Not that anyone is asking

Aunt Bea said:
I haven’t found an exercise to improve my gradual decline.

I can still do math in my head and other brain teasers but it doesn’t do anything to improve my attention span or eliminate some of the ditzy things I do.

I try to accept it and look for little tricks and tools to help keep me and the people around me safe.

🤗
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(y)
For example:

(for everyone around me) Whenever I bake something, I turn on the light inside the oven, a reminder to turn off the oven.
I started doing that about 4 months ago and I've seen that light on, hours after using the oven, 3 times.

(for myself) When I take my 6pm medication, I leave a sock next to my medication basket, otherwise I'll forget to take the 9pm dose. So weird that I'd forget to take my meds if I didn't remember to leave the sock...and I always remember the sock.
 

Murrmurr said:
(y)
For example:

(for everyone around me) Whenever I bake something, I turn on the light inside the oven, a reminder to turn off the oven.
I started doing that about 4 months ago and I've seen that light on, hours after using the oven, 3 times.

(for myself) When I take my 6pm medication, I leave a sock next to my medication basket, otherwise I'll forget to take the 9pm dose. So weird that I'd forget to take my meds if I didn't remember to leave the sock...and I always remember the sock.
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I have a med reminder on my phone. One for the night before so I put the pkg. out where I can see it. Then in the morning to take it.
 
Murrmurr said:
I've had reason to worry about my memory lately, so Meesh decided we should play a card game called Memory. You can get various box versions of this game, but we just use a regular deck of cards. (And, I wanna point out that all the box games are for little kids.) The game is, you lay out all the cards face down, turn over 2 at a time, then try to remember where they are when you turn up one that matches one you saw before.

Anyway, Meesh figured this game would help sharpen my memory...exercise it, basically. But it's just highlighting how bad my memory is getting. It's depressing. And it's hard to say if it's age-related or it's residual effects from the head injuries I got back when I was 36 (...or 38; I can never remember, but I'm pretty sure I was 36).

It's really depressing, and I don't want to play anymore. :(
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OMG! I played this with my grandkids and lost every time. I'm not depressed about it. Should I be depressed? Let's not be depressed, ok? 🤗
 
hearlady said:
I have a med reminder on my phone. One for the night before so I put the pkg. out where I can see it. Then in the morning to take it.
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I used to use one of those pill dispensers that's a row of little compartments, with a time stamped on each one, but I got tired of filling it every day, and I didn't want to buy 6 more and fill 'em all on day 7.

I've been using the timer and alarm on my phone a lot. Especially while I'm simmering or boiling food, doing the laundry, and when I expect Meesh to come home, in case I forgot to clean up a mess or something. (not that she really cares, but I like her to come home to a clean house)
 
Putting up our tree really did my back in. I could barely walk afterward. It really hurt, and my right leg was dragging behind me like 50 pounds of dead weight. It's been 4 days now, and it's starting to feel a little better....after Michelle got me a case of 5hr Extra Strength on her way home for lunch today. I ran out of it on the 1st.

The 5hr doesn't relieve pain, of course, but it gives me the energy and drive to push through it, and I'm basically able to ignore it. I suppose the stress of not being able to get things done is a factor. Like, the stress of being unable to get things done makes me focus too much on my pain, because it's the reason I can't do what I want to do. The B vitamins in 5hr energy shots help me rise above that.

So, I'm gonna finish setting up Meesh's ye old light-up Christmas Village and then I'll hang the boughs above the front windows. These are fairly heavy, cumbersome boughs, plus I need to use the step-ladder. Back pain causes imbalance...or at least a lack of confidence. I'm also getting some laundry done and I'm gonna go pick some oranges off our tree, too.
 
Murrmurr said:
Putting up our tree really did my back in. I could barely walk afterward. It really hurt, and my right leg was dragging behind me like 50 pounds of dead weight. It's been 4 days now, and it's starting to feel a little better....after Michelle got me a case of 5hr Extra Strength on her way home for lunch today. I ran out of it on the 1st.

The 5hr doesn't relieve pain, of course, but it gives me the energy and drive to push through it, and I'm basically able to ignore it. I suppose the stress of not being able to get things done is a factor. Like, the stress of being unable to get things done makes me focus too much on my pain, because it's the reason I can't do what I want to do. The B vitamins in 5hr energy shots help me rise above that.

