Trying to get caught up on things a little sixty degree weather cant be passed up but how do you feel like you catch up when ypu are so far behind How do you deal with the depression of always being behind??????
Trying to get caught up
Marclay & Sis, I'm so sorry you are fighting such battles in your lives. I have had fibromyalgia since I was 5 years old but only got the diagnosis about 6 years ago. Until then I had many diagnosis, many of them insulting and hurtful to my feelings and self image.
Do either of you take St. John's Wort for depresssion? I have been taking it for about 3 years now and it does help. I also take MSM, Chondrotin, & Glucosomine for the fibro as well as other perscription meds(all cheapies because I have to pay for my own meds).
I have seldom known what it is like to actually be all caught up with my work. I just learned to be thankful for what I have gotten done and know that GOD is more interested in my spirit than in a spic 'n span house and yard. I also have the bad habit of taking on far more than even most healthy people can do much less someone who is disabled.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
Thanks guys for the encouragement. i take glucosamine when I remember but not St Johns Wort. I did accomplish a lot today but know I will pay dearly for it tomorrow. But they are calling for rain and I can sit inside and sort things that need gone through. I keep lists of any smaller thing even I get done and my list makes me feel as if I did something although most housekeepers would sneer at it. Blessings
I hear you guys when you say ,it's all you can do to get up and get going. having arthritis most of my life i now have to rest a lot. all day i'm up and down. I've tried the msm /glucosomine/chondroitin,and after about two years still had the same ole pain.i believe it works best on those who have early symptoms.too many surgeries and deteriation to do me any good.I keep my hands busy with lots of projects. this seed trading project is almost too much to keep up. but I do a little, take it to the bed,(cut out seed pkts.put together) then get up and fill a few at a time. seeds have taken over my living room. lol
I did something good for myself this year and decided not to grow stuff from seed. I always end up growing too much and then also buying and receiving other plants...Then I look at it all as a chore and a black cloud hanging over my head instead of a recreation and enjoyment. I start out fairly strong, but then get sore and tired and the weather gets hot...And I have these poor seedlings crowded in their flats and drying out if I don't water them twice a day.
BUT...I'm still gettings lots of perennial seedlings at deMonye's quarter-a-perennial sale in mid-April, but they're 4-packs and easy to plant. And they're gorgeous plants, all healthy and ready to take off much better than my home-grown ones ever seem to be.
Caught up, I am never caught up. I used to worry about it but I desided I hae enough to worry about without this. so each day i decide in the morning or when I drag out of bed what will get done today and what will wait. i cannot keep the house in order and the yard and the laundry and etc. so each day i do one thing and in the spring it is ususally the yard that wins out and the house gets a lick and a promise. my garden is my sanity so i just don't worry about not getting caught up any more.
Caught WHAT?????????????????oooooo i am always dreaming an planning what i am going to do and then like today i woke
up with the ol vertago ooooo a spinning day here...
the did'nt bother me as much today ,,,,mayne it was because
i was a spinning lol ...i walked around in a cloud today
i have noticed the neurontin helps my spine pain alot...
the 2 rupurted disks don't hurt as much,,,but i just
found out the other day the neuroutin can make u tired
some i am trying to cut back and not take it in mornings.
i think it better to plant my seeds into ground ,last year
it was to hard to dig an plant alot,,,,,no catching up here
herblady i take neurontin and after a few weeks on it i did not get so tired from it but it has helped quite abit with the nerve pains in my legsaand feet from the diabetes.
Don't focus on what is not done. Focus and be happy with what you have finished and feel blessed. There is always more time and enjoy what little bit you have done. It takes the pressure and the stress off you and makes you have a happy day.
Joydie
Feeling very lazy as sping comes-I just want to ride around and lok at other peoples beautiful yards and flowers and trees in bloom. Thanks God for them- I can at least enjoy what I can still see and smell.
Thank you for all your messages. Just what i needed to hear today. :) With god's help, and she is giving me help each and every day, i can survive one day at a time, sometimes only one moment at a time, but that is all god asks of me, it is me who asks more of me. I have to stop listening to me sometimes. LOL
Now if that made sense, god bless you. :)
warm gentle huggggggggs
debi z
Made a lot of sense to me. I expect things I know I cant do I never knew hw to give myself permission to just "be"
yes today was a better day,,i thank god All my little
babies are coming up and my wildflower garden is breath taking,,,,,the birds are singing ,the frogs are jumping
in my pond and all is well in the world today,,,,
and I was blessed to find a thick Goosedown comfortder at a
thrift store for 2 dollars and i slept like a baby on top of it last night,,,[[[[nana]]]]
Nana,
I swear by goosedown comforters. I have them on all my beds now. You can also buy these wonderful goosedown mattress covers too. Its like sleeping on a cloud.
