What's happening for you all today?

[mellie]

My mum uses an apple phone,(iphone) father prefers Samsung.

If you have issues with technology, I'd recommend an Apple iPhone.
Those brick/ flip phones with buttons designed for seniors often have lousy reception, and sound quality. Especially during calls, with frequent drop outs and poor reception areas, even where most people can get good reception.
Iphone will last you 10 years or so, and you can do everything with it easily.

Tip- When you buy your new model phone, jump on temu and buy 3 or 4 different phone covers for your particular model phone for about $5 each.

This way you can still have a change of cover and keep it safe for years to come.

Technology is easier with practice, often local libraries have free courses for seniors to learn to use modern technology.

[mellie]

Great topic.

You're a busy one Mellie. Especially considering your RA.
Sorry I have nothing to offer on advice besides the top foods like garlic, etc. But beyond that, the only thing I know of to recover from my worn out back and shoulders is Rest for Recovery method. That is, in your case, a full year of light duties to allow your joints a recovery period while your body cells and systems are still young enough to regrow/recover.
I no longer put my body in a 9-5 usual work situation. My body would deteriorate and get worse. I've just quit my dishwashing little shift, for my back's sake. In the last 10+ years, I've only found 'rest' the most effective. To stop on my back, shoulders and whatever starts to hurt. Time is more valuable to alleviate the pain, etc. Let alone no longer doing the type of things that made my back, shoulders, etc - the way they are and the worse they can become. Maybe in the next 10 years there might be an improvement in my condition? The recovery gets slower, the older we become. I'm not some 16 year old anymore that can make a full recovery from a full on paralysing side of a stroke in 2 years (of which I've seen a few times in my years working in Rehabs). But better late than never. Well, that's what they said when I was born a month late (with Buddha-like consciousness).

Hope you're going OK with your pain Jasin, it sux, but don't give up. I was hell- bent on not having to use strong pain medication, and this stubborn attitude was silly, I should have requested a pain management specialist referral long before now.
The medication specialist has prescribed a good mediation for me, my shoulders and elbows, back etc are still painful, especially in the mornings, but I am no longer breaking sweats with pain and my blood pressure has gone down too. My eyes no longer water in the morning and I am able to attend to my personal hygiene without screaming in the morning. This was distressing my daughter, and as hard as I tried to conceal it, it got to the point whereby I just couldn't anymore and it wasn't fair on her watching it. So I recently saw a pain physician, at a pain management clinic, and we now have a long term plan.

Everyone needs a plan, especially when it comes to chronic health problems. I now feel that I'm in control, whereas prior to now, I felt the RA was ruling my life, and everything was dependent on how bad it was on the day. It got so bad, I stopped going to church even, and this is saying something because both my daughter and I were always there, regardless of weather, and always volunteered too.

Now I can actually make plans, travel wise to visit family interstate, and know that I'll be able to follow through.

[mellie]

Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect, I still have pain, but it's been blunted if this makes sense?
I'm able to get back to sleep when I wake up with pain too, unlike before.
I am no longer tossing and turning all night long, and actually feel like I've slept.

Oh, and the sand man comes now, lol, I can't recall the last time I woke with sand in my eyes, it means that my eyes are closed long enough for this bodily function to happen again. The watering eyes have stopped and I am no longer groaning whenever I move.

It's these little things that we all take for granted and miss.

[mellie]

Today is a household chores day for me.
My daughter’s been home for last 2 days ( head cold) and so I will do some household chores I couldn't really get done while she was home.
Today is also a lethargy day for me ( caused by chemo injection on Monday night) it stays in the system for 48 hours so...
So I'll be taking it easy, and I have my housekeeper coming at 10.30 so.... this helps so much, because she will do the heavy stuff like floors, bathrooms and change our sheets.

[mellie]

International travel isn't something that I would do, because sitting in a plane would be very difficult, painful for extended periods of time. Traversing through International airports would be difficult too, domestic is bad enough. I am going to buy one of those suitcases than can be used as a chair while waiting in lines.
This is what kills me, my spine ( I have spinal canal stenosis) but with new meds, I think it's doable now.