i won't say a bad thing about her, but there is no cure for osteo.
the exercises she gave me have helped, but now my hip is really bad and i am limping about the house in the most professional of manner, quite impressively at times!!!!

i tried a walk yesterday, but have stopped using my walking poles but am wondering if I should go back to using them, and thoughts on this would be appreciated.

it s painful, and I dread winter as we all do, but at least i am not encumbered by the prospect of working. I suppose one becomes accustomed to this after a while, like wearing in a pair of new shoes, one gets inot the swing of things shall we say, and f course the tramadol come in very handy as well. it can all be a bit like the weather, depressing, but, one has to reach for the best medicine I suppose, which s a sense humour.

I have started watching more television and have enjoyed ot after a break, and the internet is a wonderful thing.

again, I am finding I have to grow into osteo, and learn to treat it as a way of life, almost a vocation....

I think I am sounding morbid, but ta least I say these things with a smile, and maybe a snarl thrown in on the side!!!

I am sorry to here jasper is not so good, but life gives us the means to deal with these things. there are bonuses. one of them is a slowing down of ones pace of living, o relaxing more and not feeling guilty sitting down when the hips ache and the knee is bad. one learns to observe more, and appreciate the small things in life. a slower stroll in the country, shorter walks. and no more snowdon for me, I think. one always has memories to return to.

my biggest joy is to have paid my neighbours son to erect the greenhouse for me, after installing my own kitchen I had lost the stomach for all this. I believe if ones life is sorted out and organized, then we are better able to cope with arthritis, and being able to ask for help when required.

so, looking out the window and thinking it is autumn, I can only wish you all a nice cup of tea and a biscuit, and let life take care of itself, go with the river as i say. get all the obstacles out of the way, then let arthritis tell us how to live our life. ---to some extent.

one last thought, it is so easy to be smug and become lazy, one of my dangers. I do believe we should exercise, and even if our joints ache, but the greatest humility is knowing we should be resting, and having the breadth of mind sometimes to simply sit down and do nothing, sometimes.

best wishes, to all of you,

Nick

elnafinn

Hi Nick

Since you started posting in November 2008 it would seem that your oa has come on with a vengeance and I am sorry to read that. You were very anti thinking about going down the surgery route - do you still feel as adamant about this? I admire your patience with the disease. I have slowed down over the past 4 years, was even slower before my knee op on 08 and popping maximum pills every day and still hauling myself around and there is not too much of me to drag around, weight wise. Now I feel heaps better and am seriously thinking of having the other knee "done" next year. This is because I refuse to grow old, mobility wise, too soon. There will be plenty of time sitting in the chair later on and then trying to get out of the chair, so too much of that is not for me at the moment.

Your new greenhouse will be a new interest and a very worthwhile and rewarding one at that. We are eating homegrown new potatoes, cucumbers, beetroots, beans and tomatoes and it does give one a feeling of great satisfaction and the taste is wonderful.

I cannot advise on walking poles or not - I would suggest whatever makes you feel comfortable and safe.

Luv
Elna x

nick55

reply
I too, am eating home grown new potatoes, and cabbage. I am vegetarian and have started eating the cabbage like lettuce, raw, with plenty of salad cream on it.

no, surgery is the last option, I may have damaged the hip, gardening, often it gets better, but does seem to be heading downhill these days. I am not depressed by it all, , suicidal yes, but not depressed....

seriously, and I am joking, I go back to what I said a few weeks ago, to one post, count your blessings and stop counting your curses. so far I have got to two....

I am hoping that the answer is to adapt ones lifestyle, and simply accept on a deeper and spiritual level, the way things are. one great thing we can all learn to do, is to be accepting of ourselves and what life gives us, on a deeper level, often this takes away a great deal lf life's pain. any moaning and groaning with our joints, do with a sense of humour at least...

best wishes,

nick

elnafinn wrote:

Hi Nick

Since you started posting in November 2008 it would seem that your oa has come on with a vengeance and I am sorry to read that. You were very anti thinking about going down the surgery route - do you still feel as adamant about this? I admire your patience with the disease. I have slowed down over the past 4 years, was even slower before my knee op on 08 and popping maximum pills every day and still hauling myself around and there is not too much of me to drag around, weight wise. Now I feel heaps better and am seriously thinking of having the other knee "done" next year. This is because I refuse to grow old, mobility wise, too soon. There will be plenty of time sitting in the chair later on and then trying to get out of the chair, so too much of that is not for me at the moment.

Your new greenhouse will be a new interest and a very worthwhile and rewarding one at that. We are eating homegrown new potatoes, cucumbers, beetroots, beans and tomatoes and it does give one a feeling of great satisfaction and the taste is wonderful.

I cannot advise on walking poles or not - I would suggest whatever makes you feel comfortable and safe.

Luv
Elna x

elnafinn

So you are popping the tramadol. I have a packet of those in the cupboard but I don't like how they make me feel in my head!

I can count many blessing in my life and many positives but I am still not ready for a too painful and sedentary life yet. I like to be on this site and try to help others because I can see how horrenduous this disease is and not all can count their blessing like you and I are able to do and I really feel for them big time. Because I am so grateful for my situation, that is why I spend much time here, trying to buck people up when they are down and helping them. I have made friends on this site and I would not have if I did not have oa. I visit old people which I would not do if I was still working. I spend more time with my grand child because I have the time. She is medicine with no side effects. Laughter and a good sense of humour are pretty vital as you say and I have both of those - especially laughter.

I hope your pains ease up a little for you.

