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Hi, I have been fighting the pain of arthritis since I was 22 years old. I was first diagnosed with degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) and then later received the diagnose of rheumatoid arthritis. It has been a long journey of nearly half of my lifetime. The DJD/OA involves my spine, neck, back, knees and hip. I have a very progressive form of this that started in my teen years but was not diagnosed until my early 20’s.
I spent a couple years in a wheelchair because I just got plain old tired of fighting the pain. It just seemed easier to give up then to keep fighting on.
After 2 years of being in the wheelchair I finally was able to get my fight back and worked with my healthcare provider to get back on my feet. We used water therapy 3 times a week and it was truly the best thing I have ever did. I was able to get out of the wheelchair and I have never looked back.
Now several years later the damage has progressed and I am falling a great deal. My healthcare provider would like for me to go back to using the wheelchair at least some of the time. I can’t do it, I am afraid if I do, that I will give up again and not get back out of it, that it will become too easy to stay down.
So I am fighting onward and trying to be careful to not fall (not always successful). -
I’m a part time wheeler due to arthritis and joint issues. When I got my first wheelchair I was embarrassed whenever I would get up out of it in public or at work. While meeting with a client who was a T4 Quadriplegic I remember getting up to get something off of the shelf above my desk and then apologizing to him for doing so. He laughed and said not to apologize or be embarrassed around him because he knew “The Secret.” I thought he meant MY secret. A very supportive discussion followed and he explained to me that people who don’t use chairs see them as confining or prison-like while wheelers view them as freedom. He put me at ease saying that if I was using the chair appropriately I would be able to do things like stand up to reach a high shelf OR walk a short distance when it really counted.
As long as we continue our other physical therapy exercises, any assistive device (cane, wheelchair, walker, etc.) is just that, an assist. It is only one small piece of a very large puzzle that is my overall health management program. I believe that using a wheelchair some of the time over the last 18 years has made all the difference in me being able to actually improve my physical fitness overall.
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Thank you for sharing that story with me. At one time in my life I did look at the wheelchair as being my friend so to speak. It was like my cane, but now that my pain issues has progressed it scares the life out of me to use it. It would be so easy to set down and not get back up. I am not one that quits easy but using the wheelchair scares me.
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I am glad Maggie mentioned the importance of supportive devices when needed. So many people would rather risk falling or not be able to do more than use something which makes them (they think) look old or different. I saw this all the time when I worked in the hospital and when my mother (who had severe arthritis)was alive. I still have my cane where I can get to it easily (although I haven’t needed it for a couple of years). I think when people have arthritis (or other issues which can compromise stability) supportive devices should be presented not only as a safety issue but as a fashion statement or improving their “looks”-it might help.
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Gloves! Glove liners inside gloves. With the weather getting colder lately I’ve brought out the stash of gloves and piled them up in a cute basket so that they are handy for use inside and outside of the house.
Three weeks of wearing gloves on the morning walks with the dog and my fingernails are growing out nice and strong. Probably because I’ve been slathering on lotion before putting on the gloves.
I’ve also been wearing gloves while at the keyboard in front of the computer to try to keep the fingers moving with a bit less pain. So far so good. I’m ready for winter!
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Noki4,
Glove liners are just lighter gloves that you would put on underneath other gloves. When I lived in an area that had snowy winters I saw all kinds of ‘glove liners’ available at all kinds of stores. So now when I’m at CVS or Walgreen’s and see the big bucket of lightweight knitted gloves or $3 or 5 for $10 I am reminded that these are a great thing to have lots of as they can go under leather or nylon gloves and add an extra layer of warmth. The stretchiness also makes them feel like lightweight support gloves putting just enough pressure on the joints to make them feel secure.
Fredfriend -
Having arthritis in my hands I have found gloves are an absolute must. Spring, Summer, Fall & winter, you can find me wearing gloves.
At my local CVS, I found white cotton gloves. The box calls them, Dermatological Cotton gloves and you get 2 pair in the box for around $5 dollars. They are great for helping to keep the medication on my hands. They are white cotton, hypo-allergenic and wash and wear really good.TPC_YaYa
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