What are you up to today if you have a chronic illness? Thread 7

[MewithME]

Last thread 🧵

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5490534-thread-6-good-griefwhat-are-you-up-to-today-if-you-have-chronic-illness

Fill up last one first 😁

@FurForksSake aw good. Lovely to see the sunshine

Found a new show! The way home, it’s hallmarks on prime. Weeks free trial to knock it out 🤣

Ooh might give that a go @FurForksSake. I've been watching The Larkins on ITV, that's good light silliness.

Sorry you're feeling down @MewithME. I'm also single and can't imagine having the energy for a relationship, never mind anyone wanting one. It does slightly amuse me how much I would now horrify one of my exes, who was obsessed with me being thin/ getting thinner!

Found some CBD oil in the cupboard, which I used to find quite helpful for sleep, so giving that a try tonight.

Thanks @martha79and @MewithMEI'll take a few lbs off both of you I worry a lot about my low muscle mass but am barely able to do anything about it, which is rubbish and frustrating. I can do a tiny amount of digging in the garden though so I am usually a bit fitter and heavier in spring and summer!

@martha79it is hard to explain this to people. They hear "fatigue" and think you're just tired. I don't bother even trying to explain to certain people (mil) who just cannot understand it at all.

@MewithMEsorry to hear you have been having a hard time being "mum". I certainly wouldn't have time for a new partner now and if it wasn't for dh already being here I would stay single. But the lack of companionship is so hard. Do you have good friends? Sometimes love doesn't have to be romantic, platonic love can be equally (or even more) fulfilling. Your ex sounds dreadful as well - very insensitive of him to be banging on about holidays of all things 🙄

@JewelleryCati do have the merlin app! I absolutely love it 🥰

@FurForksSakei genuinely did a double take at your photo as I thought it was me!!! I wore almost an identical outfit today in the woods. Glad you had a nice time and so sorry to hear your mils funeral was difficult. I cannot imagine

I do have some good friends thank you @bedfrog but don't often have energy to see them or else they're busy with family. Sometimes the stars align and I'm grateful.

I'm just over tired today so being a bit emotional. I'm ok enough really.

Nn all. Sleep tight.

@bedfrog oh good, I’m glad you love the Merlin app, it’s so amazing isn’t it? I just get common birds on mine but that’s better than no birds to listen too

I'm another one struggling with weight gain. As my health improved I gained quite rapidly.

Finally getting a handle on things by avoiding ultra processed foods (which I admit that I've eaten a lot of in the last few years - sigh). Not losing weight but no longer gaining.

Terrible brain fog this morning- need to stay off the internet!

Morning all! I've just caught up with all the posts, just popping by briefly then attempting a shower. That will be me done for the day! I haven't washed my hair since a week last Thursday although TBH this is by no means a record for me 😗

I have bought a stick on eye shield to keep the water off my face, fingers crossed.

I felt so awful last week I pretty well lay flat with my eyes closed, result being I felt better by Friday and did a bit too much over the weekend. Paying for it now. Awake at 4am with adrenaline rushes.

One thing that happened was I kept falling asleep unexpectedly on our v uncomfortable sofa while listening to audiobooks, which has set off my sciatica. and neck. The only comfortable seating we possess is my reclining garden chair so that is plonked in the sitting room now.....not exactly house beautiful!

My eyes are still easily strained so no TV for now. Things should improve when I get the second eye done, only a few weeks to go.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone!

I'm getting ready as off to the nearby city for an appt with a surgeon about the gallstones this afternoon, a bit nervous because I have had a lot of previous surgery so not sure what they will say.

It os on a pretty part of the city and going by train so might have a coffee locally to prepare and rest on the way.

Looks a nice day for it anyway and I think it is supposed to be nice the rest of the week too.

Hoping for a good day for everyone.

@JewelleryCat Yup, I absolutely love it! I'm pretty good at IDing birds anyway but it's nice to know if you hear a new one.

@BerfyTigot love your username, haha! Do you find you feel better eating less UPF? I try to be as unprocessed as possible and do find it helps me feel better.

@TeaAndStrumpets Glad to hear your eyes are healing! I love audiobooks and podcasts from BBC sounds when I have eye strain. Sounds like you needed all of that rest since it helped you feel better, I suppose our bodies just need to be flat on their backs to recover from anything.

@Orangesandlemons77 hope your appointment goes well

@MewithME Sorry you are feeling so emotional, I think it's normal. We have lost a lot and I feel I grieve a new thing I can no longer do all the time. Take care of yourself emotionally as well as physically.

Not much going on today, I have posted off our ballots for the Scottish elections. My neighbour has been out spraying cleaner (on his plastic grass) and weedkiller on his gravel. He's in a constant battle with nature, whereas I've been sitting in my low maintenance garden full of plants not having to do a single job. I've closed all my windows. I am extremely sensitive to chemicals and it honestly baffles me when I realise how many other people use. I would be choking!! So not worth it to fight with nature, as nature always wins. It does frustrate me when health people do things, without thinking, that make me really ill. I suppose they are just lucky.

