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

[MewithME]

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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 😁

Hi everyone 🙂

I have been here but mainly reading because typing can be hard. How has everyone been? I woke up really early for me today, 6am so I’m knackered before the day has even got started

Confined to barracks today as the car is in for it's MOT 🤞

Sunny and blustery here. I will be mostly resting, knitting and drinking tea in bed. I also have a new printing kit that I'm looking forward to trying. Need something less taxing to replace the pottery 😆

Have a restful day all 💕

Morning all!

Beautiful here, hope you are enjoying the sunshine if you can.

Agree about the screens. Having gone cold turkey on them I realise how draining they are. I haven't watched TV for nearly two weeks and can't say I miss it. I've been exploring BBC Sounds and listening to audiobooks, although I have found headphones make my tinnitus worse.

My second cataract is being done in two weeks time, it will be good to have my eyes coordinating better. Apart from the seasick feeling the worst thing is the list of do's and don'ts, no bending or lifting which is bad when I do so many things on autopilot. I managed to sleep on my back for the first week, but lately keep waking up with my 'new' eye squashed into the pillow so have resumed using the eyeshield from after the op. I'll see the consultant on Monday so hopefully nothing is dislodged!

I am trying to do small useful bits around the house. DH is a (grumpy) angel but will let dishcloths and teatowels fester so I tactfully check on that sort of thing. This morning I thought I'd change the electric toothbrush heads as left to him the bristles would wear down to stumps.

I cut off all the packaging and got out two brushes.
I put the usual colour rings on them (DH goes to pieces if we use new colours)
I put the empty packaging in the recycling...very good, tidy as you go...
I replace the remaining new brushes back in the cupboard...ditto...
I walk into the bathroom to replace the old brushes
I drop the new brushes in the bin
I lift up heavy metal pedal bin, both bending forward AND lifting - in contravention of post op rules...have a good rummage, find new brushes, remove hair and used dental floss ugh
Boil kettle (not a full one of course, due to no lifting rule)
Find large mug and dunk toothbrushes in boiling water.

That is how much use I have been today!

Morning all 😊another day of resting for me today.

@TeaAndStrumpets glad your on the mend and hopefully with knowing what the op entails now the anxiety won’t be as bad in the lead up to it!

Thanks I am much happier now, as usual it's just the fear of the unknown!

Totally understandable lovely

Hi everyone, beautiful here but I still find it nippy so im indoors. I can't get 'cosy' outside. Even got my heated blanket on.

Feeling a bit off today. Not really bad fatigue but feel slower. I know I'm struggling because I keep forgetting things and dropping things. That's a clear sign to slow down before things get worse.

Had counselling this morning and my last one for now. Don't feel like I need it anymore.

Also went on a short dog walk with my dog with my cat following behind. He is a funny cat. Someone stopped me today to comment on it.

@TeaAndStrumpets What a lot of work for changing toothbrush heads. The sea sick feeling doesn't sound pleasant either. Glad your managing ok though.

Oh and I agree about TV. I had to stop for ages to recover a bit. I tried blue lights at one point and had to switch it off straight away. I have always loved high adrenaline TV shows especially crime dramas

Now I can manage them again but mostly stick to podcasts or audiobooks. But do watch the odd TV show. Not much though

Morning all.

@TeaAndStrumpets I'm glad you're recovering and the second eye will be done soon. And, erm, good rescuing of the toothbrushes!

I tried staying up a bit later last night to see if I would sleep better, but just got overtired. Also been playing a stupid game on my phone and it infiltrated my dreams, so I've uninstalled that this morning. I've been online/ looking at screens too much this week, and not doing my usual meditation and 'relaxing' stuff so determined to get back into a better routine. It's my weekend now, and I have no plans apart from a bit of music teaching this morning, so will try to do more of the 'good for me' stuff. I might need to put app timers back on my phone to stop (OK, reduce) mindless scrolling.

I did have an interesting middle of the night revelation last night - I have been feeling very sorry for myself with living alone through all of this. But I woke up thinking about one ex in particular - let's just say there was an exception which allowed you to break lockdown rules in early 2020, to escape a domestic abuse situation, and I had to make use of that. I can't even imagine how bad things would be now if I was still living with him when I got ill. So, yeah, still lonely a lot of the time, but grateful I'm not in a situation that could make it even more difficult.

For something gentle on TV I have enjoyed the Other Bennet Sister recently.

Feeling a bit fed up today because I think the aqua aerobics gentle as it is might be making me worse.

Visible gave me a rating of one today and wasn't great yesterday either. I think it's not just the class but also getting there through town and changing etc the bright lights and colld water.

Morning all! Another sunny day here so I'm off to the allotment in a bit ☀️🌱

My parents are coming over for a cuppa later and then it's cottage pie part 2 for tea 😋

I'm hoping that DH will mow the lawn while I'm out 🤞

Have a peaceful day all 💕

Going to look at electric bikes.

It is sort of annoying me that I can’t risk cycling on a regular bike anymore as it’s an acceptance that my health has deteriorated.

Seeing a friend later who has been caring for her Mother so much that she has no free time at all, it’s been months since I saw her properly. Lots of my friends parents are at that stage where they are dying as all in 80’s and we are all coming up to 60, it’s just feels a bit much currently as three friend’s have had parents die in the last 2 months.

@martha79 that is quite chilling to read. Glad you got away.

Yes I am too scatty to maintain concentration through a series of connected tasks...my mind just wanders off!