So, I'm gonna finish setting up Meesh's ye old light-up Christmas Village and then I'll hang the boughs above the front windows. These are fairly heavy, cumbersome boughs, plus I need to use the step-ladder. Back pain causes imbalance...or at least a lack of confidence. I'm also getting some laundry done and I'm gonna go pick some oranges off our tree, too.
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@Murrmurr

I admire you for not giving in to the pain .. however - I urge you to take care while using the step-ladder. We need you stick around for a long time 🤗
 
Aunt Bea said:
I haven’t found an exercise to improve my gradual decline.

I can still do math in my head and other brain teasers but it doesn’t do anything to improve my attention span or eliminate some of the ditzy things I do.

I try to accept it and look for little tricks and tools to help keep me and the people around me safe.

🤗
Click to expand...
Create new pathways in the old noggin, so they say. Maybe learn one word a day of a new language and try to remember it throughout the day. If you forget, you must march to the refrigerator where it is posted.
 
I've been more miserable than I've been in decades over the past week and 1/2. The pain is so severe I can't stand it. And it's freaking relentless no matter what I do and what I take for it. Rocking helps some....rocking in a regular chair. It's soothing, anyway.

Last night I took some meds that Bonnie left behind, and for the first time in over a week, my right leg didn't wake me up with painful cramps and contortions, burning, and involuntary kicking, and I slept through the entire night. But at 7:50am, it started cramping and burning, and woke me up, and I had to hurry up and try to stand, which usually calms it down.

It didn't calm the leg down, but it stopped it from going into full-blown mode. I could feel it threatening to. Full-blown is when the leg gets all twisted and knotted up, and sometimes goes numb, like paralysis numb, and hurts so bad my eyes water because I want to cry. I'm not exaggerating.

So I guess I'll call my spine specialist next month, after the holidays. About 6 weeks ago, I asked my regular doc to increase my pain meds by 10mgs/day, and she did, but it ain't helping now...not noticeably, anyway. Not for the last week and 1/2, and probly not tomorrow or the next day, or the next....

But I'll hold off asking for another increase until after I see the spine guy. Probably.

I can't keep knocking myself out at night with Bonnie's old Rxs, though...not EVERY night. But this pain is freaking horrible, man. The most insufferable pain and the worst leg symptoms I've had in over 20yrs.
 
hollydolly said:
Oh dear, Frank... this sounds absolutely torturous, I'm so sorry for you...😔😟 i hope you can get through until after the holiday .. but if not, you need to think about going to the emrgency room..
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That's what Michelle keeps saying.

The problem with that is, the emergency doc will likely Rx a temporary pain med, maybe a stronger one, but probably a higher dose of the one I take. If that happens, and it's very likely, my pharmacy will deny my regular Rx. Because that's their job now.
 
Murrmurr said:
I've been more miserable than I've been in decades over the past week and 1/2. The pain is so severe I can't stand it. And it's freaking relentless no matter what I do and what I take for it. Rocking helps some....rocking in a regular chair. It's soothing, anyway.

Last night I took some meds that Bonnie left behind, and for the first time in over a week, my right leg didn't wake me up with painful cramps and contortions, burning, and involuntary kicking, and I slept through the entire night. But at 7:50am, it started cramping and burning, and woke me up, and I had to hurry up and try to stand, which usually calms it down.

It didn't calm the leg down, but it stopped it from going into full-blown mode. I could feel it threatening to. Full-blown is when the leg gets all twisted and knotted up, and sometimes goes numb, like paralysis numb, and hurts so bad my eyes water because I want to cry. I'm not exaggerating.

So I guess I'll call my spine specialist next month, after the holidays. About 6 weeks ago, I asked my regular doc to increase my pain meds by 10mgs/day, and she did, but it ain't helping now...not noticeably, anyway. Not for the last week and 1/2, and probly not tomorrow or the next day, or the next....

But I'll hold off asking for another increase until after I see the spine guy. Probably.

I can't keep knocking myself out at night with Bonnie's old Rxs, though...not EVERY night. But this pain is freaking horrible, man. The most insufferable pain and the worst leg symptoms I've had in over 20yrs.
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@Murrmurr

I can only imagine how painful your leg cramps are. Occasionally, I get leg cramps at night. The kind that you have to get out of bed to stand on, and massage. The pain is unbearable, so, I really feel for you, Frank. I hope you can get a stronger, more effective med, soon.
 
