I just read something like this off the net for a person with arthritus and thought it would be a good idea to put what it is like for me in a typical day and how much adjustment is needed to get by.
I normally wake at about 7:30; go to the bathroom slowly and carefully because my feet hurt and I can lose my balance and fall. Then I make coffee, turn on the TV, get my morning meds out and ready. When the coffee is cool enough I take the meds.
I sit there watching tv or doing some artwork until I feel the affects of the medication. At that time I feel okay enough to get up to wash and dress. I do not take showers daily as it is painful to my hands to shower and wash my hair. My hair is long and the cold wet hair bothers me. So I only wash it two times a week and then in the tub.
I am ready to do somethings around the house unless I have a doctor's appointment which I do in an hour. Thankfully it is only three minutes away as driving hurts my hands and back. Getting into and out of the truck is difficult too.
I feed the cats and clean out the litter box. I have to put the litter box on the toilet seat as it is hard to bend over. I use the small wastebasket in the bathroom to dump the mess into; it is lined by a small plastic grocery bag so I can't put too much into it. Heavy things are hard to manage and slip out of my hands. Then I go around and empty all the wastebasket into the garbage container and take to the can outside. This is two bags, one large and one small with the cat mess.
I eat a light snack with my coffee, normally a banana or grapes or four Ritz crackers. It helps my tummy with the medications.
Then I stop to watch Dr. Phil doing stretching exercises during the commercials. Samething with The View. Though I ususally unload or load the dishwasher between the two shows.
Between 11:30 and noon Meals on Wheels is here with my lunch. This is my biggest meal of the day and I usually eat all of it. It is a modified diet; low on sugar, fats and no salt.
From noon until about 4 when Oprah comes on I do some crafts and housework. I can only do about 15 minutes of housework at a time because I feel fatrigue and pain. I rest when needed which means lying down on the bed watching tv.
If Deb is coming for dinner I do more housekeeping than normal. She helps me vaccuum and wash floors on weekends when we are home. I normally prepare a healthy meal for us that is easy to fix. It hurts so much to stand at the stove for a long period of time.
This is the weird part that is part of my mental and physical illness; as much as I love Deb I would rather be alone than go through all the trouble of preparation and then have to live under a microscope while she is here.
It means the house has to be cleaner than what I would think is okay. It means that I have to cook. It means that I have to take extra care with bathing and I have to wash my hair, dry it and style it too. It means I have to be up and about more than normal. It means I don't get to rest like normal. It means I have to push myself to behave differently when she is here. So I feel some resentment too at the intrusion. Though I know in my heart that it is good for me I would rather be alone.
So tonight she is not coming and that pleases me. I will go to vote today after seeing the shrink. Then come home and do what I can around the house. We were not here this past weekend so it is cluttered and needs vaccuuming and floors need moping.
When I do things around the house I need special tools with large handles. I use rubber things to open bottles of any kind. Sometimes even door knobs.
I have trouble buttoning and zipping my clothing. I wear shoes with velcro fasteners or slip ons. I wear loose clothing that does not bind my lower back because it is very sensitive. I wear clothing that is warm with soft fabric as my skin is so sensitive. And I have to wear good shoes with great support and cushioning. My toes are starting to curl in and that poses a problem with shoes.
I always put my hair up. Loose hair falling down my back hurts my skin too and hair in my face is irritating to me. I never wear make up any more. I used to wear it all the time; tons of creams, lotions, skin softeners, foundation, lipstick, eye shadow and mascara, blush and lipstick. Now it is lipstick only if Deb and I are going out some place special.
My hands hurt applying all that goop. My skin actually looks healthier now; lines are reduced and skin looks refreshed.
At 4, I lie down to rest while Ophra is on and this goes on into the evening news most days. Then I get up to take care of the dog and eat dinner. After the news I try to work on some projects.
At 9:30 Deb calls and that means 30 minutes on the phone which I can't stand. I only like talking on the phone no more than 10 minutes. But Deb gets her feelings hurt if I cut her off. So I put up with it.
I normally go to bed around 11:30 when I am alone. 10:30 if Deb is here. For the past ten days I have worn clothing around the house instead of PJs.So that is a plus and it makes me feel better.
And twice of so during the day I get on line. To here, check my email and then visit a lesbian forum that I used to love. There is not much tolerance there for people who are sick. So I am getting bored and insulted with the members there. But I really enjoy writing this diary and reading what is happening to others here who are journaling.
Today I am constipated. I have not gone much in the past several days so I need to take a vegetable laxative this afternoon.
Off now to get washed and dressed for my appointment.
Nancy
