OS ways and Poor Health

pollyanna_26 · 12 September 2016 at 10:04PM

Hi I am rubbish at posting links , The e cloths are available from lakeland , and other places . I often find the original cloths in tk maxx at good prices . You can buy other cheaper cloths but over the years I found the original ones were better and lasted much longer .
The mop and the various heads were originally from Lakeland but when I decided to buy LL were stocking another brand . I found mine on amazon . If you put e cloth into google it should bring up the manufacturers page which should show their current range .
Just spent a long time writing a long post and lost it !
polly

pollyanna_26 · 12 September 2016 at 10:38PM

Following the loss into the ether of my long post I will attempt a short one . Welcome to the new faces lovely to meet you all .
There are so many good ideas and such a lovely atmosphere on here already . Someone used the word solidarity earlier and I think that is a good feeling to have . I know I live a lot inside my head and do a fair bit of listening to the negative and judgemental side of my brain . The comments on that from Lame Wolf and Larumbelle on being your own worst critic have resonated with me and I hope will make me challenge that way of thinking so thank you both .
I posted at length on various topics all of which escape me at the moment :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Can openers was one I recall , as a lefty I could never use the traditional type opting for the manual top of the can sort and as my joints and muscles became bad I opted for the battery type , they worked well but were short lived as the battery was virtually impossible to replace and a google search brought up pages of complaints on the subject . I was in the local sainsbury about 3 years ago and spotted a kenwood electric can opener at a hugely reduced price and it is still going strong . Perfect as long as the stars are in alignment and the brain is working with the hands to secure the can onto the grabby thing - technical term

I buy ring pull where possible but my go to when I can barely lift a finger is Ambrosia full cream rice ( I tell myself is must have a lot of calcium in the same way chocolate is a wonderful source of iron ) it comes in the old style can so I need a means of opening cans .
Tired now so will talk myself into heading for bed and will see you all tomorrow . Wishing you all restful sleep .
polly

pollyanna_26 · 12 September 2016 at 11:57PM

Too much debt .
I had a quick google about the e mop Lakeland have it again at £19.99 and you can also buy the various pads for wet dry use .
JL are matching lowest prices and selling for os £ 12.93 as are Amazon where I bought mine . Amazon also have the different pads on the mop page .
Hope this helps and you do get on of the basic floor pads with the mop wherever you buy from . I find the fluffy dusting head a great addition as you can sweep and dust with it . All the pads are washable and I eventually found two of each in rotation work well but tried the supplied pad and a fluffy one first to make sure it was suitable for my needs .
Good night
polly

getting_my_life_straight · 13 September 2016 at 9:14AM

Love this thread, I have lupus and am hypermobile, with suspected fibro. I struggle with everyday tasks. I had a session with occupational therapy at the hospital and they came up with some great ideas. One of the best was when cooking veggies or anything in water in a pan, was to use a metal basket (bit like the old chip pan baskets) put veg etc in there. When you come to drain, just lift the basket out. Saves struggling and the risk of hot water splashing. Also showed me new ways of peeling, also the idea of filling kettle with water from a jug. Found it very helpful and if anyone is offered it I would recommend it.

pollyanna_26 · 13 September 2016 at 10:22AM

Hi GMLS welcome

That's a really good point about OT . Also if there is a good local pain clinic locally it is well worth anyone asking to be referred there . My daughter who like myself has psoriatic atrhritis and fibro was helped a great deal by ours . There is a wonderful doctor who is a specialist in medication for severe and debilitating pain , a physio team and also o.t and a mental health team . It is a holistic way of dealing with all the various effects of a diagnosis and after assessment you can use all of the options available or choose the ones best for you depending on your health and level of energy . She was also given a course of therapy at the heated pool in the local spinal unit . Being given the chance to discuss her fear , anger and frustration as she was very young led to some excellent coping skills and an open invitation to go back for whichever things she felt would help again .
I am stubborn and part of my thinking at present is to put a sensible head on and overcome the idea that I need to do everything while in reality a lot of things are not being done .
My advice is to listen to the real experts who are here on the thread and ignore " the warriors " in real life who if you listen can make you feel as though you're not making an effort .
polly

getting_my_life_straight · 13 September 2016 at 10:44AM

Thanks Polly, I too sometimes try and work through regardless, but boy do I suffer in the days that follow. Pacing yourself is the only way to deal with these illness's and if people don't understand - then stuff them. I have been stubborn in the past, but have got to know limitations and if there is something that can't be avoided like family event, trauma, stress etc, then I adjust meds accordingly. I am on steroids and do increase when not well or if need a helping hand. I would say make use of physio, occ therapy sessions offered as they do help. I appeared one day at a session and was in tears through pain and she popped on a relaxation tape and had me relaxing for the whole session. Probably did more good than my exercises at that particulat time. Hope u have a good pain free day.

