I am SO bummed right now!

[so lucky]

OK, after I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis about 15 years ago, I expected to have some limitations to physical ability. I can't walk as fast as I used to, my fingers are stiff and I have lost feeling them dramatically. I hurt like h%!! every morning and night. I have sort of accepted that. But I always thought I was still pretty sharp, pretty quick on the draw. I have (did have) a higher than average IQ and made great grades back in the day. Graduated Cum Laude, Blah, blah, blah. But NOW! I played The Matching Game with my 5 year old grand daughter yesterday and she beat the socks off me! And I was trying to win. At 62, suddenly I am realizing that I am not the same "really smart" person I was at 32, or 42, or 52. I am seeing myself have more and more difficulty following the conversations of my kids. Not just the content, but the speed they talk at, the references to current events I am oblivious to, and the low voices they use. Can't hear you!! Whatt? Didn't catch that!
All the popular TV shows--I can't follow the fast pace of the dialogue.
Modern appliances and electronics have teeny tiny buttons and teeny tiny labels. I have to get a magnifying glass and a flashlight to see how to operate the DVD. (And then I need something to hold on to so I can get up after having to sit on the floor to get down to the level that I can see the buttons.)
When I was young, the vision of me as an old person was of living a quiet, restricted and small life for a brief time, then nothing. But in reality, it stretches on and on for an eternity. Just take a look at all the folks in nursing homes, and assisted living. They still see themselves as vital and useful, but it is so much trouble to do what they want to do anymore. My mom loves to cook, but trying to get her to my house and set her up to cook something, running back and forth to help her, cleaning up the mess she made, doing all the grunt work because she can't.... Well, by the time she is through she is worn out. And I'm the one that did all the work. :/ And she knows that. It is easier to do nothing. Just sit.
Now I am even more bummed. I guess it is because the weather is getting bad, and I am having a RA flare, and I have been babysitting my grandkids, due to my son's "soon to be Ex-wife" because she is too lazy to take care of them. And I am tired today and the weekends are not long enough. Getting old sucks, big time.
I think I will go eat some chocolate. Thanks for listening to me whine.

 

[Marianne]

Hang in there. Sounds like someone needs to take care of you for just a bit, huh!

RA runs in our family, too. Any chance that some of the medications you're on are contributing to your blah feelings (and others)? My mother used to say that it was time to go take her 'idiot pill' - the one that turned her into an idiot.

Some of it is just part of getting older, o joy. I'll be 60 on my next birthday, have more than my share of aches and pains some days and now just starting to have trouble with the music on TV seeming to be too loud as I'm having trouble distinguishing dialog.

It might be time to say 'no' to babysitting, and ask for help with mom. You need to take care of yourself, too.

 

[Team Chaos]

Long term chronic pain definitely chips away at our emotional state- some days things are just so damn ugly to me. Ha ha ha, I'm not trying to bring ya down more though! LOVE to you- it IS hard and it IS a struggle. My gram is a farm woman who has worked all her life, now she's blind and has survived several strokes and is now rehabbing a broken hip and it has not slowed her down. I end up running along side her "helping" a lot and it is tough to not get tired, aching and frustrated. You're kind of sandwiched between a lot of "me" people (not all by their own design, mind you) and I hope you get some YOU time to balance it out.

 

[AmericanHomesteader]

I was diagnosed with RA when i was 36, i am 51 now and i know what you feel, i struggle daily doing different task. But i don't let it defeat me. I still have a family that i must take care of. When im feeling down about things that i cant do as fast or struggle with i still thank god for what i am able todo. I have learned over the years that there is always someone worst off then my self and yes i have been to hell and back. But guess what im still here and stilling doing the best i can, Keep your chin up friend

 

[FarmerChick]

No one is ever the same as we were when younger. If you feel your memory is having troubles, I would chat with a Dr. definitely.

I am sorry for your daily pain. That must be very hard to life with constantly. My Dads neighbor has chronic severe back troubles. He is in constant pain. He has told us many times he wanted to cash in and more but he keeps plugging along for his family. It is hard to listen to someone share such misery about their life.

Do all you can to stay above it all somehow. Take time for yourself. Rediscover some of the good side of life instead of the hard side.

I hope you feel better! Please take care of yourself.

 

[so lucky]

Yeah, after my whine-fest I got up and made a gallon of kraut then cleaned out the chicken coop for the season. And I cracked a bunch of acorns for my chickens. Working at something I love always helps me feel better all over. I usually feel very thankful and lucky to be me. Even with my issues I still am so much better off than most of the world population. Just sometimes......well, you know.......Thank you all for your kind words and concern. This is a great place for loving support and nudges in a better direction.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

You really came up with a good name for your topic. But I guess u have good reasons to be bummed. Can't fix the daughter-in-law problem, except to say when all else fails, try God. I am trying to learn about herbal remedies, but I can't really recommend any. Just wondered if you ever considered alternatives to meds for your ailments. Sorry for your difficulties.

 

[so lucky]

rhoda_bruce, I too am interested in herbal remedies and other natural ways. I have tried using essential oils with unsatisfactory results. I have been told by a knowledgeable person that using conventional medications can keep a person's body from being able to respond positively to essential oils. Right now I am trying to eat better. I am taking the fermented cod liver oil that BubblingBrooks has spoken so highly about. Plus other supplements. Plus more organic foods, and very few processed foods. And following Weston A Price ideas of eating. For some people with RA, certain foods can cause them to flare, like gluten, or nightshade family, or dairy. I haven't really found anything for sure that bothers me, but haven't done a strict elimination diet, either. Guess I'm kind of scared to find out.

 

[snapshot]

So lucky! The only thing I have cut out completely is gluten (well almost completely) and my knees and hands quit hurting within three weeks. I'm no doctor, just sayin'.

 

[so lucky]

So lucky! The only thing I have cut out completely is gluten (well almost completely) and my knees and hands quit hurting within three weeks. I'm no doctor, just sayin'.

Hmmm...My brother has RA as well. He has gone gluten free a couple of times and says it helps him. I guess I need to try it. But I'm just learning to make natural yeast sourdough bread!! I may have to wait till after Thanksgiving. The dressing I make is "to die for!"