RA exhaustion | Arthritis Information

I do not know about any of you but this RA lethargy is the pits! I need to have blood work done to see where my sed rate ect. is. I get so weary of this disease!

On another note...I think we are going to have the granbaby's medical records faxed to our Ped in Indiana....Jarek gets an ear infection about once per month...his mom had trouble with these and now him.

HE has an oddly shaped ear and I am hoping that the ear inside is formed ok but with all these ear infections I am beginning to wonder. Not certain what to do. MAybe an ENT could help....so I am going to request a referral...daughter thinks we ought to do the same.

Any suggestions?
Alsooooo....ANyone have any suggestions how to place this RA on hold so I have more energy for all this? (wink)

JodeAhhh Jode, the magic million-dollar-place-RA-on-hold question! Best wishes for a speedy resolution of lethargy and for your grandchild’s difficulty.THanks for the input and well wishes. They are most helpful. Hi Jode...no advice...just wanted to say hi and hope you're doing well.

I do have experience with chronic ear infections though. I'm sorry to hear Jarek is suffering and I hope he gets well soon. My older son had ear infections something fierce when he was a baby. We were constantly in the doc's office. We tried everything from propping him up at a 90 degree angle to special medicated drops. It never seemed to get any better. We were referred to an ENT who suggested tubes in both ears. (The tubes fall out on their own eventually as they get older. They looked almost like mini-rubberbands to me.) It was a MIRACLE!! Let me tell ya! That kid has had zip, zero, no ear infections since! We had them put in when he was 1 or so and he's almost 8 now. It was scary to have him under anesthesia, but he came out all good.

eta - the E in Jarek's name. It said "Jark" LOL

CO_Mel2009-03-03 15:46:03 [QUOTE=jodejjr]
Alsooooo....ANyone have any suggestions how to place this RA on hold so I have more energy for all this? (wink) Jode[/QUOTE]

SOme great advice....I cannot delegate anything...I am the person everyone delegates too! Maybe that is part of the problem...dunno.

JArek was teething yet even though he tugs on his ear the Doc said he was ok so that is what we are going with for the time being. If he gets one more ear infection that is it.....I am urging my daughter to seek a different PEd in the group then we will discuss what needs to be done next.I will not hesitate for a second for a second opinion from our Ped in Indiana even though it has been several years since we have seen him. HE is the best Ped I have met thus far.

As for me.....long story short...I don;t feel good, it is too cold outside most of the time. I miss Indiana and my friends.

Hey KEl! Long time no see! ANd Cord too! Geesh it has been awhile since i have been online! [QUOTE=jodejjr]SOme great advice....I cannot delegate anything...I am the person everyone delegates too! Maybe that is part of the problem...dunno. [/QUOTE]

That is exactly the problem, Jode. You have to delegate and find alternative ways to get essential things done. What we often do is still behave how we did before the onset of our RA. It normal and natural to do that. Sometimes doing less too is a loss also because it means things have changed in our world and we will feel the sadness associated with that.

I was always the person who everyone came to and I've had to say a big, NO to their expectations of me because my first priority is to care for myself so I can care for Neve.

So maybe do some brainstorming on paper about delegating and creative ways to get things done.

If you keep trying to do everything and be there for everyone you will probably fall flat on your face, woman. I know. I have been there. Jode,
So hard to watch a little one suffer and not be able to help! My son is 3 yrs old now, but he had terrible ear infections his first winter. We were very opposed to doing the ear tubes - it seemed so invasive for a little guy - and tried other alternatives that were unsuccessful. We wound up at the ENT after awhile, and it was about this time of year. The ENT was great and didn't rush into tubes, expecting the ear infections to cease with spring and summer coming. It wasn't til he had a couple more ear infections during the summer months that he said it was time. Tubes were a godsend - after more than a dozen ear infections in less than a year, he never had one again. His tubes have even pushed out and he's still free of ear infections. With any luck, Jarek's will clear up and you won't have to go that route.

I understand that lots of rest and sleep are great for RA fatigue. LOL .
My daughter had tubes in her ears at 6 mos old, they helped but at a recheck the Ped found them laying in her ear canal. One of Jarek's ears is formed differently and the ear canal is a bit different, but that ear is not the one that gets infected all the time....makes no sense! HE has wax, wax, wax and he is supposed to have a dewaxing stuff placed in them but I have yet to take the time to do it.......scared to actually.

THis weekend my x husband is coming up for a day and a half so that will give me some time off and help my daughter, sometimes she just needs to be with her daddy. HE has not seen Jarek since CHristmas. THey want to relocate to Indiana when their schooling is over cause the economy, although bad there as well, is better than here in Michigan.

Thanks for all th einput. I am saying NO to a lot of stuff lately. I just cannot do it anymore and since I am single, there is no guy around to help....
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