What are you up to today if you have a Chronic Illness. Thread 11 🧵Last of the Summer

[MewithME]

Link to last one https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5556429-what-are-you-up-to-today-if-you-have-a-chronic-illness-10-summer-edition

Thank you for being here, friends old and new and sharing our gentle chat, trials and tribulations.

You know the rules though...let's be good and fill up the last one 😊

Oh no @MewithME that sounds really stressful and frustrating that it’s used up your spoons this morning.

Mooch in the charity shops and a new cafe sounds like my kind of an outing @martha79

I hear you on the acceptance front @TeaAndStrumpets Ongoing crashes are tough not only physically but emotionally too. I always think the longer I’ve been ill, the easier it should be to accept/ cope with but in some ways that makes it harder as it’s so many years of limitations! Cliched I know but it’s literally one day at a time. And boo hiss to the damn moths!

Gorgeous sunshine here and it’s my mums birthday so DH will collect her later and we’ll have a takeaway which will be nice. Just waiting on my boy to FaceTime so two nice things happening today.

Yes it's so true, and the snowball effect of having tight muscles is being tight in one place pulls on other places. Eg DH said something funny this morning and my shoulder and ribs hurt when I laughed! I mean that's not normal!

It sounds like you are going to have a nice family day. Enjoy your takeaway!

@martha79 I have always loved a charity shop mooch! These days it's just eBay which has the benefit of being open all hours when I can't sleep. I have become wary of buying clothes unless new with tags because other people's laundry smells affect me. Softener etc. I always wash my purchases obviously but the softener smell seems to be permanent 😭

@MewithME sorry about your pigeon woes, that is the absolute example of life is shit ! You had a kind thought though, and some people never have a kind thought in their lives so you are still better than them.

Happy birthday to your mum @TodayIsabetterone 🥳

@MewithME poor pigeon & such a shame it's taken it's toll on you. Hope a few hours rest will help.
Luckily we rarely get cats in the garden as the dogs put them off. Neighbours have 2 cats but they tend to sit in the trees having a nosey rather than risk coming down.

Hello @Swanhilde, congratulations on the promotion 🥳.

Hope everyone takes it easy & has a fab weekend 😊

Aw thank you @JewelleryCat 🙏

Oh no @TeaAndStrumpets these tight muscles have a lot to answer for! Osteopath said the other day even my ‘good’ side was super tight probably as guarding against pain on other side 🙄
I dread sneezing as it sends my shoulder into spasm which panics the poor dog! I read if you hug yourself tightly it can offset it a bit but I honestly look like I’m adopting the brace position like I’m about to be in a plane crash or something! Looks rather dramatic just for a sneeze 😀

Take it easy too @CoffeeBeansGalore ☕️

Yes at least the dogs don't roam free in other gardens leaving little deposits like cats do! We have foxes and only ever see clumps of feathers, not nice but at least it's for survival unlike cats who like to play with their victims.

It is ridiculous really and I wish my body would just relax. Some of my sciatica is related to IBS pain, it's difficult to know where one stops and the other begins.

I have been boiling about 6 kettles a day to fill my hot water bottle for my IBS pain, so I shouldn't be surprised at getting extra shoulder pain. The penny has just dropped on that! Having been recommending an electric bottle the other week the latest one failed and I really miss it.

Back to Amazon to find a plug in heating mat to add the to the spaghetti junction of wires beside my chair!

@TeaAndStrumpets I’ve seen rechargeable hot water bottles if that’s any help? I’m sure other websites will have them too

https://www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/rechargeable-electric-hot-water-bottle

Thanks yes I had these and they are lovely but they don't last very long before they start to overheat. I've had three in two years so have given up on them.

Oh they overheat? The video said they didn’t. That is a shame and I hope you find something that works

Hopefully!

Well I'm having a day of it with this self help malarkey. I decided to make up an Epsom salt spray for relaxation. It's easy to do and cheaper than the commercial ones. My big mistake was sitting on a bath towel on the floor while I sprayed my legs and feet, leaning forward to do a good spray on my soles. I don't know if it's relaxed any muscles, but my sciatic nerve has gone mad! Maybe stick to a footbath next time. 😏

@TeaAndStrumpets just a thought. You can get those heated massage seat inserts - you can use them in the car or on a chair. Would that possibly help?

I'm mostly on my own today so just pootling about. I've done my exercises, vacuumed half a dog off the carpet, and both the dishwasher & washing machine are going.
So I'm chilling with a bit of scrolling & online jigsaws. Quite relaxing 😊

Thanks I've ordered a flat pad 12" × 24" which sounds very similar to the item you mention, it's thin enough to lean back on for a bad back too so could be handy!