I had a disturbed night purely because I had a 2 hr phone call from a very old friend. Very intense and emotional in a happy way. She moved abroad thirty years ago and is visiting the UK in the summer.She would very much like to spend a few days with me. She understands my cfs problems and has offered to find an airbnb nearby but it will be very draining nevertheless. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and have her here. She has a few other friends in the area and several days will be out visiting them so I could lie down an hour or so.

I hate that this illness has me so anxious to spend time with a very dear friend. My social life is zero and I never go out, this is my normal now but how upsetting to admit it!!

@Orangesandlemons77 that is so frustrating. I used to go to Pilates pre Covid but 30 minutes drive, searching for a parking space, climbing stairs to the studio etc was too much. I went for about 10 years but in the end I was losing a fortune in monthly subs due to frequent crashes. I had the option of rescheduling but never had the energy.

@Swanhilde you sound very serene and calm! Love your cuppas.

This is mostly why my friend is visiting....having lived out of England for so long and just turned 70 she has started to lose friends over here and wants to see us all before it's too late. So seeing me is on her bucket list! Sobering but very touching.

Sorry about the cycling, hope you find an electric bike you enjoy.

@Orangesandlemons77 I’m glad you liked The Other Bennet Sister. I watched it too and just found it heartwarming, sometimes funny and very gentle. I wasn’t sure about Ruth Jones adaptation of Mrs Bennet, I found her very harsh towards Mary

On the tv thread about it, they were discussing Mary and maybe Mr Collins being ND. What do people think?

@martha79i could have written your post. I've got app timers on my phone as well, mainly mn, youtube, and chrome browser. Otherwise I'm googling special interesting stuff way too much and reading too much on here to feel a bit more connected to the world!! I want to embrace silent solitude more. I'd love to be a nun.
I also left a dv situation in 2020. I had chronic pain then but exh wouldn't let me see a physio (I did anyway and paid the price). I dread to think how I'd have survived with ME around him. So glad we both got out, I sometimes take my boring life for granted now but remember there were years I wished life would be dull and drama free. So I try to remember that! And you are not dealing with this alone, you have us.

@ViciousCurrentBunelectric bikes sound a fantastic idea. I used my mums when I went to stay with her and it allowed me to actually go on a bike ride!! Thankfully they live somewhere flat, unlike me.

Not much planned for today. Dh was bitten by a tick so we are watching for Lyme disease (nightmare). Caught the sun a bit on my nose and chest yesterday which feels nice after a scottish winter! I'm planning another day of garden knitting today as well. Meant to be back to work next week but still struggling with screen fatigue so we'll see how i go the next few days. Thankfully my work are very supportive otherwise I'd either be bedbound or unemployed I guess. Horrible prospects. I feel very lucky.

Didn't sleep well last night but I feel ok today.

Have a lovely Friday everyone 😘

I meant "special interest stuff" 🙄 😅 not "special interesting" but I guess it's that too

Also unsure if anyone else has this but I started Famotidine recently and my heart rate variability has been way higher than usual. Hoping it means it will help treat my fatigue. Woke up to a readiness score of 90(!) today on my fitbit

I take famotidine @bedfrog . Ran out once and fatigue hit me like a brick wall! Won't be doing that again 😆

Back from the allotment and on my lounger in the sun with a mug of ginger tea ☕

@martha79 that is a silver lining. Sorry you had to go through that and @bedfrog

My exH of 14 years decided to leave me when I was at my worst with long covid and he didn't do it nicely. It was hard and over the last 3 years I felt all the feelings but I am now actually glad it happened. No managing his moods and needs. Although not totally free because I do have to manage his toxic behaviours to our daughter and the fallout from that.

Lovely day here. Just been on a walk I haven't been able to do for 3 years. That's made my day ❤️

Well done on your walk @Tiredandwired2. Sorry you still have to deal with the exH.

And sorry you went through similar @bedfrog.

I've put my app timers back on and downloaded a new e-book so I can hopefully spend some time reading that instead of scrolling.

Been quite a nice day - music teaching first thing, reading, local (but online) yoga class, lunch, nap, walk to supermarket (about ten minutes each way) for some bits. Got too hot outdoors and realised I don't really have any lightweight trousers that fit at the moment - I'm in fleece lined leggings today and my legs are boiling! There's a charity shop just past the supermarket that sells all its clothes for £2 each so I might try to get there tomorrow and find a few things to keep me going.

@TeaAndStrumpets my second eye healed up much faster than the first one (done 6 weeks apart) . I think my biggest frustration was having to wait another 2 months to get new specs with new ( hugely reduced) prescription. In the meantime, I bought some cheapo reading glasses from Amazon which did the job.
Hope it all goes well.
And leave the toothbrushes alone!

Oh, best cataract wheeze...DH bought me some clear disposable visors that you stick on your face above your eyebrows. It meant I could shower and wash my hair post op. Brilliant!

Oh that is hopeful thank you, mine wasn't too bad really but still getting some glare. Only two weeks until eye no 2 so then like you I can find some new lighter specs. I think the dents on my nose have eased a bit so I'm getting used to seeing my face as it really is.

Oh those eye shields are excellent! I'll find some uses for the leftovers I'm sure....

@martha79 talking of charity shops DD1 popped in this morning on her way to a funeral, clutching some black trousers just bought at a charity shop on the way to my house. She tried them on and decided they were a bit snug so she put them on her donate pile after the funeral. They looked very smart for an hour!

I'm saving my extra eye shields for when DH needs his cataracts doing!

Evening all. I'm revelling ina. Fri night curry and bed by 8.30pm. hoping stays sunny tomorrow. Supermarket delivery due and nothing else.

Rest zzzzzzz