Marclay,
To just give myself permission to do what I could and not what had to be done was difficult. Stress of any kind just aggrevates the arthritis and makes it worse. I stopped being SUPPER MOM and now I'm doing much better than beofre when I put all that pressure on myself...in the long run its not worth it. I want to be around to see my grandchildren graduate from college or university.
Joydie
jodie lol i lay the sleeping bag out and lay on it and cover myself ,,,wow i am still sleeping like a baby,lol
i will pary that i find a cover ,,i wanted one for years
and i am on a tight budget,,,i think i am going to try
your plan tomorrow,i am going to do what i can and be proud
of ANYTHING I do ,,,,,,not worry about all the things i
can't do,,,even digging a little in my garden causes me
to go into fits of pain,,so i am trying to plant seeds
and not dig ,,lol I did plant things in my greenhouse
but have learn a new way to plant the flats ,,lol my dh
rotortiller up the gardem gave me half and i just slide
the whole blooming plants out of the flat and lay them on the fresh dirt lol it is working great ,,if some die out
from crowding that's ok ,,and i have little squares of plants in a row now,,,,,yipee,,,,,[[[[nana]]]]]
Thanks for the ideals of doing a little and letting tomorrow take care of it's self.....
Nana,
Forget about digging. I gave that up a few years back. I now plant most things in pots. The rest of the garden is well established.
When I started planting out my gardens after I became disabled I had little money to work with so I put in lots of creeping ground covers. It prevents having to do weeding also. Then when I wanted to put in something new I used the bulb planted to dig a hole and popped in the new plants. When I have to clean up the flower beds in the spring or plant something, I sit on a small stool...you know the kind Rubbermaid makes and children use them to reach the sink...I find its perfect and I don't have to reach far or bend over and strain my back.
Oh of course it takes me ages, but who cares.
Joydie
Someone once asked what my vision of heaven is and I said, having all these projects going and being caught up on all of them. so, you see, being caught up just isn't possible here, we have to wait for the proper time! I'm thinking about getting one of those creepers that mechanics use when working under cars and scooting around the yard on that - that would give the neighbors something new to talk about!
If it works for you let them talk
kathleen,
We often have to be creative. In the privacy of our back yard who will know anyway. My neighbours think i'm excentric, but on the otherhand they also say I have the loveliest garden of all so that's a compliment.
20 years ago I was the first person to dig a flower bed in the middle of my front lawn. The neighbours were horrified, now there hardly a house on the street that hasn't converted their front lawn into almost all flowers...so it pays to be excentric.
joydie
I am new to Dave's Garden and would like to chat with other gardeners with and without disabilities. I have Parkinsons disorder and know what it is like to do what you can, when you can. I love my flowerbeds but sometimes the work to be done in the spring almost overwhelms me. But I have learned not to look at the overall work to be done. Just focus on one part of my garden at a time. I am fortunate that I can still get around fairly well, most of the time. I am 58 and have had Parkinsons for 17 years. Are there other Parky's out there who are gardeners? Would like to hear from you.
I get the feeling of overwhelmedness every time I look at my gardenspace that didnt get planted last year but like you I decided to take only one little space and work on it until it pleases me and then move onto some other space. Where is Wapakoneta??? I am over south of Pittsburg where MD and WVA meet on the southern PA bordeer. Shirley
Hi Shirley. Wapakoneta, OH is on Interstate 75 about 60 miles north of Dayton or 100 miles north of Cincinnati. Just follow I75 up the map and you will come to Wapakoneta.
