A Hard Time a doin’ | Arthritis Information

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What task do you have the worse time doing?Carrying anything up stairs is really hard for me, because if my arms are full I can't use them to help support my weight.  Then I have to walk up the stairs actually putting my entire weight on my hips as I step up.  This happens constantly because I live in tri-level split house and I'm always carrying something from one level to another. 

A very close second is cleaning myself up in the bathroom. With my shoulder bad, and my hand swollen and stiff, it just isn't easy.

InnerGlow,

I love that, "my time is up" that is a great way to put it. And yes the bathroom issue, I use sooooo much Toilet paper to try to reach,my hubbie gets mad!!!

I can understand that one inner glow. I use to have to wipe my booty and a newborns booty when I was at my worst. And it seemed like everytime I would get kicked across my hand which would hurt my fingers, wrist, and hand. I would literally cry everytime I knew my son pooed in his diaper when he was a newborn, for fear of getting kicked again and being in more pain. [QUOTE=Daisy] Okay this made me think!!! It is soooo many, but I never
figure it out until I try doing. Tonight for dinner I was making a salad, so I
went out to the garden to get some lettuce and spinach, and I had a hard
time getting down and picking it!!!!!! Darnit, it is always something!!!![/
QUOTE]

OMG, you have stuff to eat out of your garden already? I have not even
planted ours yet. How wonderful would that be. I'm so jealous

I want a frontloader too, been looking at them and a dishwasher, but it will be next tax refund before I can get either one of them, so I hope.

My mom bought me a dishwasher 2 years ago when our oldest DD graduated from high school. We have had an empty hole in the kitchen since we put the cupboards in 18 years ago. I never really wanted one, but it is so wonderful. No more dirty dishes on the cupboard waiting for one of the girls to get them washed. My dr. once suggested I leave the dishes for the morning so I could soak my hands in the hot water first thing in the morning. What a guy.Getting my son in/out of his carseat and the bathtub. There is just no
easy way.

Becky

Lorster,

We just have the spinach and lettuce so far, it too early for the tomatoes, peppers and stuff. I live in the midwest. I am so spoiled my husband does all the work and I get all the benefits!!!

Becky, Joonie, and all you moms with young children,

I can not even imagine how hard it must be to keep up your energy and do everything you need to with your children, I truly admire you!!!!! I can not even function most days until noon, How do you do it? You guys are my heroes!!!

Becky - I can understand that one as well. I am just surprised you can even get your son out of the carseat! I cannot get my son undone from his carseat, even if his life depended on it, I still would not be able to. That is still another reason why I will not get my driver's liscense, because I cannot get my son out of his carseat, and I do not want hubby to make me drive.

The bathtub thing is not a problem for me since my son takes a shower, and most times I jump in there and wipe him down when he is really dirty, but if not he takes a shower by himself. He loves to wash, wash himself.

Sorry I could not really relate to you hillhoney and lorster. Have not had to try those things yet.

OK - so for me its cutting and peeling pumpkin (squash).  I have another great little peeling gadget with a wide handle that I can just drag down the other veg. and can chop them in the whizz!   (The ones that I need to peel - now that my garden is going for it's winter sleep for a few months)

Someone gave me a tip though, if I give the pumpkin pieces a quick blast in the microwave before peeling, about 2-3 minutes, that tough skin is easier to get off.  And if I'm roasting it, I just leave the skin on!

Putting a fitted sheet on the bed.

Blowdrying my hair - now unable to do that at all.

Not easily able use the mouse for doing close up playing around in Photoshop.  And I was just beginning to be able to. Now it just jerks all over the place.   Darn it!!

Very difficult to thread the needle on my sewing machine. (A combination I think of eyesight and declining fine motor skills.
I'm sure there must be a gadget.   Must look into that one.

Not able to have a bath -

Good topic.  High pain days I have a hard time showering, washing my hair, etc. and then always hard to mke myself look presentable to go to work.  In general though, I have a hard time getting groceries, doing laudry and getting to and from work.  I don't have a car and live in san francisco so I take public transportation and I walk.  And I live in the middle of a pretty tall hill.  carrying anything at all causes pain...off the bus up the hill to my apt, up the stairs to my apt. etc.  Also, laundry is a killier which is why I end up putting it off so much.  The laundry mat is across the street from my apt. but I hate carrying it up and down the stairs etc.

Lately, it seems that it's all hard.  gettin up in the morning, ugh, geting dressed and on the bus in time so I'm not late.  I'm usually in a lot of pain at work and really tired - the adrenal fatigue doesn't help.  So my goal is to make it through the day and get ready for the next day.  :)   but with all that, I am so thankful that I am not have the pain I had when first diagnosed.  my hands, wrists, and knees were swollen like balloons.  Excrutiang pain just getting off and on the toilet!!

I'm with you kiwilass  pumpkin is  a killer  it's sooo hard.  My other biggie is doing up my bra.  I'm going to start looking for one with a front opening   I just can't do the back anymore.

I think the only way I will have a bath again is if we get a spa.

Ummm for me...carrying laundry baskets up and down 2 flights of stairs and scrubbing the tub.  Oh yeah and cobwebs. 

I have a Swiffer Sweep n Vac and a Swiffer Wet Jet which has made doing my floors 100 times easier.  I get the kids to move all the stuff out of the kitchen and I swiffer away!!

lol kiwilass

All of you who have to climb stairs, I'm very sorry. I don't know what I'd do. And the ones who have little children, my heart goes out to you. I'm going to stay with my grandbaby for a month and I'm worried. I don't know how my body is going to hold up. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

getting the baby in and out of his carseat.

Grocery shopping. I am so exhausted by the time I get to the register I am shaking and sweating like a pig.

carrying anything up stairs.

