The Mixed Pleasures of Arthritic Life

stickywicket

(Inspired by today's visit to M'sons)

1. Meeting friends in the supermarket (and thus being unable to bend one's knee for some time afterwards).

2. Being invited out for a meal on methotrexate day (and thus having to be very abstemious).

3. Being invited anywhere that doesn't have an accessible loo.

4. Going away for a few days (and having to calculate and re-calculate how many of each lot of meds are needed).

5. Having a bath (and having to spend longer at each end of it sorting out the bath lift and other vital accoutrements than actually in the bath).

Go on! Add your own.

villier

As you know it is my hands that are affected with arthritis and other things, the thing that makes me sad is I can't lift up babies as I am so scared I would drop them. xx

DebraKelly

Trying to open a can with a tin opener! Impossible! lol

Boomer13

After spending an inordinate amount of time getting ready to go out, finding one needs to lie down and rest instead....

dreamdaisy

Being able to use the reason 'I cannot stand for too long' (truth) as a code for 'I'm not in the mood to talk to you so I'm off'.

Basic chores sometimes lasting nearly a full day as they are executed in stages to preserve one's non-existent reserves of what I laughingly call energy. (Remember that wondrous thing? Wonnit good? :roll: ) DD

daffy2

Yes DD I remember that thing called energy. When I see those adverts for free green energy I fantasise about a human equivalent of PV cells - I suppose it would be a mitochondrial array. Whatever, wouldn't it be luvverly!

Starburst

dreamdaisy wrote:

Being able to use the reason 'I cannot stand for too long' (truth) as a code for 'I'm not in the mood to talk to you so I'm off'.

Yes and......being able to use the excuse "I'm sorry I'm not feeling well enough" as a code for "I really don't want to come"!

Just today I got out of a potentially very boring lunch this way!

Sezeelson

Taking so long to tidy up that's its a mess again before I've even finished!

Feeling like a good game with the dog and quickly realising my inability to move very well is completely boring for him. :?

Taking so much concentration getting up the stairs 'what did I come up here for again?' :roll:

Always picking up the big bottles of milk and quickly dropping them... Embarrassing! :oops:

Sitting down for so long my knees no longer work, often followed by some sort of stumble.

Often forgetting that others are not the same as me and gasping in pain as someone runs by thinking how on earth do they cope with all the pain!

dachshund

Hello Sticky
I find not being able to lift shopping bags or garden bags that for me are heavy other people lift them so easy.
take care
joan xx

lulubell69

Drifting day to day, month to month, year to year with little to look forward to, everything becoming too much effort and often sleep is the only escape from this monotony. Boredom becomes an everyday event, the highlight of the day watching repeats of oldies on tv. The effort of taking a shower and getting dressed becomes too much so laying around in my pjs is becoming the norm.
The suffering of pain and stiffness becomes a daily reminder of the life you once had, the freedom, the spontaneity and the simply joys we once experienced seem now such a distant memory.
However, on the positive side, I don't have to work anymore, I have a valid reason for not keeping the house spotless, my children have become more thoughtful people (I hope). Most of my bills, etc can be paid online and my shopping can be delivered to the door, so I should be thankful that apart from appointments there is little reason to leave the house.
However, I do long for the time when most decisions in my life aren't based around what my body will allow me to do that day.
Oh the joys of arthritis!!

mike26

my wife asked me to answer the door the other day (next door neighbour
came round for coffee) i didnt hear knock at door cos had music to loud
but did see her through door glass.
anyway by the time i got up out of chair half way down hallway she was in, :x the wife couldnt wait , so i said im going as fast as i can, but i think
a snail could prob give me a run for my money
oh oh arther
mike26

bubbadog

Arther mixed with hot flushes (from meno-pause) toxic mixture!!

Got out of shower wobbly anyway from flare-up and became dizzy from hot flush felt like I was going to pass-out! Thank god for purching stool!

bubbadog

Very tired from flare up so have nap only to be woken by pain in hip from sleeping on side, change position on to back only to be woken by pain from back! Can't win!!

ichabod6

When my ra blobs me I make myself two black pudding
butties, one with mustard one baht and eat them.
I cant recall this producing any relief for the blob, but I
enjoy the butties.

dreamdaisy

Wise words, Ichabod, I shall bear them in mind. No, we can't beat the blob so why not use it as a reason to spoil ourselves? DD

stickywicket

I, too, like Ichabod's idea of turning a negative into a positive. I confess, whenever I get a really rubbish day, I interpret it as God's way of telling me I need to sit down and watch more cricket

Boomer13

We really walk a tightrope all the time between doing too much and resting too much, don't we?

When we fall off, too bad we can't stab the ol'arthritis demon in the heart with the balance pole! (I too have just fallen off having done too much- sheesh!)

Resting up now but my cat is "ironing" several joints hyper-flat rendering me completely immobile. Why don't I just move the cat, you say? The pleasure of her company is why I don't, thus:

The Mixed Pleasures of Arthritic Life

xxanna

Boomer13

While I contemplate how many spoons may be available for the current day, I watch my husband complete the equivalent with ease and in no time at all.....

Mat48

Prevaracation; "sorry I may not be able to help by getting to the hall an hour early to help set out the homebakes for the gathering you speak about because I may be flaring up still in a few weeks time. But if you are really desperate then count me in as reserve..." knowing full well that many can and will step in!

Procrastination; thinking about work (self employed) in a really high minded way while having absolutely no energy to put the high thoughts into action.

Lying in bed pontificating online about the benefits of keeping active.

Getting to see Dr Handsome regularly for a good flirt.

Getting the brush off from Dr Handsome for being too much of a regular visitor

Not even blinking when blood is being drawn and the needle gets stuck in the over used vein or lack of blood baffles the doctor or nurse. How stoical am I these days?!

Resoucefullness; Wondering how on earth to get home when RA flare has kicked into a wrist big time out of the blue and there's a question of turning the key in the ignition, steering and gear changes to consider before getting home and hitting the drugs.

Guilt inducing hobble when someone is jogging torwards you looking trim and smug.

Best of all - not having to shake hands with creepy, sweaty looking people because of the black wrist splint which you shake politely at them with an apologetic smile

DebraKelly

Trying to navigate spiral staircase with no banister to hold on, gets stuck about half day down and people push past you to get out the way instead of trying to help!