PHYSICAL CHALLENGES ~ October's Monthly Thread #002
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WELCOME EVERYONE ~ this thread is for anyone with any kind of physical challenge like SB, CP, MS, PK, Lupus, Osteo, Arthritis, Rheumatism, or any other condition (whether genetic or acquired), that causes physical limitations and/or difficulties.

Please join us in this special thread ~ to give support and encouragement; and share ideas, or just chat with one another ... Rosebud.

YES, thank you MONET, for starting our new monthly thread and sticky for us; we appreciate your help very much ...

HEY PURPLE ~ you're our first poster on our new monthly thread; thanx for starting us off today. We had a busy day today as well; shopping and running errands, and I also walked til my feet were throbbing. I not complaining though, as I know that it's burning energy and it all helps.

I scraped my leg on my desk again; hope it clears up quickly cuz I sure don't want an infection. I had one before and don't want to go there again. I ran into the nurse who looked after me before; and she says that you have to walk about 50 minutes just to use up 200 C's of energy. That's a lot of walking for a couple of hundred C's ~ LOL! I told DH, we'll have to up our walking, if I want to keep losing during the winter.

I have a guest in my home right now; a cricket ~ lol; I know he is following the lights cuz he was in the kitchen before; now I can hear him in here, so he must be in the hallway or very nearby. I think he came in with one of the furry babies earlier tonight; I guess he is lonely. Can't see him, but sure can hear him ...

DH and I played games earlier; had to put my legs up at the same time; then I came in to answer a few emails and check in here. Tomorrow's is supposed to be sunny and cool; sounds like a perfect day for sunning that leg. So we are gonna be outside as much as we can tomorrow.

PURPLE ~ sorry your leg is bothering you; maybe you can rest it a bit tomorrow; too bad you have to do so much ironing. However, you are using up a lot of energy; does that make you feel better? MO thinks you should iron less and just enjoy your life more ~ LOL; but, we don't know how wrinkley your clothes are ... haha!

DH tells me not to bother with his work clothes, but if it's his Sunday Best and it needs it, I will do it. We have a lot of permanent press clothes here and our dryer has both a cool cycle and a hot cycle so we can use both. I do hang stuff like my unmentionables on my indoor rack all the time as the dryer is not good for the elastic.

I purchased a new clothes line, but DH hasn't had time to put it up yet; will have to get on him about it, I guess; but, we have been very busy lately, and next week, he has to go help my uncle with some stuff; to pay off all the free labor on our car (we just had to pay for the parts). It may not get up until next spring at this rate ... lol!

ANYWAYS, we had a fun night at home, cuz we were both just too tired to do anything else tonight; and now it's time for me to hit the hay!

HI TO EVERYONE ELSE ~ MO, VAL, MYNXIE, and MARIA; hope to hear from all of you soon on our new monthly thread ~ take good care of yourselves, your friend ~ ROSEBUD

good evening everyone

I am feeling exceptionally whiny today about MS, exercise and my lifestyle change. please bear with me for a bit (lol or skip to the bottom!

my parents came into town tonight... after I had already had a great dinner and invited my brother out to dinner. My Dad the RN called ahead of showing up and left a message saying he was going to 'stay away from me' so that he didnt make me sick since he caught something at work. He's convinced that my MS meds make me immunocompromised (especially easy to catch viruses etc) and tries to protect me..... but hearing this from him just made me feel miserable.

short version is. today I failed. and I'm so frustrated with myself and scared that I'm going to completly fail. so many things have been running through my head and I'm feeling pretty emotional and overwhelmed. My workouts have suffered the last week because of side effects from my ms drugs so I already felt discouraged before the '2nd dinner with the rents'.

I'm tempted to only eat fruits and veggies tomorrow, to make up for eating out tonight but I know that isnt healthy. If somebody could stay on me for the next week or so I would really appreciate it. End of complaints

Rosebud thanks for directing us to the new monthly thread I hope your leg is okay! I've been trying to find a new place to walk during the winter - our mall closes at 6... so I'm hoping to be able to do laps in the hockey arena along with some stairs. Will you and DH be able to walk outside in the winter safely?

Purple I hope you were able to complete all the ironing today. Have you been able to work more easily with your leg in the last couple days? I hope all is well!

hello to everyone else I hope you're having a great weekend.

I am going to bed. maybe tomorrow will be better!

HI LADIES ~ well, today was much better for me; it started out cool and damp with a few sprinkles, but right now it has warmed up and the stars are out, so I took my little (furry) baby for a walk outside.

DH caught another flu or cold bug, but I hope I don't catch it; it seems everyone we know has something. Boy, these flu & cold bugs are hard to get rid of this year. We decided to just stay home today, cuz the damp air bothers our lungs too much.

