Ideas to make life easier

stickywicket

Hm, I think that'd require a further 15 mins of effort and I'm all for less effort. However, if we ever meet up, Legs, it has to be beans on toast with a choice of how it's served

(Preferably with a merlot or cabernet?)

lindalegs

.......and an aperitif of G&T perhaps

Love,

Jen

Not sure of anyone else has posted this as I've not read all the comments.

Today I was in the up market supermarket on offer they have the sistema range of twist and squeeze drinks bottles. Sistema is BPA free and comes in various sizes if you have difficulty with arthritis in the wrist.

I find the twist top easier on the wrist than screw or pull top, from other normal 500 ml mineral water drinks bottles.

I find the 460 ml is easier on the wrist to hold when it is full of water than the 700 ml one and the grip of the 460 ml is in a much more ergonomic place than the 700 ml for instance. The larger you go of course the heavier it is to hold if the arthritis pain in the wrist is more difficult.

Hope this may be useful

Jen

The chillow is great if you have swelling or pain that responds to cool.

I've used it in the past to take to bed with me or just to lie down and relax with when the weather is very hot. I have the small chillow, it can be used to:

- put my head on with a heat headache, place over forehead, temples or behind the neck
- if wrists are hot and painful you can rest your wrist on it
- when laying in bed it can be used to rest swollen hot ankles on, to soothe and cool.

The chillow can be found on amazon and Chillow do have their own website ( you may get for a better prices depending where you buy) the chillow comes in various sizes, you can get one similar to a half size under blanket that goes across the bed if you have bad back pain that responds to cool.

For myself when something is inflammed and gives off heat, this responds really well to cooling.

When there is no heat from the painful area this can often respond to heat, in this case I find a wheat bag helpful.

Chill out with the Chillow or warm up with the wheat bag

[Hi Jen,
Mod Yx here, this is a very grey area in our forum rules - whether or not there is undue advertising in a post. In this instance I think there is an issue. If members search for gel cooling pad they will find a number of makes/varieties available from a number of outlets.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gel+cooling+pad&ia=products

Rule 2
2. The forum is not a shop so please don’t advertise or promote products or services on the forum in any way.

Thanks]

Jen

When thumbs hurt to flush a dual push button toilet I use a thick felt tip pen or biro to do the work of the thumb, much easier.

I like this thread its full of such useful ideas, thank you everyone (thumbs up)

eminel

I absolutely love this thread. There are some excellent ideas which I will be putting to use. Thank you.

Here's a couple of mine.

Beans on toast. Cut the toast into bitesize squares with a bread knife before putting your beans on. Works a treat.

Save scrubbing baking trays. Cover with kitchen foil. Then just throw the foil away when finished. The tray just needs a quick wipe. No hard scrubbing ever again.

Wear a bum bag for your pegs. If you don't fancy attaching them to your tee shirt. Also the bum bag is handy for keeping mobile phone in and other bits and pieces you need throughout the day.

I struggle carrying shopping now so the pull along shopping trolleys are great and they come in lots of funky patterns these days.

Sarahd1609

Look on YouTube for the way to roll a duvet cover on. It's easy and really works which makes it so much easier to get the corners tight with minimal effort. Now I just need a cheat (or servant lol) to make the rest of it lol xx

lindalegs

eminel wrote:

Wear a bum bag for your pegs. If you don't fancy attaching them to your tee shirt. Also the bum bag is handy for keeping mobile phone in and other bits and pieces you need throughout the day.

Thank you Eminel I adopted this suggestion from you today except I use a shoulder bag over my head because my hands wouldn't allow me to undo the clasp/buckle on a bum bag.

Luv,

charrisse

Sarahd1609 wrote:

Look on YouTube for the way to roll a duvet cover on. It's easy and really works which makes it so much easier to get the corners tight with minimal effort. Now I just need a cheat (or servant lol) to make the rest of it lol xx

That's a great help for me Sarah.. thanks a lot.
I have a very bad back and being able to lift and shake the duvet down into the cover properly is a real no-no for me. Must confess I do have a home help which I pay for and she does all my "heavy" work like vacuuming and ironing which I am very grateful for.


Hi - there are quite a few videos for that on YouTube. Is this the one you meant?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1IzS2oBBN0


Mod B

Jen

Comfrey Ointment.

Since the beginning of June I have had pain in my feet, could not walk without pain and walking was very slow.

I purchased on Amazon a pot of Comfrey ointment for bones and joints after reading the reviews and noting that many people had found it helpful one lady with arthritis in her knees another gentlemen with arthritis in his feet.

[Product name removed as this infringes Forum Rule #2 regarding promotion
Mod B]

I have been using the ointment for 5 days, applying it 4 times daily on the feet / areas of pain. I can honestly say I am greatly improved, I still have some pain but I am able to walk more easily and more quickly.
Coincidence maybe, still I am posting this for those who wish to give it a go.

You can get comfrey ointments cheaper on Amazon than what I paid but I can only advise on the one I have tried. Of course Comfrey ointment may not be helpful to everyone but for some it may be.

You may want to check using this topically with your doctor and it will be worth your reading the webMD site about Comfrey. (Uses, side affects interactions etc.)
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-295-comfrey.aspx?activeingredientid=295&activeingredientname=comfrey

Hope some find this is helpful to them.

Best wishes Jen x

Jen

Regarding the product name of the comfrey ointment I actually used and found very helpful, do pm me any one who wants to know which brand that was.