Murrmurr said:
That's what Michelle keeps saying.

The problem with that is, the emergency doc will likely Rx a temporary pain med, maybe a stronger one, but probably a higher dose of the one I take. If that happens, and it's very likely, my pharmacy will deny my regular Rx. Because that's their job now.
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can you explain that to an emrgency Doc..or would it not make any difference.

i have been in the pain you're in now or near it.. and I know right now your tolerance for any annoyance will be lower than the floor.. so forgive me if my questions sounds like BS..becase you know I don't know how the US system works.. ((hugs))) just wishing you better
 
hollydolly said:
can you explain that to an emrgency Doc..or would it not make any difference.

i have been in the pain you're in now or near it.. and I know right now your tolerance for any annoyance will be lower than the floor.. so forgive me if my questions sounds like BS..becase you know I don't know how the US system works.. ((hugs))) just wishing you better
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Thank you, Sweatheart.

ER docs know that prescribing a temp pain med when you're already taking a pain med will definitely cause this problem with your pharmacist. They do it anyway because they want to help you. And they feel bad about it, but helping you is their job; it's literally their oath.

It's so messed up.
 
Murrmurr said:
I've been more miserable than I've been in decades over the past week and 1/2. The pain is so severe I can't stand it. And it's freaking relentless no matter what I do and what I take for it.
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Sorry! I don't want to spout nonsense when you're suffering so but wondering what could be aggravating your pain.
Could it be low air pressure? Or high humidity? Or dehydration? Are you maybe skipping your vitamin D?
I hope you go to emergency, something new might be going on!
 
gruntlabor said:
Sorry! I don't want to spout nonsense when you're suffering so but wondering what could be aggravating your pain.
Could it be low air pressure? Or high humidity? Or dehydration? Are you maybe skipping your vitamin D?
I hope you go to emergency, something new might be going on!
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It started after I put up the Christmas tree and other holiday trappings. The tree's artificial, about 10 years old (but still looks great), and it's kind of heavy and takes a little strength to put together...that's kind of and a little.

So I'm guessing it was the lifting and bending. I'm not supposed to lift over 5 pounds and I'm supposed to only bend at the knees. I've often ignored those limits and it's never caused a huge problem, but apparently this was once too often.

I think my sciatic nerve is entrapped or not sitting exactly where it should; the pain is a couple inches lower and to the right of my usual "sore spot". And the usual pain is there, but this is much sharper and more intense, and the Norco is no match for it. Normally, I can enjoy 2 to 3 hours straight of reasonably tolerable pain after I take my Norco. This stays at just-shoot-me-now level all the live-long day.

I'd try doubling my dosage for a while if my pharmacist wasn't such a prick, but he'd make my life even more miserable. He seems to relish it. I'm thinking of calling my doctor to ask for something for *break-through* pain, but if I tell her where it hurts she'll probly want me to go in. And I hate asking Meesh or my sons to take time off work to give me a ride for an unscheduled visit. (I quit driving)

Anyway, if it gets to the point where I literally wanna shoot myself, I'll call her. And maybe call Uber, too. And yes, I am out of vit-D, and also magnesium. I ordered some.

Thanks for the nonsense. :p
 
Pinky said:
@Murrmurr

I can only imagine how painful your leg cramps are. Occasionally, I get leg cramps at night. The kind that you have to get out of bed to stand on, and massage. The pain is unbearable, so, I really feel for you, Frank. I hope you can get a stronger, more effective med, soon.
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So many family physicians think those cramps are only about the leg muscles, but they're not. I know they're not, because I can feel a twinge in my lumbar spine just before they happen. I feel that twinge, and then my hip burns a little, then my calf muscle starts twitching a bit, then my toes...and then bam!

That's a lumbar nerve sending an erratic message to my leg, and it travels quickly, so I have to act fast.

It commonly happens at night because when you lie down and totally relax, you're changing your spine's alignment and giving it an entirely different job. If you have spinal issues, that can cause the spinal nerves to go rogue.
 
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Sorry to hear you are in such pain @Murrmurr.