VAL ~ I am sorry that you are having such a rough time right now; your father just didn't want to give you a bad flu; we stayed home from church today for that same reason (not to pass it on to someone else and to help DH get over it sooner). I know that you would much rather have your DAD visit you than not; maybe you can explain to him that as long as he doesn't breathe in your face directly that he can still visit you.

MO suggested we open our windows more often, and we have been doing that each day; you could do the same when he comes next time if he is still concerned. As for the second dinner, just eat a tad lighter tomorrow; don't try to starve yourself cuz that can boomerang in the end. Try to just forgive yourself for the mistake, and be more diligent the next day.

Tonight, we had turkey legs with summer turnip, carrots, onions, celery, and one potato each baked in the oven in a medium roaster; DH just loved it. I love these roasting pan dinners; only one pot to wash and it's so much easier to prepare. I didn't realize til after that our Canadian Thankgiving is coming up next week, but we have a whole turkey for that day; and we are really looking forward to it.

I have those days too, VAL, when I get discouraged; we all do! Look at my week; double car problems and other health issues on top of that. But, we must forge on like good soldiers, and when the tough stuff is over (and it will all pass), we can move on and do even better ...

I did better this week staying on plan; but with renewed determination to watch what I'm eating a little closer. If I am hungry, I eat a piece of cheese or other protein or fruit. DH and I are going to try a new restaurant the next time we eat out, cuz we are trying to find a place that offers healthier meal options instead of foods all cooked in fat.

PURPLE ~ I was just teasing you about the ironing; I did mega ironing when I was in my teens (a family of eight with clothes all hung on the line); sorry, that you guys don't have clothes made of PP materials and your DH needs the cotton clothes, I have to wear cotton sweaters, cuz the other kinds make me itch and I get hives from things like wool.

Maybe when you walk in the freezing weather, it burns more C's; I'm sure it would, cuz your body has to keep you warm at the same time. My DAD just gave me a special cane that has a point on the end for the winter time; you push a button and the point comes out; DH says it looks like something out of a cloak & dagger movie ~ LOL!

Parents often feel guilty when a child had some major disease or illness, cuz they wonder if they did something to cause it (if they passed it on); but, what really matters is our quality of life now, and our relationship with them today. Glad your leg is feeling better ...

MO ~ I sure hope everything is going well for you and that you have found us in our new monthly thread. How is ERIC's schooling and therapy coming along; it has been a month now? Have you got all your unpacking done yet? Have you been able to get to Curves lately? Do you have more free time for yourself now? Are you having a celebration for Thankgiving this year with family or friends?

MYNXIE & MARIA ~ I sure hope you ladies are doing well; drop by sometime and let us know how you are ... I know that we had many other friends who visited here now and then; I sure hope you are all doing well too.

WELL, I have rambled on quite a bit; take good care everyone; chin up ~ things will look better in the morning, they always do. Remember that every new day brings with it, another chance to start again! Your friend ROSEBUD

Hi Eveyone

I found you finally, l just had our page in my favorites and when l went there it was gone, so it took a bit of serching to find you guys again, My cookies have been reset on the computer so l couldn't remember my name and password for the 3FC but l just tried and tried and finally got it.

Wow everyone seems to be talking a mile a minute and there was so many posts to read.

First off l am doing ok, l seemed to have done something to the muscle in my groin and walking has been very painful, it's been 2 weeks and it is still hurting. Not sure what l should do about it, it's in a imbrassing area so l really don't want to go see the doctor but not sure how much longer l can do this, sleeping is so painful as laying down and then moving my leg is like someone pulling my muscle.

Eric is doing so great at school and theraphy, he is such a little tropper, he hardly cries as they are putting more and more demands on him, cause he is so new to all this theraphy they are taking it slow. he does 5 minutes of work ( example Eric put with same) and there are 2 cups the same on the table and he has to match the cups together, or socks, or blooks or bowls. He has to be able to do it 80% of the time before they can move on to another item to match, he has already mastered cups and bowls. So it is very exciting. After 5 minjutes of work he gets 10 minutes to play then goes back to the table to work again. It's a slow progess but the teachers say he is doing great for someone who has never had theraphy.

Still loving the house and l am so glad we moved.


Now to answer some posts

Rosebud Sorry to hear about your leg but l am glad to hear it is getting better, and DH l hope he is feeling better soon and that you don't get it, Eric had a bad cold and ear infection but he finally is feeling better and DH and I didnt catch it so l am thankful.

Purple You sure love to talk and l just wanted to say how much l love reading your posts. Your MTO sounds alot like our yearly stickers we have to buy to drive over here, in Ontario you have to have an emissions test every 2 years before you can buy your yearly sticker for around 75.00 but in Alberta were l am now they don't make you do that but you still have to buy yuor sticker it is 72.00 here and then you place it on your license plate.