We are a small town of about 9,200. Bobbi
My son marries a girl from Dayton and divoeced her and remarried her. They wre in the Navy-live in WVA now. Forgive my typos--cataract getting bad. A lot of the folks who used to come to this forum kind of hang out on the prayer requests forum-most of us live with pain and ilness daily Shirley
Aside from having fibro, I am ignorant and stupid. I saw this forum many moons ago but refused to write. I hate talking about it; I have knowing I have it; I try to make believe I'm OK but it just causes me more stress. So OK guys here I am. Always so far behind I can't see my behind ;-)
Recently, I had a major flair actually it was when I was at a flower show. BUMMMER! However, God is good it was in Phila. a pioneer in the field Dr. Leventhal is in Phila. I could not get to see him but his collegue Dr. Prashad. He did a wonderful thing. He saw me at 8:00AM. He shot me up this some stuff that made my neck and shoulders and head feel so much better. Too bad the stuff doesn't last long. He was very upset cause I stopped all meds around Dec.
trying to go natural. He said I put myself 8 months behind. I thought he was nuts. He ain't ;-) So I went yesterday for more shots. Got there 15minutes late to have the receptionist tell me to reschedule. Needless to say a 2 hour trip for me and DH on his only day off. NO WAY! After tears, I saw the dr. but I have to go back again next week. None of the meds he put me on are working. For years I was on Wellbutrin but stopped it cause I thought I was loosing my mind. I had no idea there was such a thing as "Fibro Fog" I swore I was getting alzheimers.
I'll bbl to write more DSL is FINALLY here that's another story. Anyway, yes, a support system is absolutely necessary. Glad you are all here. Denial is a b--ch now, so am I
What do you all do for "lack of focus"?
Nappin in NJ
Hey Carol - yes, it is hard to talk about it and harder not too. I've had fibro for a long time, but i thought it was just because I worked too hard, so didn't do anything about it until after I was also actually diagnosed with RA. the two of them and the raging osteoarthritis that I got because I really DID work too hard discourage me often, but I have to keep moving. Just slowly.
joydie and marclay, the thought that someone was encouraging me to dare to be different had my family in hysterics. I'm Crazy Stan's weird wife - we're the ones who painted their house BROWN, can you believe it? and are always planting flowers and doing strange things with rotational grazing and other amazing and bizarre wonders. We have people drive by here very slowly everyday just to see what we're up to, and they can tell you how many bales we put up or how many loads of haylage went in the silo. If we didn't keep it up, they'd have to talk about each other and that could get boring!
kathleen,
You are not crazy or "off the edge". In fact you have to realize that you are on the cutting edge setting trends and so on. People at first are very quick to criticise, or ridicule someone who is different. It takes an emotionally strong person to make their own path in life and not follow the status quo. So look at it this way...they are insecure and you are not. In fact, if you were to go around and check on what your neighbours are doing you will find they are "COPYING YOU".
Gardening with a master plan is great, but think of it as putting together pieces of a puzzle. It takes time, energy, loving care and patience. Break up the project into manageable pieces and do sections at a time and enjoy what you have finished.
We are not superhuman and God didn't make his garden in a day either...so translate divine energy into human energy and we have a long as it takes to make our own Edens.
Joydie
Hi Carol......I ALso know that it can be hard to talk about our illnesses but I have learned that it is better to verbalize how I am feeling. I do not have what you do, I have Parkinsons. I was diagnosed when I was 42 that was 17 years ago. I haVe found some 'Parky' buddies aNd we meet once a month. It really helps to talk with someone who knows just what you are going through. I am still pretty active but have been taking Sinemet long enough that I suffer from some of the side affects. I call it dancing. But it is better than the alternative, if I wouldn't take the meds. Moving in very slow motion.
Some days, I actually feel "normal", whatever that is.
Gardening is my life-saver. And Joydie I like what you said, break it up into small batches. When I look out over my flower beds, I wonder how I will manage it all. But I bring my focus back to one section and don't feel so overwhelmed.
So Carol........hang in there......it all takes time.
Bobbi
Hi guys Carol It is good to verbalize and admit. I am the greatest denier there is-the day I had to tell my ambulance crew I was hanging it up except for bad ones was a day I will always remember. But I had to cme to the place I admitted I was not able to climb over banks and on roofs and go into the river anymore and that when the beeper went off at two in the Am I just wnted to roll over and go back to bed. But I did admit it and faced it and finally came to grips with ta major life change.Not only the garden but life has to be taken in manageable pieces now. Thanks for joining us on this forum. Shirley Robbob hope you had a good day Joydie and Kathleen thanks for your encouragement
Hi, you guys - I've not been by the forum lately. Just like you said, I've been in the prayer requests forum.