Back in lockdown days, I was very ill with Covid and, no sooner did I start to recover, I had severe back pain which lasted for two weeks. The one thing I can remember helping was heat. A heated cushion and throw which I still use now if I get any aches and pains. If you haven't already tried something similar, even an old fashioned hot water bottle or two might help to ease the cramps.
 
Trish said:
Sorry to hear you are in such pain @Murrmurr.

Back in lockdown days, I was very ill with Covid and, no sooner did I start to recover, I had severe back pain which lasted for two weeks. The one thing I can remember helping was heat. A heated cushion and throw which I still use now if I get any aches and pains. If you haven't already tried something similar, even an old fashioned hot water bottle or two might help to ease the cramps.
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I'll leave Frank to explain Trish... but this is not a simple back cramp... its a major problem caused by a series of serious injuries in the past ...
 
WOW Frank! I've dealt with back issues for decades too, but never quite to the point of tears. I am lucky.
You've given me some good advice for meditation, I wish I could repay the favor by giving you some advice that would help you. I got nothing. :(
 
stretch5881 said:
WOW Frank! I've dealt with back issues for decades too, but never quite to the point of tears. I am lucky.
You've given me some good advice for meditation, I wish I could repay the favor by giving you some advice that would help you. I got nothing. :(
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I still do meditation at least a couple times a day, and the pain is tolerable while I'm in that state. It would be so cool if I could achieve a 24hr state of deep meditation, but I don't see that happening....the cats won't let me 😜.
 
Trish said:
Sorry to hear you are in such pain @Murrmurr.

Back in lockdown days, I was very ill with Covid and, no sooner did I start to recover, I had severe back pain which lasted for two weeks. The one thing I can remember helping was heat. A heated cushion and throw which I still use now if I get any aches and pains. If you haven't already tried something similar, even an old fashioned hot water bottle or two might help to ease the cramps.
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I use heat occasionally. It does ease my back pain a bit sometimes, temporarily. It works best while I'm in the shower - after scrubbing down, I dial-up heat and pressure, and just let the hot water pound on my back for a few minutes.

The thing is, my worst pain is 100% neurological, not muscular. And though there is some inflammation, that isn't the main cause of my pain. Heat eases pain from inflammation but it can aggravate the neurological pain, so I have to be careful how and where I apply heat.
 
This new pain I talked about in post #1,860 isn't getting any better. My doctor increased my pain med a bit and emailed me some specific exercises for a pinched obturator nerve (one diagnosis) but that isn't helping at all. Neither are the cannabidiol gummies my wonderful DIL brought me.

Obturator nerve damage is irreparable, and the pinched obturator nerve exercises have a pretty low success rate. People sometimes wind up getting surgery to fix the problem, and the surgery is very risky and often causes more problems, including permanent paralysis...painful paralysis. It's most risky for patients who've already had nerve-related surgery, like me.

But I can't stand this. One of the worst symptoms is groin pain. It's an intense stinging, burning pain, and it feels like someone's holding a lit match under my balls all the time. It's horrible.

It's also causing more super-painful leg and foot cramps, and a fiery burning sensation and numbness in my leg; sometimes the left leg, but usually the right one. And this happens nearly every day. When it does, I walk around here dragging my leg behind me, if I can walk at all....and the leg hurts like hell the whole time. If I don't walk around as best I can, the pain gets even worse.

Makes my eyes get full of tears sometimes, I'm serious. It is really horrible.

I'm gonna stick it out through the holidays, and probly keep an appointment I have with my neurologist in Feb, but he needs to come up with an effective plan. And I want a guarantee of at least 70% improvement. I think I could live with that. And Michelle's pretty well set; she's already an LPN and well on her way to being an RN, if she wants, and she's earned a couple certificates in child mental health, plus her car's paid for and I paid the house off last Christmas, so I'm not worried about any of that. I also have an appt with my reg doctor in Feb, and I'm going to talk to her about morphine. I prefer actual morphine to any type of synthetic.

I mean, why would I worry about addiction? That's just stupid, from my perspective...a total non-issue.
 
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I suffer from leg cramps too .. though nothing close to what you are enduring. It's maddening that nothing helps. Trying to walk with leg cramps is near impossible. I can't even imagine what you are going through, but I believe it must be unbearable.

Hopefully, your doctor will prescribe the morphine. At this point, if that's all that will help, then it's what you need.
 

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