So l understand what you meant, when we moved here we had to have a province inspection and even though our van was runnig great, they found over 1000.00 worth of repairs. So cars are very expensive.


Valpal l am sorry to hear your discouraged and please don't beat yourself up about falling off the wagon, as long as you get up brush the crumbs off you and get back on thats all thats important, We have all done it at some point but we all get back on board. Maybe you should write your dad a letter telling him how it made you feel to have him not want to coem around when he was sick, having MS is bad enough but having people think your weak is worst, and having a talk with your Dad might be hard but a letter might be easier. Telling them to bring over a bowl of fresh fruit instead of a cake will make you feel better and they will still feel needed by bring you items, Parent's only want to help there children but sometimes they don't see the big picture from all there love. I hope this makes sense.

Everyone else l hope your all doing good and that your healthy.

Have a great day ladies and keep smiling.

Love Mo

Thanks so much for your support ladies. It felt like the end of the world, but of course it wasnt. Life goes on... and I can even fit into a pair of pants.. ya know the kind you buy because they're on sale for four bucks! they were too small when I bought them but this morning they fit comfortably (works for me... another day to avoid doing laundry)

My brother and I tried to go swimming yesterday found out that the pool was only 71 degrees fahrenheit that day (21 C) so we didnt bother because I thought the water was cold at 82 F.

Purple Everything you said about my last post was so supportive - thanks so much. I feel 'right there' when you mentioned tearing up at the tiny things, trying to look strong and the fact that my parents ARE just trying to protect me. I really appreciate everything you said and I know it's true... I will have to work on not expecting perfection from myself and I will think about talking to my Dad. He's pretty busy/stressed most of the time.. kind of a tense guy.


Rosebud - yes... My Dad got a kind of superbug. Since he lives on a remote northern reserve and works in the nursing station there he gets the infections that go through the community that are resistant to a lot of things. So he meant really well. I get annoyed when my parents think they cant protect me still... it just seems to obvious to me with the whole MS thing that they cant do a thing but mean well. I'm sure it's not as easily done as I say and I may never understand over protective parents around the world.

I dont usually have the off days get to me like it did but you're right about moving on. lol I needed to take a step back and remember 'this too shall pass' but the emotional side had taken over. Are you feeling much better this week?

Mo - I know what you mean about the mile a minute. It is hard for me to keep up with this thread! Thank you for your suggestions with my parents. It is hard not to be overly negative about the habits we've developed as a family.

Do you have a family chiropractor or something similar that you can mention your muscle pain to? Mine is very professional and they see enough strange sport injuries that I'm sure it would be better than being in pain like that every day. It's great to hear about Eric too. It must be so encouraging to see him doing well with therapy!

Alright, I need to get some work done it was a late lunch break. I hope the week is off to a good start all around.

Take care
Val

Hi Valpal

Thanks for the advice about a Chrio, No we don't have one here in Alberta, but l bite the bullet and made an appt with my family doctor, l see him on Wed morning so hopfully he will have a suggestion. Thanks it is very encouraging about Eric, but then just getting threw each day with my medical problems is encouraging. I agree with you that would be cold water, we have a salt water pool here that we go to, that is for medical problems it is 92 degree's all the time, and salt water too so it is very relaxing, Eric is a little fish so we try and go once a week. Congrads on the pants, little things like that are hugh accoplishments. With all the weight l have lost l can't afford to buy new clothes till l am at my goal size, so l go to Value village and buy my pants and sweaters, when l started this journy l was a size 20/22 pant and a XXL shirt, now l am proud to say size 13 jeans are too big and all the new sweaters l got last week at value village are size Medium. So spending 50 bucks on 6 pairs of jeans and 6 sweaters is so much more rewarding that 50 bucks for just 1 pair of jeans. Once l am at my goal and have mantained it l shall treat myself to some new clothes. Especially undergarmets l can't wait and either can my DH.

Wow 2 posts in one day this is a record for me.

Take care everyone.
Love Mo

Hi All

I am doing alot better, l sucked up my nervousness and went to the doctor and he prescriped a muscle relaxer and some cream, and last night was my first time in over 2 weeks that the pain did not wake me. I am so glad l went to the doctor. He also looked at my tailbone as it has been painful for away to take a bath or even sit on our kitchen chairs, he gave me good news and bad news, Good news is he is proud of how much weight l have lost, and bad news is the tailbone is exposed more because of the weight loss, So l have to live with having a smaller bum. He also said if l was still in pain in a few days to come back, but today l haven't had a ounce of pain.

Purple I understand being in a backlog of traffic, l am glad you had a bathroom break before you hit it, and don't beat yourself up about not making good choices on the road, you did the right thing by getting back to healthy eatting when u got home. I hope you had a good nights sleep and woke rested.

