OS ways and Poor Health

suki1964 · 18 September 2016 at 2:35PM

Fuddle I had the flu in January , it floored me so I don't even know how you are even managing to get any kind of meal on the table after everything you have been through of late

Be kind to yourself a bit longer

I think it was three days before I felt up to getting out of bed to cook a meal, and seriously that's all I did do for near on three weeks, cook a meal and back to bed. No washing, ironing, hoovering, nothing.

And I cooked the easiest meals I could, one pot, served with rice or pasta unless someone else peeled pots and veggies

Worse wasn't so much the fatigue, it was the smell of food, I spent a lot of time back and forth to the loo chucking up the very small contents of my stomach - liquid as I personally couldn't eat

Bolognase was literally chuck all the ingredients in and let it sort it's self out with a bit of a stir , no flaffing with browning mince or softening onions

Curry was the same, opened a jar of sauce and tipped it over raw chicken and veg and stirred. ( I'm usually a roast and grind my own spices curry cook lol ) Chicken casserole, tin of toms, a few herbs and some chicken thighs, tipped in a tin of butter beans

I was for once grateful for the stock of tinned veg we had in the house

One tray cooking helps as well. Chop some different type of veg up, put chicken thighs on top, season and whack in the oven. Get your kids to peel and chop the veg

Hubby done the ' essential' washing. I seriously was that poorly that one day I totally soaked the bedding so just got out, went to a spare bed, soaked that, moved to the next.

So you take your time to get better. Just serve up what you can and forget the rest

One of my most used gadgets is my food processor. I can chop veg, grate cheese and make pastry in seconds, no stress on the hands. I seriously wouldn't be able to cook as much as I do without it

Other useful things I have ( we refitted the kitchen 3 years ago so I was very mindful of making the kitchen work for me) an induction hob. It comes with a timer. I can bring a pan to temp, set the cooking time and walk away ( sit down and read ). My larder has pull out shelves so I can see what I've got at a glance. Corner cupboards have in are that pull right out or turntables. Plates and bowls and pie dishes etc are in drawers. The only things I have to reach up for are mugs and glasses. Saucepans hang from a rack. Also having a granite work top I can put hot pans down anywhere

I can't mind who it was who posted about the damp affecting joints more. My GP tells me it's tosh. I know it's not. The first few days of the week it was either humid or peeing down and I was in agony. Friday was lovely, Saturday even better. Both those days I felt great. Today I could cry. All I've managed today is get a dinner cooked and hubby had to peel the veg and today it's dull, and mizzerly and cold.

Still at least I got the lawns mowed on the good days and got the chickens cleaned out so I've got breathing space for a while

Busy week this week as the grandkids are staying Friday to Sunday. That's 150 mile round trip for me Friday. Then I've got friends visiting from Scotland Monday to Wednesday. My feather duster will be on supercharge this week

. Hubby will help me with the beds. I love having the grandkids and guests but I usually try not to have everyone the same week. Just can't change this one. Still they are long time friends and they know I don't do house proud so I'll not be killing myself

One lovely thing about today is I've lit the stove it's lovely sitting snuggled in front of it

Hope everyone is doing ok

pollyanna_26 · 18 September 2016 at 3:03PM

LL Well done to your dad and yourself for finding a way back from an exhausting period of your life . I think you are being very mindful by making changes to future proof things as much as you can . Kittie , Elona and others have followed the same process and it certainly makes life easier in the end . Sadly where I live it is totally a sellers market for suitable properties , it is an area way at the top for retirement and the really rich are prepared to pay stupid money to live here .
I was one of the lucky women who just caught the age 60 retirement . I feel so annoyed for all those who had the goalposts moved and moved again not what was promised when they introduced the pension at 60 to great fanfare .
Suki Good stuff in your post . Sometimes you have to cut the corners to suit the situation . Glad you are over that flu , people greatly underestimate how bad it can be . You have reminded me we are about to begin flu injection season so will check that at the surgery and save them posting out two separate letters .
polly

lessonlearned · 18 September 2016 at 3:29PM

Yes Kittie and ELona have been inspirational in the way they have sorted out their living arrangements to make them future proof.

When you find yourself alone for whatever reason then I think it is wise to plan ahead for the time when you might be less agile.

As you know I'm still with my son and still love being here but I know that I can't remain here forever. I haven't quite been able to bite that bullet just yet. And every time I broach the subject he just grins and says "no hurry, I'll just put your rent up when I want you out".

But threads like this, the widows thread and the kitchen thread have been really helpful to me in helping me decide what things are likely to either help or hinder as I get older.

And of course I learned a great deal from being my husband's carer, having to negotiate things like wheelchairs, bathing equipment, hoists etc It was a steep learning curve and a real eye opener.

Shropshirelass · 18 September 2016 at 3:34PM

I agree with so many of the opinions, and can echo some of the situations many have gone through. I'm quite well at present, and today did twice as much as I expected in the garden, tidying and bringing in potplants ready for winter.
I was watching our little dog, Bonnie, she is a really happy creature - sometimes she just finds a warm sunny place and sits calmly there enjoying the world around her for a few minutes. I'm trying to spend time during the day with the same attitude ... 'I'll just sit here for a bit before I carry on.'