Best wishes
Elna

nick55

I am not keen on tramadol but have far more l tolerance of them these days, and only take them to ease the discomfort. I agree, as far as others go, many many are far worse off than we are, and not all have such a good life situation, even though life is what we make it and often it is a hard, hard struggle.
it is good to learn from the experience of others, often I mention my osteo to some people just to get things off my chest a bit, not self pity, and it is like talking to a brick wall. one feels dishonest , and shunned by them, which is one great wonder of this forum, simply letting of steam a little. I live alone, and am alone most of the time and whilst I would never wish things any other way, one does lose touch with others who have these problems of osteo and such. sometimes one simply has a need to talk as i find in so many of the posts, , many of us simply wish to say ouch!! more publicly if you take my point. I do have many blessings, my computer, my painting, my photography and I am retired, but again nothing comes without effort.

I hope all is well with you,

best wishes,

nick

elnafinn wrote:

So you are popping the tramadol. I have a packet of those in the cupboard but I don't like how they make me feel in my head!

I can count many blessing in my life and many positives but I am still not ready for a too painful and sedentary life yet. I like to be on this site and try to help others because I can see how horrenduous this disease is and not all can count their blessing like you and I are able to do and I really feel for them big time. Because I am so grateful for my situation, that is why I spend much time here, trying to buck people up when they are down and helping them. I have made friends on this site and I would not have if I did not have oa. I visit old people which I would not do if I was still working. I spend more time with my grand child because I have the time. She is medicine with no side effects. Laughter and a good sense of humour are pretty vital as you say and I have both of those - especially laughter.

I hope your pains ease up a little for you.

Best wishes
Elna

elnafinn

Totally agree, Nick, life is what one makes it and if one could take monetary problems out of the equation when it is a real problem for people and the need to have to work or battle with "them" for our rights to care and monetary assistance, it would be a great load of some people's minds. It is not easy to change one's temperament and impossible to alter what has gone on in one's earlier life and how it has affected one's outlook in general and personality. It is good to talk and listen to people and I do try to do that and this is a good place to do it.

Also you and I must remember that osteo and rheumatoid are completely different although it all comes under the umbrella of arthritis and some people suffer with both and that to me is really rather too much to take on board and think positive all the time.

You and I have it good and we do remember and are truly grateful for that. We also always remember that others do not and every day is a constant struggle and my heart goes out to them all.

I must get off here now, at least for one hour, I expect I shall pop in later many times today!

Luv
Elna x

woodbon

Hi, I have been medically retired from a job with the Council as a Care Assisstant.

I understand what you say about the good side of being at home, I'm only just begining to learn a new way of life and i must admit that my weakness could be 'putting things off until tomorrow, which, of course, never comes. You should see the pile of ironing I've got! :oops: In defence, I have had a lot of pain from my wrist after falling on the new scar! :oops:

I started working out in the gym, but since the Carpel surgery, thats a no, no. I can understand how you feel about physio, it can help, but, its not right for all of us. I know from reading your posts that you love walking, so indoor exercise is not your thing.
Love Sue

frogmorton

Hi Nick
You know Nick
You are right about apreciating little things more!
I love the birds in the garden and stop to smell the flowers on my (shorter), walks.
I too love my greenhouse and the veggies I grow (veggie too).
As ou say take it at your own pace and enjoy the things you can
Take care
Toni x

nick55

it may well be that io takes something drastic like arthur ritus, god bless him, to bring us closer to reality. only when our minds focus on what really matters, such as the birds, the flowers, nature, and each other, ... and another cup of tea......

Nick

frogmorton wrote:

Hi Nick
You know Nick
You are right about apreciating little things more!
I love the birds in the garden and stop to smell the flowers on my (shorter), walks.
I too love my greenhouse and the veggies I grow (veggie too).
As ou say take it at your own pace and enjoy the things you can
Take care
Toni x

woodbon

Hi, I know what you mean, nature and living things are everywhere you look. I spend time watching the birds and squirrals eating the bird food ( my husband dosn't agree with the squirrals, but what the heck, they make me laugh! The highlight of my recent holiday in the Lake District, was my first sight of a wild red squirral and Iwas the one who saw it first! :shock: At one time I would have had my head down and be walking quickly trying to get as far as I could on some long walk, just to boast about the distance and not appreciating the surroundings so much.

Life does still go on and so do we! Love Sue

nick55

it was almost like a right of passage for me, walking, apart from the sheer love of the country, I always had a great pleasure in doing a really great walk as many still do. snowdon was a great triumph though many are far fitter than I. but it was a personal triumph.
I am walking and limping all the more now, but hope it is temporary. I am hoping over the next few weeks, and maybe losing a bit of weight, I can still do some mileage, but one wonders if nature is making us slow down,
yet again, if we sit in the chair all day that is also asking for trouble.
there is as much or more pleasure these days in having a smallish walk, and sitting down and a enjoying the scene around me, sounds like the early onset of old age!! or maybe just being sensible about things.
I still have a slight urge to attempt snowdon again, but at least one can say one has done it twice in one year, so maybe leave it at that.
I have noted finally, with osteo, just as we think it is going downward all the time it seems it clear up, ----at least so far!!!


Nick

woodbon wrote:

Hi, I know what you mean, nature and living things are everywhere you look. I spend time watching the birds and squirrals eating the bird food ( my husband dosn't agree with the squirrals, but what the heck, they make me laugh! The highlight of my recent holiday in the Lake District, was my first sight of a wild red squirral and Iwas the one who saw it first! :shock: At one time I would have had my head down and be walking quickly trying to get as far as I could on some long walk, just to boast about the distance and not appreciating the surroundings so much.

Life does still go on and so do we! Love Sue