Last January I started going to an exercise class for old people (SAIL-Stay Active In Life). It is a well researched exercise program and is sponsored by a very nice county agency that organizes services for seniors. It meets twice a week and involves strengthening most muscle groups, improving balance and flexibility, and encouraging socialization.
There are many upper body and arm exercises which I heartily participated in. We are encouraged to use the hand weights provided by the class for the arm and upper body exercises. I used the two pound weights.
In May I noticed pains in both my upper arms, particularly when I would stretch to get laundry out of the washing machine or try to reach back to secure my brassiere. I am a side sleeper, and any pressure on my upper arms really hurt when I tried to sleep.
I finally went to my doctor in August. I know I have osteoarthritis in my lumbar spine. My doctor ruled put Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, and sent me to an orthopedic surgeon. He took x-rays of my shoulders. There ought to be a pencil width strip of cartilage between the top of the upper arm and shoulder socket in which it rotates. I have none. It is bone on bone in both shoulders. It is mainly due to osteoarthritis. The surgeon was rather astounded that both my shoulders were so bereft of cartilage simultaneously. We figured I was a good candidate for this, and the arm exercises in my SAIL class sealed the deal. I need both my shoulder joints replaced.
I will have my first surgery in January. I will do the left arm first. It involves securing a titanium cap on the arm bone to replace the cartilage. I said I had to wait until after the Christmas baking was done. I need both arms to for that. Boommate and daughter-in-law have offered to help roll lefse.
Ever had joint replacement? When has something considered good turned out to be bad for you? What are your priorities these days?
i did a shoulder 20 years ago. made my daughter the fast pitch softball pitcher wince as she watched me reach for high pitches. took a year of doing the spider walk up the wall with the fingers to get it back in shape. i played catch with her a couple weeks ago. shes still got it and it still hurts to reach
watch the ice with that shoulder the first couple of months . balance is not easily maintained with that elbow locked at your hip
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My nose and pretty much every fiber in my body has been out of joint since January 20, 2017.
Retirement. Mostly bad and totally my responsibility.
Priority is surgery preparation scheduled for October 19th.
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I haven’t had to have a joint replaced, but it seems everyone else I know has replaced something. My folks never needed it either, so I’m crossing my fingers.
My priorities lately include finding ways to remember all the details I need to recall. I keep a cloth bag ready for each place I go regularly – one for UU, for t’ai chi… – and then anything I’m going to need for the next time is ready to go. I’ve started an online list of what I need to relate to people this Sunday.
Etc.
Still thinking about what turned out bad…
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Hi- got my left knee replaced a few years ago and it’s been fantastic.
Priorities? Finishing a paper due at midnight.
Planting rye.
Writing tomorrow’s blog. I’ve got the rough draft done. 🙂
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Yeah, Ben. Just add that blog onto the college paper. No one will know.
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Oh, this teacher would know.
But they may turn into blogs.
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Rise and Shine, Baboons,
Joint replacements: 1 knee, 2 hips. Life changing. I would be in a wheelchair without these interventions. Instead, I mowed the lawn yesterday. (My grandfather had two bad hips. He walked like Grandpa McCoy. He was irritable. Now I understand that he was in a lot of pain.). Arthritis in the left side of my lower back still interferes with some things, however, not much.
Priorities these days:
1. keeping husband in the home as long as possible. He is happy here, but his health is failing.
2. Continue making art and craft projects-so rewarding and it keeps me hopeful.
3. Travel– a winter long weekend somewhere with my good friend, then next on the “Big Travel” list, Italy.
4. Garden
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If you listen carefully you can actually hear the bones crunch when I move my upper arm.
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Ew
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Ditto
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Recovering from our Colorado trip (which went well but which was exhausting) and getting in the Christmas baking supplies are my priorities now.
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Family events can be exhausting. So is surgery and recovery, but it will very probably be worth all the effort.
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I hope your surgeries go well, Renee. I haven’t needed any replacements and neither have me parents, who are in their 90s, so maybe it’s in the genes.
Things I thought were good for me … there are days when I have second thoughts about wanting a kitten. We love Charlotte dearly, but after a year of screen climbing, cabinet jumping, high-shelf acrobatics, midnight attacks, and the need to constantly be on the alert, we sometimes wonder if a nice older kitty would have been a better idea.
Priorities include finding a time when I can do yoga (see paragraph above), traveling, reading, and doing more things that I enjoy.
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Thanks!
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I felt the same way when Nimue was a kitten. My first cat came to us when he was about a year old and never did the kitten insanity. At least not here. Now that Nimue is 13 and a calm, sedate kitty, it’s hard to remember those kitten days when I wanted to fling us both off of a cliff together.
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I see I haven’t really answered the priorities question –
– answering the emails, etc. in order to keep up with my various volunteer gigs
– getting 3 meals fed to Husband every day; he’s not supposed to lose any more weight
– getting in my 7 minutes’ yoga routine, and my weekly t’ai chi session.
– meeting with friends for comic relief
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I am in the throes of solstice and holiday prep. The family project that I had planned turned out to be a bust when I made the first couple of samples. So I hauled myself out yesterday and came back with some ideas for a project to take its place. Brought the egg box down yesterday and sorted out what dye I need this year. I’m down to two designs and but luckily they use the same color set so I have a few more days before the new dyes arrive to make up my mind.
The other priority this weekend is Banana Ball. Watched the first two playoff games last night and then have games today and tomorrow. First time ever in my life I have willingly planned, sat down and watched a sporting game of my own free will. My team won their first game last night.
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