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Not the news I wanted to hear
Topic Started: Nov 11 2010, 07:26 AM (777 Views)
Klaus
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HOLY CARP!!!
This doesn't sound good, Brenda. Sorry to hear this. But I also think that you should do a thorough research of your options. Find out who the top specialists in this area are. Ask more than one specialist. Maybe it isn't as bad as you think.
Trifonov Fleisher Klaus Sokolov Zimmerman
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brenda
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..............
NAK
Nov 12 2010, 12:42 AM
First off, Brenda,

Posted Image

Finding out you have a chronic condition can cause a big pit in your stomach - worrying about not being able to do the things you enjoy, dealing with pain, having to take numerous pills, trips to the physiotherapist, etc. - but once the initial shock has worn off, finding creative ways to "cooperate" with your ailment can be a fun and rewarding venture. R2 has already given a perfect example in doing exercises that promote hand flexibility, and with Jolly's advice about other NSAIDs, maybe the meds won't be as much of a chore. After the knowledge that I had AS had sunk in, and with the help of an amazing physiotherapist, I learned to think of it not so much as a lifelong ailment, but as motivation to start taking care of my body - an opportunity to develop in ways most healthy people are never lucky enough to (have to) consider.

I know it's hard to be optimistic this soon out of the doctor's office, but I know you'll kick this thing. The Brenda we all know and love never keeps a frown on for too long. :)

Plus, you've already got a slightly insanse but always enthusiastic support team here whenever you need to rant.
NAK, thanks for recognizing that I needed to rant. :lol2: I started this thread the moment I got off the phone with the clinic staff about the x-ray results and the doctor's comments. I was sad, mad, frustrated, you name it.

I did not know you have a chronic condition, nor do I know what AS stands for, so send me a PM please. I want to understand what you mean. You're too young for any such stuff, too. My goodness. Big hugs to you, buddy. :hug:
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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brenda
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dolmansaxlil
Nov 12 2010, 03:50 AM
By the way - I saw the rug you made for my mom - it is absolutely gorgeous!!! She loves it. :)
Dol, I'm so glad she likes it! I took some liberties with the design and color plan. Who knew a bear could have a plum colored rump, eh? Oh, and purple in the trees? :lol2: I really loved putting some movement in the sky, too. It needed that. Now your mom's rug is truly unique and hers alone, not just like the others.

“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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brenda
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Klaus
Nov 12 2010, 04:05 AM
This doesn't sound good, Brenda. Sorry to hear this. But I also think that you should do a thorough research of your options. Find out who the top specialists in this area are. Ask more than one specialist. Maybe it isn't as bad as you think.
Hey, Klaus, maybe I'll need to see a specialist in Germany? I wish. :lol2:

I told hubby about it last night. This will affect him very much. As noted in a prior post, he's been accustomed to thinking I could do much of the work for our house projects. For years, I was as strong as a man and could do any lifting I needed to do without any hand troubles. I could even lift hubby. (Not that he liked that part. :lol2: ) That's changed now. We've been married for 25 years, so it will be an adjustment for him.

I did some brick removal yesterday for an upcoming project, and I've found now that I cannot even do that kind of thing anymore. Bummer.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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apple
one of the angels
tell us about that Hobart
it behooves me to behold
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
Brenda, I'm sorry for the diagnosis, but it's not the end of the world. Lots of good advice in this thread. :hug: Be good to yourself, Dear.
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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brenda
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apple
Nov 12 2010, 07:56 AM
tell us about that Hobart
:lol2:
what do you want to know?
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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MrsKB
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Middle Aged Carp
brenda
Nov 11 2010, 07:46 AM
Aqua Letifer
Nov 11 2010, 07:38 AM
Oh man. Really sorry, brenda. :hug: Think those injections are something you might want to try? I think my mom had some, seemed to help lots.
At some point I suppose I'll have to do them, Aqua. Right now, it's ibuprofen that helps. However, that stuff gets hard on the gut.

Thanks for telling me your mom finds the injections helpful. I'll have to learn more about that.

So sorry, Brenda. My mom has severe arthritis in her hands and has been getting injections for a while. They do seem to help, although pretty painful. Best wishes to you.
Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. ~Vince Lombardi
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MrsKB
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Middle Aged Carp
Oh--and she (my mom) is not the type of person you tell to stop using her hands--she does projects around the house, has a beautiful garden she maintains, and she crafts and sews--constantly. Much to the chagrin of my dad and us kids. But she insists on continuing these activities because they are a part of her livelihood. And who are we to take that away from her!!