I'm interested in learning more about fibro. I wonder if that could be some of what I experience. What are some good sites about this? I'll start a new thread here, I think.
Thanks, :)
Kimberley
Marclay you are welcome. I had a good day yesterday. Did a little bit and then rested well. I sat on the porch to soak up some heat until it started to rain again...then the hail came.
Later in the afternoon I took some advil and waited for about a half hour and took my walker and went for a walk down the block and looked at everyone's front gardens. It was a pleasant walk. The bulbs are all blooming here now and the early perennials like primroses.
I gave my indoor tropical palms a shower in the tub and cleaned their leaves...they look really perky now. I finished up propagating more primroses to plant out in the summer. I'm hoping they all take and I'll have nice patches of primroses next year to add to what few I already have.
I decided to cut back on the amount of seeds i plant and do more propagating of already established plants unless its something that I really MUST HAVE. I'm only adding about 2 dozen or so new garden plants this year and the same next year. Its hard for me to depend on someone to come and do the necessary digging unless its something I can manage with a hand trowel...well enough of taking up space here.
Hope that everyone has a pleasant day.
Joydie
Arrrgggghhh! Good day; bad day.
Hey, thank for all the support. You all did inspire me.
Jody, Marclay, and Robbob Thank you so much. Robbob what a horrible thing to happen at such a young age.
I have been misdiagnosed since I was about 13. I was treated with V's since about 16, just a hiper. nervous child, they said.
So I did my time as a trader on Wall St. dancin' as fast as I could.
It got bad when my dad, my uncle,and DH all got sick at once. Than, in my haste to make Xmas terrific. knowing it was going to be their last, I feel at HDepot over Xmas netting from a tree while I was on my lunch hour.
Here I am 12 years later with cfs/epstein barr, fibro, insomnia, sometimes irratable bowl and copd. Falling apart at 53. But you are all right.
I push, deny, and still try to keep "dancing as fast as I can". It doesn't work. So, the house stays dirty but the dogs get taken care of, the food somehow gets made and first and formost my garden keeps growin'.
The entire place is cement. It makes it easier but lugging the dirt Owwww! I just moved here last June. The person upstairs thought I was horrible cause I have a shopping cart from the food mart in the backyard. Oh well, the landlord did say I could do whatever I want with the property; so I lug my stuff in my shopping cart like the bag ladies in NY. Hey, some years ago, the one I would see everyday on my way to work died. She was a millionaire. Gosh, if I had only known what was in those bags in her shopping cart I would have had another customer LOL!
Yesterday was a good day, thanks to y'all. I managed to create a 1'X 10'bed along the fence with patio blocks. Naturally, DH helped. I used peanuts in the bottom rather than rock. We'll see if that's enough drainage. Today, bad day. Rain, Rain go away; but Sat. is a trip to the NJ Botanical gardens for their plants sale. Come heck or hi water, I'll be there.
My doctor ordered me a new neck brace (soft one) to help keep my fat head off my shoulders ;-). It worked once, here's hoping.
Well, time to take some meds and look thru catalogs. It stopped raining for now, so I swept up my mess from yesterday, battened down the hatches for the windstorm coming and now it's down for the count for a few hours.
BTW, I purchases a great vitamin book at The Vitamin shop, "Prescription for natural healing" by Phyllis A. Balch and James, M.D's. It seems they know me. They describe my condition and childhood to the TEE. I think I should get some copyright "rights" whatever they call that. It is set up by your conditions, like high chlorestral, fibro, heart disease. Fibro people should not eat tomatoes and eggplant to start. TUVM, I just had an egg salad sandwich with tomato. "Fibro Fog". We also go a juicer to supplement the supplements with the real thing. We love it. Everything comes out so creamy. Carrot juice with celery, sweeter than a piece of chocolate. The book was only $11.00 it was 40percent off. I was so impressed I bought one for my sister who has lupus.
That's another thing. Mother had v. bad arthritis, sister has lupus and I have fibro. Seems they are all related just as we are :-(
Genes, that right, it's in your genes so be kind and prepare your children. I don't know if they can nip this in the bud but it worth knowing they it could happen to educate themselves now.
Thank you all again and May God Bless!
I'll be back
Have a bloomin' good day!
Carol
Glad you had a good day Joydie and Carol. Ive been lazy today-change in the weather. Very high wind out there.