Anything requiring small motor skills. I make  100's of typos. so Im always correcting.

Wiping my  own rear.. there are times when I have to ask for help

Ooh, Pammy, I forgot that one with the bra.  That's a biggie.  I definitely cannot go without (42G) and although I put it on the way Kiwi suggests (which is still kinda hard for me), hubby has to unhook it now or I can just barely do it (with both shoulders cracking and me shrieking a little).

Anyone else got that one task that is just too hard too do?

I know I have a many of tasks over the years, that I have stopped doing because I could no longer do it, and then when there was a time I got better, I never returned back to doing that task.

Let's see... example... I stopped writing because my right wrist would hurt really bad, and I could not write for maybe 10 mins at a time. This task I started to give up while in my Jr of High School. I remember asking to be able to turn in my story for English class after study hall because I could not write a full story in the class time like everyone else, because of my wrist.

As the years progressed, I have slowly faded out the writing of anything other than my name and filling out forms for dr's.

My heart too goes out to those with infants and toddlers, I can't imagine how hard that must be. Though it is a tri-level and the laundry is down in the garage, I am grateful I have a house over my head. After falling down (and up) the stairs so many times, I no longer carry the laundry so I can hold on to the railing. Probably the hardest thing I find is pouring laundry detergent, bleach, milk, juice, etc. I never would have thought such a simple movement would be so hard on our wrists...

 

 

chasing hot butter round to spread on the toast...........

Sandra

Lately? The stairs. I've been having hip and knee problems so the stairs are the worst for me and no one can do it for me. I'm blessed to have a very helpful husband and family that offer to do all the things I actually have trouble with. Cleaning the bathroom, going up and downt he stairs with the laundry basket that kind of stuff I don't really have to do alone. BUT climbing the stairs to my bedroom or just navigating the few steps in and out of the house presents a challenage for me lately.

We searched long and hard to find a house large enough for our family of 6 that didn't have stairs but we ended up with a two story after all. We originally planned to close in the attached garage; but we didn't anticipate having to do it so soon. It's going to cost a small fortune to do it and it's not likely to happen any time soon.

Thankfully these hip/knee problems kind of come and go. Hopefully they will go soon!

          Hi, My sister with RA has not been able to ride in a car long enough to make a trip home in a year now. She lives about 1hr and 45mins away from all of us so we have to go there. She also has not been upstairs in her house in a year either. The only place she goes out to is Dr. appts and the hospital. It is so depressing for her, she and her husband were such travelers before all this. She can't cook,clean, or do any yard work which was her passion. Most days are spent in a recliner now with trips tp the bathroom a major chore as she is on oxygen and in a wheel chair. This is the most dibilatating and painful disease I have ever seen,I would not wish it on my worst enemy. God Bless all of you who are suffering with this.This site is a Godsend and offers hope to those who think nothing will ever change for them. There have been many success stories here that give hope and encouragement to many, keep up the good fight and someday maybe they will find a cure for this wicked disease.....Genesis

I can't get out of the tub because of my knees.   I really miss my baths.  Walking is difficult right now and I'm using a cane until I have knee surgery.  I also have an issue with the bra thing.  Usually I just have Stan hook and unhook them.  I hate to pull and tug on my bras because they're expensive.  I buy them on sale but still hate to pull on them because the stitching pulls loose. 

I don't have children at home and I don't know  how all of you manage.  You amaze me with your parenting skills and love for your children.  Like Daisy said, "you're my heroes" and you all deserve medals.  Lindy

http://www.acessinc.com/bathtubs_with_door.htm

http://hls.imswebmktg.com/hls/unique/91397.php?GCID=S19114x0 01&KEYWORD=bathtub+elderly&gclid=CICppfjbs4wCFRAkggo diXuTSg

http://www.premier-bathrooms.com/walk_in_bath.php?source=adw ords&gclid=CI3jmobcs4wCFSnKggodImi4SA

Suzanne, I did look into them when we were still living in the house, but we retired, sold the house, and hit the road traveling.  We just moved into a rental house this month because of my knees and upcoming surgery.  Most likely we'll buy next year and I may look at walk in tubs again.  Even if we buy and If I'm capable, we're going to settle down for 6 months and travel for 6 months.  They are quite costly to use only 6 months of the year.  Maybe when I get really old!!! Thanks for the thought. Lindy

Most of my problems have to do with my hands.  My fingers are so crooked that it really is hard trying to grasp something.  I have to use both hands while drinking something with the exception of a coffee cup and then I use my whole hand to grasp the handle.  Suprisingly, using forks, knives and spoons are fairly easy just not too pretty.  I can still cut my own food but my lovely wife likes to do that for me. 

Then there's money issues.  I have to go inside the bank for transactions because it takes me way too long to fish that carrier out of that tube in the drive-thru.  Going through the drive-thru at a restaurant, I have a small bowl for the guy to put my change in.  And I absolutely cannot pick up a coin off of flat surface floor.  Talk about frustration.  I have to slide it over to a wall or something and try to turn it up just to get a hold of it.  Sometimes it's just so pitiful that I just have to laugh at myself.  

Yeah, Binge... I have a hard time picking up stuff off a flat surface, but probably not as hard as you, and I know the frustration you go thru trying to get it up off the table or counter, or even the floor.

 

Stairs are just vicious. Tall steps like up into a van or down into my pool are almost always impossible to do alone.

Asking for help still 'hurts' me.  

Getting out of cars, climbing stairs & opening jars

Are stair lifts for the home expensive in USA. And if you are eligible for disability benefits are you not eligibe for home equipment help? Its just i was asessed by occpational therapy and had a stairlift installed last year.It helps so much and makes going up and down the stairs so easy. I dont really know much about the disability process in the USA and other countries

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Without this i wouldnt make it up to bed


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