Acceptance & pain

lynnhbuckingham

Hi everyone. I have just rejoined the arthritius care forums. I have osteoarthritis in both knees. The pain is bad enough to stop me doing many activities, mainly due to not being able to walk far or to stand for long.
I work part-time, 30 hours a week, & as I enjoy my work & have plenty to do have managed to negotiate a further 6 hours a week working at home. My work is Training Co-ordinator/trainer/assessor to staff who support adults with learning disabilities & autistic spectrum disorders.
There are days (many many of them) when I really struggle to get up & get going, but once at work our environment, the residents & the staff team are so lovely it cheers me up no end.
I have a medium size cross breed dog, & I am married to a wonderful Husband. My husband does all the shopping & cooking. I have a colleague at work whose son walks my dog for me to earn pocket money, & to give my dog exercise & me peace of mind. I drive, so get to work independently, & have a parking space near to the building.
I have adult Son & Daughter, who live about 4 hours drive from me. They are always in touch & are great support & fun, along with their spouses. I love them all.
My real problem is that apart from the pain I have always suffered from bouts of depression, & I am way overweight.
My long term health issues are that I have suffered 2 heavy gastric bleeds - the first in my early 30's & I am 56 now, not related to alcohol or drugs but due to a blocked portal vein. I almost died 5 years ago, but thanks to a wonderful medical team in Exeter & Kings College London, here I am large as life & twice as ugly.
I cannot take many pain relief medications because of my stomach, & having been free from esophageal varices for 5 years I may now have to take Warfarin again.
If I could succeed in losing weight my life would be better, so I am trying the Slimming World diet as it is quite easy & is all about eating 'normal' foods. If I lose the weight then I will not feel bad about using a wheelchair if I need to, but I'll also increase the opportunity for successful knee replacements.
I have a blue badge. For the person who was enquiring, I didn't need to ask my GP. I applied via the goverment (gov.uk) website, from whom I received a phone call, & when I explained that the badge would support me when attending training at external venues & with the few shopping trips I can make, I was granted a badge there & then. It is a boost for me to have one, & I only ever use it if I am getting out of the car. If I wait in the car whilst my Husband shops etc. we park in a normal space & don't use the badge as spaces are few & others need them.
I feel at my best when I am home & can potter about, a bit of moving around then a rest.
Wishing you all a good weekend.
Lynn

stickywicket

Hello Lynn and a warm welcome back to the forum. I don’t think we’ve ‘met’ before but good to have you on board now.

Well done on managing to keep going with your job. I know that having a good husband helps so much (I managed to get one too ) but, even so, it can’t be easy for you.

The gastric bleeds must have been really frightening and you’ve certainly had more than your fair share of ill-health. No wonder you get depressed from time to time.

The new knees/weight loss topic is one that comes up regularly on here and we have a few people who are trying to lose the requisite amount of weight. Colin1 is currently doing very well (He has a thread on Chit Chat) and jillyb1 is our star dieter having lost…was it 5 stones jillyb1?....despite being in a wheelchair.

The wheelchair thing? I do see where you’re coming from (Mr SW does tend to grunt when he heaves mine up kerbs :roll: ) but if you need one, you need one. Mine gets me to lovely places where I can do some walking but then ride when I get tired.

As for the title of your thread - we have a long and interesting thread on 'Acceptance' which I'm sure you'll find if you enter it in the search engine.

I’m also sure you’ll find lots of support on here and I hope you have a good weekend too.

Puschinka

Lovely to meet you Lynn. Useful information re the Blue Badge.
"Acceptance and pain".... good headline.
I have a problem with painkillers too, due to a very sensitive tummy,so avoid them until the pain gets just too bad.
I have begun to accept the pain,( now even when I'm not walking or standing, there nearly always seems to be some degree of pain), I'm still working on accepting the condition. ... but I'm getting there.
It's nice you've got a job that adds positives to your life.
I wish you well and success with the diet, have a nice weekend yourself.

pinkbritishstars

Hi Lynn

I too have osteoarthritis in both my knees and I too am in my 30's.

Thanks for the website address for the blue badge I will look into that.

Really sorry to read about your gastric bleeds - how are you now?

Hope you are having a relatively pain free day today.

Take Care

Pink x

hileena111

Hi Lynn
Welcome back.....dont think we've met before??
I have OA in hips and ankle {not knees} but can empathise with you.
Well done for holding down a job.
As for Slimming World.......I have found it brilliant. So easy to do and it is healthy eating as opposed to a diet that you come off when you reach the weight you want to be.
I am currently about 7 or 8lbs over my target weight.....my own fault. Had a THR {was at target weight then} and was immobile and not driving, then fractured pelvis etc so I had stopped going to class and I know I need to :oops: whether at target or not.
I got back and was just starting to lose again and I went away for 4 days holiday.....I'm not looking forward to stepping on the scales on Tuesday night :oops: Oh well bit by bit I'll get it off.

Love
Hileena

frogmorton

Hi Lynn

welcome back

Did you have a diferrent username before???

Lovely to meet you anyway and am sure you will be glad you rejoined

Sorry about the OA, l wish you all the luck in the world with your weight loss....sounds like that is what your goal is just now. A good one too it might even help those knees a bit.

I too was a trainer for people who work with people who have learning disabilities Fantastic job eh?

hope to see you posting more.

Love

Toni xx

barbara12

Hi Lynne
And welcome back, like Toni says what was your user name before then we know who you are.
Gosh you have been through the mill, not being able to take pain meds must be so hard.
Has for the weight you can do it, we are all behind you, its not easy ..but I kept saying to myself I cant do this as Im not very mobile, but the weight is coming off slowly
I really do wish you well with everything .
Barbara xxx

lynnhbuckingham

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for your friendly encouraging replies to my post. Yes I was on the forum previously but cannot remember my user name. I love the modern technology we have but user names & passwords cause me angst!
It's good to hear about other members issues. I wish you all well.
I will try to learn & remember names & answer more specifically in future.
It's good to know I have weight loss companions.
It is a lovely sunny day today. Lynn