Still raining everyday here...you know how that makes the joints ache. Carol and Robbob, my sister has fibro that she has suffered from since she was 38...she's now in her mid 50's. She loves to garden also. By the time summer is almost over she finally gets all her annuals in the ground. At least she enjoys them in pots on the patio in the meantime.
I am convinced that it is the gardening that keeps us going. If we were to take that away it would take away our spirit. Its what keeps us motivated, mobile and active. Otherwise I'm sure we would just lie around feeling sorry for ourselves.
Joydie
Rain, rain go away. Carol and her friends want to play!
In the rain we went to NYC yesterday for DH dopplers. He decided to jump on my bandwagon after all these years. Anyway we had the most marvelous day in Manhattan. Well, I did moreso than DH. He doesn't like Chinatown; nor the Bowery. I managed to hit every lightening store. Saw some gorgeous things but EXPENSIVE> Oh well, if it's out there I will find it online cheaper; if not we do w/o. Today was suppose to be another trip to NYC; gosh, was I tired and delighted that I forgot the script for his DR. at home. We can home and cancelled both appts. Tomorrow is another day. Twas a good day to sleep and believe it or not I did for 3 hrs. this afternoon. Guess NYC smog did me good.
Hope everyone had a lovely mothers day. Mine was the best ever. The neck brace is helping out; people look at me funny but who cares. The meds are taking hold so BTT the sun shines I hope to be in great shape.
Got my clematis from Peebles, 34 plants from Mischele's online; my roses from Gardens Alive and my helleborous. Need to make 1 more raised bed but I need peanuts (styrafoam) bad and refuse just refuse to pay for them. Video stores don't have em anymore. Mailboxes etc. get them but won't share :-( I will check the town tomorrow to see if they have a recycling for the stuff.
Oh, a good tip for those concerned about the drought. Go to your local car wash they are more than happy to share their 55 gal drums. Clean them out real good; save the top; put a whole in the bottom about 1' from the bottom; go to home depot to buy a spout and WALLA your own almost free water barrel. Cut them in half to use for brugs. Here they are white so they can be painted to match any decor. Even save your clam shells and oyster shells for an added touch of your own.
OK back to bed now. Dr. says when you are sleepy go to sleep you fool ;-) So nite, nite guys from the garden state.
Carol
napping in NJ
Its still terribly cold up here. The furnace is still running which is unusual at this time of year. The summer flowers are now starting to bloom and the silly spring flowers just opening up. I'm afraid this year everything will finish all at the same time and nothing will be left for June, July and August.
I'm so glad I put vermicompost on the beds again last year. My peony plants are nearly 4 feet tall again. Last year they grew to five feet and had huge blooms. My poppy plants were nearly as tall as me and so lush.
I bought Golden Showers Yellow Climbing rose for $6.00 and its now about to bloom in the house. Still too cold to plant it into the garden. My clematis already bloomed indoors. We definitely need some warm weather.
Joydie
Wow Joydie Where are you located? I have furnace on today-frost this AM and sleet yesterday for a small spell. Very crazy indeed.
Hi Marclay,
I just came from the doctor's today...sick as a dog with a cold and needed antibiotics for my throat. since the library is just down the street from the doc's I stopped in to use the computers to check email and things. My computer is all messed up. I try to respond to emails and my system gives an error message, the screen freezes and then it crashes. Oh well, it will just have to wait until the end of the month or so to get fixed...funds are always too tight on a pension and they certainly don't give you enough money for unforseen expenses. I won't be online for a bit, but will check in whenver I can. Last month it was the furnace and the stupid thing is still not working properly half the time.
I'm in zone 6. I've called my brother to dig my plant beds when the weather settles somewhat. Looks like no gardening for me at all this year. Awhile back I stepped in a pothole, fell and tore the ligaments in my knees and my right ankle. After months of regular physio they aren't getting any better. I've tried getting around with a walker to keep up the muscle tone in my legs. I've now have an appointment to see a surgeon for more tests and perhaps surgery. Needless to say I'm very disappointed and feeling down.
Hope everyone is doing well...until later,
Joydie
Joydie I am so sorry to hear about all your problems one after another it seems too. I pray your leg problem will be resolved and the cold will wuickly run its course. Mabe you will have t just do container gardening this year but that cn be a joy too and then can be put in place next year. get well and keep your apirits up Shirley