@bedfrog Don't get me started on unnecessary chemicals! People on MN posting asking how to make the synthetic fumes on their washing last longer. Give me strength. I used to love actual perfume but the fake stuff is just too much. It's on everything. Fresh air is so precious, the scent of flowers so lovely.
I don't think some people can smell things any more.

You must be right @TeaAndStrumpets. Dh has just popped outside and said someone 2 doors down is spraying something that smells like bleach on his driveway. Dh brought the smell in with him and now im coughing - ugh!!!

My old neighbours used to use strong laundry stuff, I couldn't go out when their clothes were on the line as the smell made me cough and feel sick. I thought it was common knowledge that all those fragrances were terrible for us or that all the outside chemicals are killing biodiversity 😪 clearly it isn't though!

Why would anyone use plastic grass? It’s awful. If you want a natural alternative to weedkiller, use table salt. I’ve been using table salt on my weeds and within a few days, they’re not there anymore

The thing is that anything that kills weeds just kills all plants. So you're much better off either pulling weeds or pulling the biggest and learning to live with some. Things like ragwort are good for bees, for eg. Salt is likely to change the composition of your soil and make it inhospitable for plants and worms. My method is to grow so many huge intentional plants that will out-compete any plants i dont want 😂

The salt is nowhere near other plants, it’s mostly the ones coming through the patio and with my hands not being the best, I can’t pull weeds and the salt isn’t on any soil either

👋 all

Its been a busy week supporting DD after her therapy who basically had a mental health crash afterwards. Its all part of the trauma processing work though.

My health is still much better but very confusing. It's a lot of trial and error now to know how much I can tolerate.

In other news my decluttering is paying off. My house feels so much easier to maintain and I just feel lighter. In true OT style I have been adapting my environment to suit my health needs. It's taken so long and been an investment but it's finally paying off.

About the weight loss conversation. I struggle with keeping weight on at the moment. It's never been a problem before. I think it's because I have mostly given up chocolate and UPF. Although can tolerate it a bit more so I may put some weight back on. Most of my calories must have come from chocolate!

Tonight is a Charlie Bighams meal. My son wants to mow the lawn for money but I really don't have the energy to supervise him so may convince him to do it tomorrow

Home from work and in bed with a cuppa and fruit 😇

I'm another one who could do with gaining a few pounds - I lost a lot of weight and muscle when my thyroid was overactive and now I have LC it seems v difficult to put it back on. I def need to eat more smelly cheese 🧀

Quiet evening with a fridge forage for tea (which will include all manner of cheese) followed by an early night 🥱

Have a peaceful evening all 💕

Your poor hands @JewelleryCat . Just re-read my post and I do sound like I'm telling you off, don't I? I get a bit carried away sometimes with certain topics. Sorry about that! I've got a nice mossy patch just outside my front door, i think it's structural now and my path would crumble if I pulled it up 😅
@Swanhilde you and your smelly cheese!! 😂
@Tiredandwired2 Hope your DD is doing ok 💐 Re adapting your environment, I need to do that with a few things but it's so difficult. I keep thinking if I change things to be lower maintenance, what if I then improve a bit and regret it? But I think I need to do it anyway. Also love a good declutter, so glad it's helping you out.

This amused my friend who is a cheese addict (diabetic and can't have cake so cheese is her vice). https://www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk/products/cheese-slut-mango-wooden-serving-board

@bedfrog I made changes I would be happy to stick to long term but spent a lot of time really thinking about it. I can always add later on but generally I feel happy. Plus I think it prepares me for later life. I generally don't feel stuff isn't important and even less so when it takes up my time and energy. I don't think that will change even if I get better. Which I am slowly.

Its been so cathartic to let it go and cleaning is so much easier.

I am absolutely gutted. Opened the fridge to put out my Charlie bighams butter chicken meal and it's Korean firecracker chicken! 4 pepper rating and wheat in if so couldn't eat if I wanted too. Had to raid the fridge to put leftovers together.

LOVE IT @MewithME ! 😍🧀😍🧀😍

@bedfrog I’m in my early 30s but I feel so much older with my joints lol. Don’t worry about the telling off, I’m not the best gardener. I like watching the gardening programmes rather than actually gardening lol

That sounds so calming! Are you just getting rid of clutter or are you changing things in your house? I'm thinking of re-doing my front garden so its easier to keep on top of the weeds and pruning, for example!

That's so awful. Do you know the cause?

I love gardening shows, they are sooo relaxing aren't they? Though I do get jealous when people on there have massive gardens.

I have CFS which is diagnosed and I’m wondering about arthritis in stuff like my hips and knees. Do you watch Love your Weekend on a Sunday morning? I really like watching it even though I still find gardening boring lol. I prefer photographing the flowers