Hope things are going well for you all.

westcoastscot · 18 September 2016 at 3:43PM

LL I'm one of those who had my retirement pushed to 62, then 66.5, giving me 11.5 years to work, in theory. My ex left me with nothing financially, so am starting again in that department since my kids grew up. It was going reasonably well until my diagnosis! Since then I've figured that ideally staying in work is the best bet financially, and after careful consideration between working part-time but for longer of full-time just for a few years, I've opted for the former.
Due to my work I know the system inside out, and want to stay independent for as long as I can. If I can stay on track financially, I *should* be able to retire at 62/63, depending on what carp happens between now and then. Wish I could do more though!!!!

Edited to add - 6 years seems an awfully long time - makes me tired thinking about it!

suki1964 · 18 September 2016 at 3:45PM

Definitely LL

Our downstairs bathroom isn't used unless we have a houseful. The bedroom mum is in downstairs has a tiny en suite. What we are planning to do when funds allow is knock out the ensuite to make that room bigger then to make the bathroom a wet room with an entrance from the bedroom, bigger doors on both the bedroom and the bathroom for wheelchair access. When dad was with us it was a struggle getting him showered. We had to pay someone to come in so he kept at least some dignity. I want us to be as independent as possible for as long as possible

lessonlearned · 18 September 2016 at 3:52PM

Bless you, westcoastscot, hope you keep well. (I used to live in Helensburgh).

Right now I am taking a leaf out of shropshirelass's little dog,s book - just having a few minutes in the sun.

Actually I have had quite a lazy day, pottering about both on here and in RL. Why not, it is Sunday!!

Sounds like a good plan Suki.

Larumbelle · 18 September 2016 at 4:29PM

Hi all :wave:

Well I have been busy with another 'what the heck am I doing?' DIY project. As well as being tiny and monstrously ugly, my kitchen also had hardly any storage. Not complaining, don't get me wrong - I am very lucky to have the home that I do now - but it wasn't very practical. A community group I am part of donated some ikea wall cabinets that they no longer needed to me, on condition that I put them up myself! :eek:

But - after my usual cycle of messing up and panicking - I have done it! :j At least, they haven't fallen down under their own weight yet. I haven't actually had the guts to put anything inside them yet :rotfl: I had exactly the same thing with the wall- mounted bookcase that they made me build. I couldn't believe that anything I had installed myself would bear the weight of several hundred books but it did. So hopefully once I do pluck up the courage to fill the cupboards they will be fine.

So I am feeling pleased now. Also utterly exhausted. I cannot imagine how I used to have so much energy, doing just about anything wipes me out now. I try not to compare then to now, I know it isn't helpful, but all the same, sometimes I think it was a different person.

(((Hugs))) to all having to battle through to retirement and beyond. I am not currently working - I got let go because of poor health - and I do manage on ESA. But I think it helps that I only have myself to look out for. If I had a partner, or kids, or the inclination to have a social life, I think it would be much tougher. I keep being told to apply for PIPs but so far I haven't done. I muddle through, anyway.

LL, if your son is happy and you are happy then I wouldn't fret. It sounds like he is happy! When I moved here my father very kindly paid for carpet and some furniture for me. And I got very upset about accepting his offer, until one of my friends who has adult children of her own told me that if it were one of her kids, she would be heartbroken and maybe even a little angry if they didn't let her help out. It made me see the offer in a different light. I know that it is not the same thing, but in a lot of ways it really is. We all want to do the best for our family, and if I could help anyone in my family out I would want to. So if I were in your son's situation, I would want you to take all the time you wanted, and stay not just as long as you needed, but as long as you wanted. I'm not sure I've explained that very well. Also, I'm glad that the Henry attachment seems to be a success! My Henry was [STRIKE]fished out of a skip and repaired myself[/STRIKE] second-hand, so it didn't have a nozzle like that to start with, that was why I thought to mention it!

I just want to say that I find everyone here an inspiration, keeping going and doing what they can. I find it easier to say than do, and I have been finding it easier to keep going the last few days because I know that other people have the same struggles and battle through. All I have wanted to do is curl up in a little ball but because of you I haven't! So thank you :A

Nomoonatall · 18 September 2016 at 4:52PM

My latest useless tip....don't make lists unless it's for something really important.

I've been making lists to remind me of repairs etc for ages. I feel more useless when I check it and have achieved nothing!

I now just make shopping lists...which I usually forget to take with me to the shops!

I'll post more useless tips when I remember them...thrown the list away!

I hope everyone is as well as they can be x

grunnie · 18 September 2016 at 5:04PM

What a helpful thread - I feel as tho I am not so alone now. I have fibro arthritis iBS and gerd also angioedema. For the last I take 3 different pills which have made me tired and very overweight. I miss being able to knit as always had knitting on the go. I tried last year to knit a school jumper for my granddaughter but it was too small by the time I finished it ( her little sister will get in when she goes to school)
I heat water for tea in a cup in the microwave and have a coffee machine that takes pods so one cup at a time and easy to use. I have a shark lightweight vacuum which is so easy to use. I struggle with opening tins so don't use many and as for ringpulls I just don't have the strength for them.So any advice would be good as I like diet cola and can't manage the big bottles - they would have fizzed all over my kitchen floor:rotfl:
I shop on line and the lady from asda puts my freezer stuff into the freezer and leaves the fridge stuff at the front of the fridge.
I shop for clothes on line unless I am near a Bonmarche as the assistants there are great and really helpful and their fitting rooms are big. Was in one of their shops last week and the girl spent ages getting different sizes for me.

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OS ways and Poor Health

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