I agree that you might want to research all of your options before deciding on one route. Again--best wishes.
Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. ~Vince Lombardi
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brenda
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MrsKB
Nov 12 2010, 03:52 PM
Oh--and she (my mom) is not the type of person you tell to stop using her hands--she does projects around the house, has a beautiful garden she maintains, and she crafts and sews--constantly. Much to the chagrin of my dad and us kids. But she insists on continuing these activities because they are a part of her livelihood. And who are we to take that away from her!!

I agree that you might want to research all of your options before deciding on one route. Again--best wishes.
Hey, I've never met your mom, but I like her already!! :lol2: She's my kind of gal. :)

Thanks for your kind words. I know I'll have to give up some of my more rigorous hand work, but I want to be like your mom and hang on to as much of my fun as possible. Life is for living, and I'm not done yet. :smile:
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
While I'm terribly sorry to hear this, don't think for a minute that it gets you out of baking me a batch of cookies when I visit!

:hug:
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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brenda
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Luke's Dad
Nov 12 2010, 08:34 PM
While I'm terribly sorry to hear this, don't think for a minute that it gets you out of baking me a batch of cookies when I visit!

:hug:
Not to worry! The Hobart allows me to bake as much as I like. I am soooooo glad I got the mixer, especially as it gets harder and harder to do things by hand.

Daughter and I made a triple batch of chocolate chip cookies to take to a potluck dinner tonight. They turned out wonderful, and with the mixer it was not hard to do.

Let me know when you and the family will be here. We'll make cookies, breads, and whatever else you like. :wave:
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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RosemaryTwo
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HOLY CARP!!!
I like NAK's perspective. I think ailments can teach us something about caring for ourselves.
"Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
brenda
Nov 11 2010, 07:23 PM
Jolly
Nov 11 2010, 05:52 PM
1. If your doctor is not a rheumatologist, get one. A good one.

2. There are other NSAIDS besides ibuprofen. There are also other effective drugs besides NSAIDS. See step #1.

3. Quit being stupid with your hands. This is not a single battle, it is a war for the rest of your life. Fight only the battles you must fight and then fight them on grounds of your own choosing.

Remember what they said about your hands not getting any better? Well, there's not any better and then there's a damn sight worse. Don't set yourself up for the latter.

4. You'll be fine. Just be smart.
All good points, Jolly.

1. It is indeed time for a rheumatologist. When I talk with the doc next, I'm going to ask for a referral. I plan to need these joints for a good long while yet.

2. I'd love to find a NSAID that does not tear up my gut. That alone would be wonderful.

3. :lol2: Alright. I'm not sure how to pamper them as much as I should, but I made daughter help me with the bricks today. Is that a start? I also told hubby I just could not do all the bricks by myself. Daughter and I got over 400 of them up today, and I did about 200 before she was even home to help me. There are probably another 2,000 yet to remove. I told him he's got to help me.

Hubby is used to thinking I can do anything. For years I have worked side by side with him on house projects. I could lift as much as he could, sometimes even more than he could, and even though I am short, I've been a solid work partner he could count on completely. I have my own leather tool belt, tools, and the whole nine yards.

We're ready to undertake another project right now, so I'm really disappointed that my hands are letting me down. I enjoy doing the work, and working with my hubby. We're hiring the work for the foundation, framing, roofing, and insulation, but we may have to hire even more of it done now.

What really hurts my hands is peeling apples, potatoes, squash, rutabaga, etc. I need to find some good peelers, not just knives to use for that. I'll start searching.

It was an eye-opening call this morning for the x-ray results. This has been a day for a lot of thought.

Thanks for caring enough to pull out your tough-guy talk, Jolly. :wave:
Work smarter, not harder.

There's a bunch of stuff out there to make your life easier...there are kitchen utensils with bigger, softer grips made specifically for folks with arthritic hands. Why swing a hammer, when Harbor Freight and Amazon refurbed nail guns are cheap as dirt? Why screw things by hand when portable drivers are $60?

You can still do almost anything you want to do...you may have to use a different tool, you may have to use a different method, you may have to use a different tactic and you most certainly need to rest when your body tells you to.

