[quote willowywillow]**@PhilSwagielka but you must be pretty resilient living with fibromyalgia. It's a shame lockdown effects some of the things that you felt helpful. The gyms being closed for example. The fact that you had this as a coping strategy just shows you are adaptable because you finding things which help with living with your condition. It's difficult to have the rug metaphorically pulled from under you. I think that's what people are finding. Things which really helped in their lives cannot be done as easily or in the same way in lockdown.
In terms of solutions, self sufficient ones have the most guarantee. You only have to rely on yourself. I have learnt to cut my own hair, I make my own tea up to stain my hair to get rid of grey, I run alone in terms of exercise, I have my own manicure and pedicure equipment, in terms of treatments (that some people miss) I do face exercises, get skincare online, body brush and have cold baths. We don't have a cleaner or gardener
Although in recent years people seem to aspire to delegate more and more aspects of life to 'experts' and professionals. They want to have personal trainers, get treatments done at spas and salons, they have cleaners, hair is done by hairdressers. They have grocery recipe boxes delivered when they fancy cooking, go out to eat or have takeaways when they don't. In the process they are deskilling in these areas. Perhaps to concentrate on stuff more important to them. However what it means is when these services are withdrawn in lockdown or they can't afford them anymore life seems more hard and they struggle as they suddenly have to acquire lots of skills they ignored developing.
If you have a health condition or disability there are obviously more challenges since not all self sufficient solutions are applicable. Adaptive equipment might not exist or be incredibly expensive. But this does not mean people in this situation are less resilient. Just that solutions might be harder to find.[/quote]
Thanks. I manage. I don't cut my own hair because I would do a shit job of it with my stupid shaky hands. I can still cook (I've just made a risotto), though I do rely on a cleaner because washing the floor etc. makes my joints hurt, and I know I'm going to get laughed at for this but it is true. I remember one time having to sweep a lot of dust off the hall floor after a carpet was removed and I was in agony by the end of it.
Haven't had a spa treatment or facial in donkey's. Maybe one day. I'm not particularly arsed about my looks, but I do like massages and things like steam rooms and jacuzzis. I don't want a personal trainer either cos I like having music on when I exercise and prefer exercising alone anyway. Without the gym, I use the crosstrainer in my house or go for walks. As I said, 5 miles is a lot although I can do 5k on a good day.