Hello all. I've calmed down since my ridiculous start to the day.

At least I did a good deed. Pidge was a racing bird and had a phone number. I let the owner know and found out poor bird was lost two weeks ago. He'd travelled over 100 miles. Bless it. At least it died peacefully and the horrid pooping cat didn't get it.

Managed a small drive out to the farm shop for some treats and bumped into one of my besties which was very random as it's not the nearest one. I pulled up next to her car in be cst park. Anyway, she's been driving round withy birthday present for weeks so she gave me that which was very sweet.

What a weird day. Had a huge nap when I got back. Still feeling shaky though.

@TeaAndStrumpets hope your sciatica behaves itself soon. Seems rude not to after all your efforts!

@CoffeeBeansGalore that sounds like a nice day.

I had better go feed ds. Teenage boys are to food as steam engines are to coal!

Hope your new heatpad helps @TeaAndStrumpets. My rechargeable bottle is doing well so far! I remembered I also have a heated lap pad which is nice on my hips. And some heated gloves. Bring it on winter 😁

You did a good thing @MewithME - I'm glad my cats have always been indoor ones (since I got them anyway - the older one was a rescue, found wandering the streets pregnant), I wouldn't want to be responsible for dead birds and poo in people's gardens.

A bit annoyed that my energy levels weren't up to getting to the charity shops - I do like a wander. I know what you mean about second hand online buys @TeaAndStrumpets - there's a particular fabric softener smell that seems to be impossible to get rid of.

Anyway I have had a few trips up and down the stairs this afternoon with deliveries of some exercise bands (trying to build up some strength again, plus trying some hypermobility tips that involve basically strapping your legs up when you're sitting to give you some support), my new slippers, and a box of Lush goodies (some for my dad's birthday present, some for me - I like a lot of their Halloween special things).

Self-compassion course was interesting - I almost chickened out of the breakout rooms as was feeling quite anxious, but that turned out to be a nice chat so glad I didn't. Still feeling quite wobbly, I think it might be partly anticipating going back to work on Monday.

That was so touching about the pigeon, you have told its story...what are the odds? You totally deserved to have something nice happen.

Teenage boys and their appetites! I imagine you standing in the kitchen shovel in hand 😄

I sometimes try soaking perfumed items in white vinegar and hanging outside in the sunshine and/or a breeze, but it's such a faff I would only do it for a proper bargain!

I've been looking at new washing machines and some of them have a steam function which allegedly removes odours but I can't believe they work.

Out for a pub Sunday lunch this afternoon with the family to celebrate my parents' wedding anniversary 🥂

Looking forward to my ham, eggs and chips followed by sticky toffee pudding 🤤

Have a restful Sunday all 💕

I've got up, put a wash on, made brunch and now back flopped on my bed ready for a lot of TV today.

Feeling pretty shaky still today.

Hope everyone is ok.

Excellent Sunday lunch choices there @Swanhilde

A flopped day sounds like just the thing @MewithME

I am also flopped - got up and had breakfast, read for a bit then felt very wobbly so been back in bed for a few hours. Going hunter-gathering in the kitchen for lunch then getting back in bed.

Got the second part of my self-compassion course later. I reckon if I was being really self-compassionate I wouldn't go back to work tomorrow 🤣

I know @martha79 . I've had this 5 years now and I still find it confusing. Like not working is great...I can spend my energy budget on actual enjoyable things. But then sometimes when I don't have to do something, I am not sure if I should and worry about doing it. I never actually feel fine. So when I am working and have to get on with it, sometimes I like the distraction and feeling sort of 'normal'. I dont actually feel ok, but just doing my job and not thinking about being ill can be good.

Then other times I resent the job, because I'm spending time and energy with people who are not important to me when I hardly see my Mum or bestie etc.

God it's a tangle!

You're so right @MewithME - I partly want to go back to work for the distraction and to see some people (albeit online). I've been off for about ten days but timed it badly as most people I know were either back to work or away on hols, so I've only actually seen a friend one of those days. But dreading the work stress/ concentration/ time in front of a screen.

Hello 👋
Pub lunch sounds great @Swanhilde Enjoy.

@MewithME and @martha79 hope you can both rest well before work tomorrow. It must be such a hard balance.

Another one here in the flopped for the day club! PEM after lots of chatting with mum yesterday, I think several of us have talkative mums! I enjoyed having her here and took a rest part way through the day but still feel shattered and shoulder is pretty awful today. Too much sitting upright I guess.

Been sitting in the garden but dippy dog is being a bit noisy now as she can hear dog walkers and general Sunday afternoon noise so going to head upstairs to lie down.

Have a peaceful afternoon all