ArthriticOldThing · 13 September 2016 at 10:53AM

What a great thread. Thank you so much for starting it polly.
I have Psoriatic Arthritis which had never heard of before was diagnosed. Am also diabetic with a few other medical 'incidentals' and struggle so much with tiredness - which is NOT a strong enough word - that have felt like giving up. It's so good to read other people's experiences.
Reading the comments about kettles has anyone else got a 'kettle tipper'? It's a wonderful gadget like a swing that the kettle is strapped into and boils as usual but swings up to make easy pouring without having to actually lift it.
The business about pacing oneself is so true. I do a bit then rest a bit and if something doesn't get done then it doesn't!
Suki, I had to buy an upright a few years ago and am now considering a cordless - all the sockets a at floor level and bending down to plug/unplug often sees me on the floor. :eek:
With can-openers I use the battery type but have two so when the battery goes in one I can use the other til my son visits when he can change the battery.

lessonlearned · 13 September 2016 at 10:58AM

Great thread lots of tips - I think I will go through and jot some down.

I have decided to keep a little notebook of what works, what complimentary medicines or supplements help me most, what gadgets etc might be worth trying.

Well I don't know about being a "life warrior" but I often feel like I've been in the wars and often for no obvious reason. Sometimes my muscles hurt so much and I just feel shattered and as weak as a kitten. I do try to "soldier on" though because I find its best to keep some movement or I just seize up.

Anyway lots of tips on here about lifting etc. - especially when cooking. Like the "chip basket" idea for vegetables, will definitely give that a go.

I have recently bought an extending fluffy duster, it's brilliant. I'm thinking also of a lightweight steam cleaner. Any recommendations please.

I think the trick is to use any gadgets or gizmos that help and to take short cuts.

For me the biggest help was to have a serious declutter and trying to adopt the principles of minimalism. I have still got a long way to go, especially in the kitchen. I need to buy some "magic corners" for the base units and some pull out baskets. Hoping to organise that in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for the thread, some brilliant ideas.

pollyanna_26 · 13 September 2016 at 11:32AM

Thanks GMLS wise words .
One thing some may do is to educate yourself about your health . I just carried on for many years . PSA is a sero-negative disease and all the blood tests my doctor did never showed the marker for inflammatory arthritis in the end I was wrongly diagnosed with osteo so got by on brufon which eventually began to damage my stomach . Some years later I was diagnosed with Fibro so I put everything down to that although my joints were becoming increasingly damaged . Youngest was then diagnosed with fibro but was really ill . She has badly damaged tendons now in one of her feet due to a wrongly placed steroid injection by the most rude and arrogant consultant it has ever been our misfortune to meet .
I began to really research all aspects of conditions and patients rights . We spoke to our wonderful young GP and he referred her to another hospital in a different trust . At her first visit the Rheumo consultant diagnosed the psa and prescribed Methotrexate . I would say it's the best thing we ever did . This led to joining a research programme through the hospital and the realisation that there was a genetic link back to my mum .
I have read a lot and to those interested I would start on the Arthritis uk website . They have loads of information on there and you can order booklets on the different conditions . A helpful one is "Living with long- term pain a guide to self management " which has a lot of information , pages to make notes and a pain and fatigue chart to track your week . I think I ordered about 8 different booklets and they were delivered quite quickly by the postman . Back then they were free with an option to make a donation but I am not sure if that's so now .
On the subject of research for those who don't already know a doctor at Manchester uni is conducting research at the moment jointly with the charity . " Cloudy with a chance of pain "-as many of us know cold , damp , hot and humid weather triggers our pain and flares . It is trying to track this and has asked as many people as possible to take part to provide a widespread view of the link .
You need a smart phone , I'm a basic emergency only mobile girl myself but daughter is able to enter both our daily information on her phone . You download the app ( I'm writing this as if I know what an app is

) and give your weather and pain levels . Totally anonymous but another bit in the research that can change the future .
Now I have exhausted you all I shall go and have a brew and a little sit in the semi -feral garden and consider whether the neighbours will really fall for the idea I'm embracing the prairie style of gardening :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
See you later
polly

[Deleted User] · 13 September 2016 at 11:44AM

I am not ill as such, just short in height and very nearly 70, also widowed 18 months ago. I have a lot to do here in my house and am keeping my small lovely allotment. I have been working on future proofing and this started about 2 years ago.

All plants that were high maintenance have gone, there is no grass but several tiers of different colours of gravel and pots and raised beds, which are large as they don`t need to be watered so much. Plants are very easy and colourful, like acers in pots. I have had one lovely japanese acer in a pot, been in there for 18 years

My shoulders get sore and sometimes it extends right down my arms into my hands, that is when I know I have overdone it. I try and listen to my body and it tells me when to stop. I recently bought a wax bath for my hands, which will soothe and help. I also have several types of hand spints, which I will wear at night as needed, to keep my joints stable

Being small, I have always known how to move heavier things, like bags of compost. I roll into my 2 wheeled wheelbarrow from the boot and move that way. I also `walk` larger heavier things, I can move a lot of things that way

We bought single beds just before dh passed, they are good beds but even as a single, the matress is far too awkward and heavy and it needs flipping or turning every quarter, it is hypnos. If I had known, then I would have bought a no-turn matress

Vaccuuming is not comfortable on my back after a while, so I use a roomba, which is utterly amazing and keeps the dust down

All my deliveries are via the internet now, I never carry anything heavy

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OS ways and Poor Health

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