Enjoy the sunshine :hammock:

emmaadams

this thread is fantastic i will certainly be adapting some of your ideas around the house ..

i will be buying a box thingy for my medication to separate the daily dosages, as i forget what i have taken and then sometimes go without for longer periods of time just to be safe

these ideas may already have been posted ....

i usually have medication both upstairs and downstairs so that if i do wake up early morning its easily accessible rather than having to go back down to the medical cupboard (i keep all medicines in one place ) i do also take a bottle of water to bed just in case the need does arise ( which it does most nights) and its a great idea for when i have a really bad day and cant get out of bed at all

i have also recently bought a V shaped Orthopedic pillow for the bed, its great for propping your feet up on,under the knees or it can be used to help support your back whilst reading .. its very versatile and very cheep as well ... it has been wonderful i use it for all sorts of things its very light and i can bring it downstairs with me if needed

has anyone got a reclining chair ? i feel it helps me loads when my knees star or my back ,, i usually put my feet up over a pillow or a cushion and it swivels too if i ever get bored i can still play with the boys

Jen

One of those heat pads are great when you have muscle aches, back pain or any pain that responds to heat. They are like a mini electric blanket, great while sitting in the chair with feet up.

The one I have begins with D and ends in land Can recommend



You can get heated throws now too.

bridlass

I have just treated myself to one of those air ram hoovers. So light and easy to use. I am not advertising but wish I'd bought one ages ago.

bridlass

I have bought 3 of the litter grabbers. Great for picking up stuff and saving the pain of bending down at all.

AliceA2

lululu wrote:

While we are in the bathroom I buy shower stuff with screw tops and just punch a hole in the top with a knife - saves having to unscrew alll the time and if you drop it you do not loose it all as you would if you just left the top of.

I also have an ordinary toilet brush which I keep on the edge of the bath to use to clean the bath saves sooo much effort, just make sure if other other people live with you that they know that brush is just for the bath.

Good one, thank you!

AliceA2

archaeobard

When needing to carry a few small objects about such as e-cig, keys, lip salve, tissues etc and I have no pockets available I shove the items in my bra!!

Does the trick, although once I put my lip salve in there and went to work, forgetting I'd done that. Was searching all my pockets for the thing and then realised where it was. Needless to say my colleagues had a bit of a chuckle when I had to rummage around looking for it!

Kat

b2syo

Use kitchen scissors to cut meat (you can buy easy grip scissors if like me your fingers are too swollen to fit into normal scissors). It's so much easier than gripping a knife and applying pressure. Plus, you don't need to use a chopping board, you can cut your food above the pan/slowcooker etc and let the pieces fall in. This method is so much quicker and less painful.

b2syo

Use a refreezable gel icepack on hot swollen joints. This is so much easier than using bags of frozen peas, as you don't have to get up and put the gel pack back in the freezer straight away (brilliant on a bad knee day). The gel pack I use has it's own velcro sleeve to wrap around the joint, so I don't need to hold it in place.

dalek

dreamdaisy wrote:

I am now racking my brains to see if there is anything I do that could help others -

I do ball up dirty bedding (sheets etc) and chuck that down the stairs rather than carry it - that any good? DD

That made me giggle...I do that

hileena111

AT THE MOMENT I'VE GOT A BROKEN SHOULDER AND AM GOING IN GOR A REPLACEMENT SHOULDER ON TUESDAY.
I FIND IF I'M HAVING A COFFEE INSTEAD OF HAVING A NORMAL CUP/MUG I ASK FOR A TAKE=AWAY ONE EVEN IF I'M SITTING IN....ITS MUCH LIGHTER AND EASIER TO HOLD
HILEENA

Dorothy

What a great thread this is. So many helpful ideas!

Don't know if this will help anyone else, but I have bought an old-fashioned settee and arm chair second hand from charity shops. Unlike modern designs, they have a high seat so easy to get up from and a high back so support my neck and shoulders. I borrowed my mum's steam cleaner to clean the upholstery and I use a throw over the top of the one that has really dated fabric. When I looked at buying new furniture to this design, the chairs were £100s and the settees even more. Mine cost me £10 for the chair and £30 for the settee! I really struggle to get up from most sofas and find I can't really relax in them with no neck support anyway. These are brilliant!

crinkly1

Having tried/adapted many things over the years - with varying rates of success - I recently found a very simple way of coping with clothing in the first days post-shoulder replacement surgery. I haven't come across it elsewhere so -

Ahead of the op. I purchased three large (baggy on me) inexpensive mens' short-sleeved T-shirts and opened the seams on the operation side from about 20cms above the hem, through the underarm seams and sleeve cuff. I could then put the 'good side' on in conventional manner and arrange the opened seam behind the sling without disturbing the painful shoulder. It looked as though I was fully dressed and was perfectly 'decent'. (No bra underneath at first but I'm not well-endowed in that department so started with padded bandeau style bra tops that could be stepped into and pulled up. No pressure on shoulder.)
A poncho over the top completed 'the look'!

When I was able to dress conventionally it was a simple matter to have the seams resewn on a sewing machine and my OH had three nearly-new colourful T-shirts.

stickywicket

Thanks to Dorothy for resurrecting this very useful thread.

Mods - could it be a sticky? I could have sworn it used to be.


I too thought that this used to be a sticky thread.
It is now

Brynmor