TKR TKR 10/23/2013 - Recovery with RA

[chestnc]

Hi @Nana moon 27, @dogwheels, @madinana, @waitingtogarden, @Jozilla, @Judlepip, and @suzzee2000, @tashia, @Ellejay, @new knee in June, I hope you all are doing well. I am working on getting plenty of rest this weekend, which I have. I was able to do some weeding in the front yard. My younger son helped me. I planted some peppers in the upper part of my backyard. One of my friends brought me some tomato plants and squash plants and the squash is starting to rear it's little head. That is one thing that relaxes me, but I have to take it easy because you get so involved and forget about time. Then sometimes when I stop, everything is hurting. Oh I also have sweet potato vine going. I will let you guys know if that bears any sweet potatoes. This year I placed all my plants in the front. Either in planting pots or in the ground. Hopefully most of my vegetables will yield.

I am tired much a lot, but I try to take a nap then push through the the tiredness and pain. I have been taking the pain meds around the clock because I am off for several days and and can try to get on top of the pain. Since yesterday I have had a knife-like pain in my back and the pain meds are not helping. That's what woke me up early. So I put a Lidcaine patch on the area. I had the same pain last year and had to go to an Urgi care center and was told it was a pinched nerve. I think it is the same thing now. I have an appt. with my Rheumatologist on Monday and will let him know what is happening.

I am going to post photos of last year's vegetable crop. Hope everyone has a pain - free, blessed, and relaxed Sun day and rest of the week.

 

[chestnc]

Sorry, forgot to add the photos in previous thread. Zucchini. I had a few very large ones.

 

[madinana]

@chestnc hope you get some rest and had a lovely week end

 

[chestnc]

Hi @ Nana moon27, @waitingtogarden, @madinana, @Jozilla, @dogwheels, @Judlepip, @hopefaith, @Ellejay, @suzzee2000, and who ever I may have missed. I have to actuallybeen in a lot of pain. Monday I will have to call for an appt with the pain management doctor as i have been uncomfortable with the RA pain for a while now. Saw Rheumatologist on Monday past and he started me on another DMARD (Disease modifying arthritis mediciation for RA) that I have been on before. I am having break through pain with the pain medication. I will also have to start another IV medication as this one is not helping me at all that I take every six months. This was one of my sunflowers from last year in the front of my house. Behind it I have planter boxes with tomatoes. This year I started and planting miniature sunflower seeds which I just started yesterday so I will see how they do. This giant one was from seeds.Planting does help to relax me. Will have to capture my this years yellow squash and post. Hope everyone has a blessed day and of course pain free.

The knee is feeling better though, that is a good thing. Will still keep my OS appt. yesterday I was able to get in the front garden and take care of my plants/ The yellow squash is growing nicely hidden under the big leaves so as not to be disturbed by the crawling animals of the night. I only planted in the front as to plant in the back this year would have been too much for me to keep up with even with the boys assistance.

 

[dogwheels]

What a beautiful sunflower @chestnc - hope the squash yields a good crop for you and the miniature sunflowers do well. My daughter planted a few sunflower seeds in her garden and she said she has her first sunny sunflower 'face', however the rain has beaten them down a bit, which is a shame but pretty par for the course here.

I'm glad your knee is feeling better but sorry that your RA keeps nagging away. Does the pain in one part then trigger pain elsewhere? My slightly batty GP has always insisted 'Yes my dear - pain breeds pain'. So if I was in pain with my knee - she always said it was likely to trigger a migraine and vice versa.

Thanks for your kind thoughts for my daughter. If the MRI shows nothing bad and if the hearing loss is just a case of damage, from a virus (which is one of the main possibilities) and will not continue to degenerate quickly - she will do just fine. As she has said 'I didn't know I had such a problem - I just thought I may need my ears syringed'.

Hope your Sunday is a good one @chestnc - take care and hope your pain eases very soon.

XX

 

[hopefaith]

@chestnc I am oh so sorry about your step sister. You must have so many emotions given the missed diagnosis.
That is unspeakable! It is no wonder about the palpatations. You are really going through a lot and our bodies know that, don't they. Many prayers for you. I don't have the words, but please know I hold you in my heart today about all you are going through. I really admire all that you "carry" day to day.

x x x o o o
~hopefaith

 

[hopefaith]

I am not getting your tags.....:( What a beautiful sunflower. Made me smile. Please take very good care of yourself @chestnc.

 

[chestnc]

Hi @hopefaith, tag you all the time. Sometimes I don't get tags as well. I just happen to be in a thread and see that I have been tagged. I was beyond exhaustion today. I actually slept the whole day. I am so sleepy I could not believe it. I know it is the RA that is making me so tired. And it is pouring down raining again and will for the next three days. This makes my bones ache. Ugh!! have a good week. I hope you get this tag.