Valpal, Rosebud and everyone else I hope your enjoying the last week before our Canadian Thanksgiving.

Love Mo xoxoxo

Hi everyone!


Purple I took your advice and talked to my Dad. I did some more research (because I realized I was taking his word on what my MS meds 'do' - he's not an MS specialist) I ended up explaining that he's been wrong and the type of interferon I'm taking ISNT the type they use on cancer patients AND I'm not immunocompromised etc. The whole emotional side of MS and dealing with it is such a mess for me... so I do my best to avoid thinking about it now. The first couple years I kept myself absolutely miserable thinking about it...it feels like I wasted time but I know I did what I had to.

Your trip to the London area sounds like fun... and the important thing is that the not so good eating that happened isnt becoming a daily thing. You're still doing so well - keep it up!! I'm glad the tens machine is providing you some relief too.


MoI'm so glad you got checked out! The pain with your tailbone as well as the muscle makes it sound like you bruised the bone? I've done it (as I kid I rain off a 2 story high snow pile and landed on my butt). I had to sit on a donut shaped cushion for over a week. Would it help you?! I'm all about avoiding pain when it's possible. Please do go back to the doc if you dont see improvement!

I am alone for Canadian Thanksgiving for the first time in my life (little old 23 year old me). During my college years my friends and I would get something together... but my parents and my brother ended up driving south to be with my grandmother who isnt healthy. It's pretty quiet around here now! But I'm grateful for the long weekend anyways

Take care everyone - hugs all around,
Val

HI LADIES ~ boy, I missed some posts this week; nice to see you all found our new monthly thread! We have had one eventful week (hence the reason I have been absent). On Tuesday, our hot water tank quit or so we thought; it kept blowing fuses; so DH thought the elements were blown too
(as that happened before). So we went to town running around to find some; he put them in and it still didn't work ...

Well, that's a lot of work cuz you have to empty the tank; then take them out and the whole bottom was full of sand; he had to make a tool to clean it out; anyways, he was so upset so we called my uncle and he suggested we take another good look at the fuse box; and sure enough we discovered the connecting box was broken. So the electrician was supposed to come today, but I had to go to the hospital as my leg was swelling and throbbing and it was having trouble healing.

So off to the emerg for me and got some antibiotics and an antibotic cream; I sure hope this works, as I want it to heal completely. On Wednesday our hydro went out cuz of a wind storm; so we had to go in town to have dinner; I had fish & chips, but next time, I think I'll get pork chops and a baked potato like PURPLE suggested. It is hard here to get healthy meals of choice in our small town; there way too much fast food ...

THE GOOD NEWS ~ today we had spit BBQ chicken for our meals with aspargus, carrots, and new potatoes. I have been out walking for the last five days in a row, mostly at night when the weather has been nicer; last night the sky was full of beautiful stars and a golden quarter moon.

MO ~ I'm so glad to see you posting again; can you put your 3FC info in a file and save it in your MY DOCUMENTS area of your PC? Your DH should be able to show you how to do that; it is quite simple. I have this site down as a favorite as well, and on my home page as a selected fave as well. I'm glad ERIC is doing so well with his therapy; it must be so exciting for you.

Don't be afraid to go to the doctors when you are in that much pain; I'm so glad you are feeling better now; see, it was so worth it to go. That's why I went to get a doc to look at my leg; I don't want big troubles like I had before. A rumor is going around that my doctor is leaving; will have to find out if that is true; I hate hearing that as it's hard to get used to new ones all the time; last time, it took two years for me to get a regular doctor again.
As you know we have such a shortage in the rural and remoter areas.

PURPLE ~ not to worry about the ironing thing; I already know that you have a great sense of humor, and that you would realize that we were just teasing you about it. Yes, I just luv one-pot dinners; I make them all the time and am always trying to invent new ones. Our car is finally fixed up again and we are on the road again too; hope the same for your parents soon. Like MO says, we have similar stuff to do here as well.

VALPAL ~ I'm so very glad that we all can be a source of support and encouragement to you; and you are for us as well, you know. I ended up having fish & chips the other night; would have rather had an option instead of the chips but that is way the restaurants are here. So, I just made sure tonight was better and last night, I went for an extra-long walk to make up for it; everything helps, I think ...

You posted while I was typing. I'm sorry that you'll be alone this Thanksgiving; but you won't really be alone cuz you can come on a talk to us and all the others that will be here too. Some towns have community Thanksgiving dinners; does your town? That way you might run into some people you know and not be alone after all??? (ie our legion and some churches have dinners on special occasions)

WELL LADIES ~ I popped in here to get in a post and wow; now I have a huge page; hopefully, we'll get everything straightened out around here and we'll have some hot water again soon; maybe over the weekend. Take good care everyone; your friend ROSEBUD