My wife's hands were so bad at 25, she was scared to carry her second baby, because she had already dropped her once. She turns 50 next month, but she can still do almost anything she wants...if...if she has a little sense about her and understands how to overcome her limitations.

If she can, you can.

Now, that's not to say God cannot heal your hands. He can. Whether he will or not depends on God. But in the meantime, as the old black folks say, "put some feet on dem prayers"...
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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LWpianistin
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HOLY CARP!!!
:hug:

And how are you today?
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brenda
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Jolly
Nov 13 2010, 01:44 PM
brenda
Nov 11 2010, 07:23 PM
Jolly
Nov 11 2010, 05:52 PM
1. If your doctor is not a rheumatologist, get one. A good one.

2. There are other NSAIDS besides ibuprofen. There are also other effective drugs besides NSAIDS. See step #1.

3. Quit being stupid with your hands. This is not a single battle, it is a war for the rest of your life. Fight only the battles you must fight and then fight them on grounds of your own choosing.

Remember what they said about your hands not getting any better? Well, there's not any better and then there's a damn sight worse. Don't set yourself up for the latter.

4. You'll be fine. Just be smart.
All good points, Jolly.

1. It is indeed time for a rheumatologist. When I talk with the doc next, I'm going to ask for a referral. I plan to need these joints for a good long while yet.

2. I'd love to find a NSAID that does not tear up my gut. That alone would be wonderful.

3. :lol2: Alright. I'm not sure how to pamper them as much as I should, but I made daughter help me with the bricks today. Is that a start? I also told hubby I just could not do all the bricks by myself. Daughter and I got over 400 of them up today, and I did about 200 before she was even home to help me. There are probably another 2,000 yet to remove. I told him he's got to help me.

Hubby is used to thinking I can do anything. For years I have worked side by side with him on house projects. I could lift as much as he could, sometimes even more than he could, and even though I am short, I've been a solid work partner he could count on completely. I have my own leather tool belt, tools, and the whole nine yards.

We're ready to undertake another project right now, so I'm really disappointed that my hands are letting me down. I enjoy doing the work, and working with my hubby. We're hiring the work for the foundation, framing, roofing, and insulation, but we may have to hire even more of it done now.

What really hurts my hands is peeling apples, potatoes, squash, rutabaga, etc. I need to find some good peelers, not just knives to use for that. I'll start searching.

It was an eye-opening call this morning for the x-ray results. This has been a day for a lot of thought.

Thanks for caring enough to pull out your tough-guy talk, Jolly. :wave:
Work smarter, not harder.

There's a bunch of stuff out there to make your life easier...there are kitchen utensils with bigger, softer grips made specifically for folks with arthritic hands. Why swing a hammer, when Harbor Freight and Amazon refurbed nail guns are cheap as dirt? Why screw things by hand when portable drivers are $60?

You can still do almost anything you want to do...you may have to use a different tool, you may have to use a different method, you may have to use a different tactic and you most certainly need to rest when your body tells you to.

My wife's hands were so bad at 25, she was scared to carry her second baby, because she had already dropped her once. She turns 50 next month, but she can still do almost anything she wants...if...if she has a little sense about her and understands how to overcome her limitations.

If she can, you can.

Now, that's not to say God cannot heal your hands. He can. Whether he will or not depends on God. But in the meantime, as the old black folks say, "put some feet on dem prayers"...
Already doing those things, Jolly. Been adjusting over the years without really even planning to do it. I'm also good at making lemonade from the lemons life tosses to me. I had hubby out helping me today with the bricks. Daughter helped, too.

I just ordered a set of four new veggie peelers as I was thinking about what hurts the most to do in the kitchen. Peeling the veggies has to happen, so I might as well have better tools, as you well noted. Next on the list should be an electric can opener. I've used a hand crank version for years, but it's time to splurge for the electric. :)

When we build the new kitchen, which is our next project, one of the biggest benefits will be to have the counters at a normal height again. We bought this place from a woman who had the current kitchen designed for her, and she's six feet tall. I'm only 5 foot three inches tall. She had the counters raised by about four inches for her comfort, which is decidedly uncomfortable for me, and has likely made for some of my shoulder issues. Unfortunately,this arthritis thing goes beyond the hands.

Jolly, I'd love to meet you and your bride some day. :wave:
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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