 

[chestnc]

Hi @dogwoods, Yes I agree with your GP.

Does the pain in one part then trigger pain elsewhere? My slightly batty GP has always insisted 'Yes my dear - pain breeds pain'. So if I was in pain with my knee - she always said it was likely to trigger a migraine and vice versa.

Pain begets more pain. I have pain and have more pain elsewhere then that all leads to shoulder pain then a migraine.

 

[dogwheels]

Hi @chestnc - I didn't really want to rate your post as 'Like' when it was all about pain, pain and more pain. I did however, as it is interesting to know.
On second thoughts I will go back and rate it Informative instead. I think it is something that folk do not often realise.

Sorry you are so tired and the weather is making you so achy too. Hope today will be a little better for you.

XX

 

[hopefaith]

@dogwheels yes, sometimes I wish there were a few more emoticons e.g. "Listening" or "I care".'
@chestnc Rain. I know. Even with Fibromyalgia that means increased pain. ( I Love Hydrangas! They hardly ever make it here.)
Take good care today.
~hopefaith

 

[kneeper]

The other thing about RA is everyone is a bit different and day to day and hour to hour can be different. Sometimes hard to explain that yesterday you could do something but not today.

 

[hopefaith]

@chestnc
How are you today? I think of you and how you deal with pain day to day and keep going. You inspire me. I know it can't be easy (at all).
Is the part time an option at all? Would you lose medical benefits?
thinking of you,
~hopefaith

 

[chestnc]

Hi @hopefaith, thank you for thinking of me. I know sometimes the icon checks don't fit, but I know you guys are thinking of me. Thanks @dogwheels. @ kneeper she hit it on the head. One day you can do something and the next day wham you cannot do a thing. A few month or two ago I had gone to work. The next morning I was in so much pain, I could only get as far as taking my pj top off then sat back down on the bed. I then realized I did not have the strength nor energy to drive to work so I called in and said I would not make it. I had to stay in bed and take my meds around the clock. @hopefaith, part time is not an option as my salary would be half and I would have to contribute half amount to my benefits which would probably be about $700.00 a month. I am looking to teach online to bring in some extra income. Those jobs are ell sought after and difficult to come by.

 

[kneeper]

Yes, if only we could work half-time. I'm doing fairly well pain-wise but the fatigue from the RA and fibro really places limits. It does sound like you struggle @chestnc with energy level as much as pain.

 

[cjf1222]

Autoimmune diseases stink. This is such an unexplored area. I pray your pain lets up and the financial situation improves. I have a friend who has taught community college courses on line for some tome. It is a growing area and worth following up on.

 

[hopefaith]

@chestnc I hear you about the part time. I just wish it for you. I would love to do something like on line teaching. I am started to stick my toes in again to see what is out there. I am afraid I have been away too long.
I love hospice, but the government changes have made it a very stressful job. (In 2003 we had 8-10 pt.s as full time, this is in home hospice, now 18 pt.s is not unheard of.) I cannot keep up with that level of stress. I am looking at on-call week end shifts, but days only and that gets difficult to find too.
My health insurance is insane now that I am alone.
Well, enough about me. I hope you have a somewhat restful week end and a LOT less pain.
~hopefaith

 

[chestnc]

Hi @Nana moon 27, @dogwheels, @madinana, @waitingtogarden, @Jozilla, @Judlepip, and @suzzee2000, @hopefaith, @Ellejay, @kneeper,@new knee in June,@cjf1222, and anyone I may have missed. Hope everyone is doing well and feeling well. My knee still feels heavy, but I do feel so much better having the new medication that the OS doctor gave me is helping. I was fiddling a bit in my front garden and this is what I have. I have to say I am proud of my veggies. I love seeing vegetables grow. I hope everyone is pain-free this evening. Finally I have minimal RA pain and the knee is a bit stiff, but I am able to do things around the house that I have not been able to do in weeks. Trying to get a grip on housework. I am using an ice pack on my knee while I am sitting in between chores.

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hi @chestnc as they say over here "Ooer missus that's a big one !" My goodness those vegetables are huge!. Now wonder the deer etc try to get into your garden. You are truly blessed with green fingers. Well done. Could you list what they are please? I recognised tomatoes, courgettes or marrow? What's the yellow one? They all look so healthy xxxx

I'm glad to hear you're feeling a bit better xxxx thank goodness for that xxxx

Love Nana moon 27 xxx

 

[chestnc]

Those vegetables were yellow squash, cucumber, and tomatoes. I am also growing basil, mint, (very easy to grow), eggplant, and a yellow cucumber because it was growing in a pot hidden by leaves. My hydrangea in the back of my yard did not do well and had to be cut back tremendously because of the the dead stems. Could have been due to the amount of snow we had this winter. I only have few hydrangea in the front yard.