This is ridiculous, can't get a break.

[houghchrst]

You know I tried to take it easy today, but wound up shopping for Xmas for my mom. Then come home and at about 8 p.m. have to go back out to get a tree. This is the latest we have ever gotten a tree and I am heartbroken about it. I cried last night because we had told the little one we were going out to get it and I hurt too bad to go out. So tonight we went to 3 places because it was slim pickings at Home Depot and Lowe's so we went to a little place near by and what happens........I wrench my left ankle slipping on the snow and ice, foot bent in and ankle bone went to the ground. So now, my right knee is in excrutiating pain from shopping so I have my usual limp and add on to that my right ankle which hurts so bad I don't know which foot to limp on LOL. I know it is small in the whole scheme of things but dammit when do I get a break.:rolleyes::eek::mad:

[BrokenBladder]

Christina.

I'm so sorry about your day!! Wow it does sound like it went from bad to worse.:eek: :(

I hope you will call your doctor first thing in the morningso that you can get some type of pain relief. For tonight grab a bad of frozen veggies and wrap it in a towel and put it on your knee. I use the veggie trick when I need a longer lasting ice pack.;)

Hang in there tonight and let us know how you're doing tomorrow.'

Take Care,






You know I tried to take it easy today, but wound up shopping for Xmas for my mom. Then come home and at about 8 p.m. have to go back out to get a tree. This is the latest we have ever gotten a tree and I am heartbroken about it. I cried last night because we had told the little one we were going out to get it and I hurt too bad to go out. So tonight we went to 3 places because it was slim pickings at Home Depot and Lowe's so we went to a little place near by and what happens........I wrench my left ankle slipping on the snow and ice, foot bent in and ankle bone went to the ground. So now, my right knee is in excrutiating pain from shopping so I have my usual limp and add on to that my right ankle which hurts so bad I don't know which foot to limp on LOL. I know it is small in the whole scheme of things but dammit when do I get a break.:rolleyes::eek::mad:

[Mark N]

When it rains it pours but I hope you didn't break anything tonight. Like BB said, ice it up tonight and practice RICE to heal your ankle and knee -Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. I hope you aren't hurting too bad in the morning.

We didn't have any cut trees this year in our small town [about 8K]. I had to go 15 miles to a tree farm and it did me in going to get it and bringing it back. At least we waited until the next day to decorate it. I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

[Kathi49]

Christina,

Your post made me sad....because you mentioned your "little one". That got to me. And, no I am not trivializing what happened. :eek: It is just that when you mentioned searching for a tree for your child just made me sad. I am sorry too that you are in so much pain. Icing it is probably the best thing.

On a lighter note. Your post made me think of what happened last night to me. I am trying to set up a bunch of new PC equipment and my husband didn't take the boxes out of the room yet. So, I kind of straddled one to reach for something else and ripped out my left hip! Sooo...I know what you mean...what next???! :eek: :) Darn it I should have just moved the thing out of the way. So, for me, it was heating pad all night long.

I have to tease you though...did you get a tree or a Charlie Brown one? You just have to know and I am sort of ashamed to admit this. But I have a small table top tree that is pre-decorated LOL! And you know what? I don't really care LOL! I make fun of it myself all the time. But, also, my daughter is grown and gone. So, I just get the thing out, set it up and I am done. But don't get me wrong...I love the great big, fully decorated trees...used to do it myself. But...no longer. It is simply too painful to be digging around and hauling everything out. Half the time I leave most of my decorations in their boxes UNLESS I am having Christmas at my house. Then I get them all out. I think next year I WILL buy a Charlie Brown tree and throw maybe 10 ornaments on it and be done! :eek: :)

Anyway, I DO hope you are feeling better. Let us all know how you are faring.

[debhun]

Christina when you find out let me know too.LOL. I am so sorry about your knee and ankle. I know how bad the ankle pain can be. I have broken both of mine. Not at the same time. sprained them so many times I lost count. I do remember the one I broke. Andrew was about 4-6 weeks old and I went to the commissary to get diapers. Well the payment wasn't even and down I went and Andrew sliding across the parking lot in his car sit. I couldn't move but there were a lot of people there to help and got Andrew for me. And called recuse for me. They were going to cut my pants and told tell them the hell with my knee that it was my ankle that hurt the worse. It is funny now 19 years later. LOL

Don't feel bad about the tree. I still don't have one up. I guess I will in a few days. I can't go up in the barn to get it down. And Dh don't have the time for it. But I told Jayden I would so I have to for her. She is 4.
I have a #2 daughter and #3 child named Christina she 25 now.
I hope you and your family has a good Christams. And try and rest the ankle and knee as much as you can.

Merry Christams
Deb

[houghchrst]

Well my ankle looks like it has a softball half sticking out of the side of it. I did not go to the ER or call doctor. I am always doing something to myself so I will wait and see and if it gets worse or doesn't start to get better then I will get it taken care of. Deep bruising. Did I stay off of it? Well of course not, why would I do what is best, went and did some shopping for my mom with my brother. Didn't take very long but I paid for it. Today right knee is in excrutiating pain and left ankle hurts badly. Have been doing the ice on both on and off. My doctor told me that my graft in my knee from my ACL reconstruction could take up to 18 months to heal and it has been 13 so I really hope it improves over the next 5 months or they will have to scope it again.

Well my tree is still in a snow bank in our back yard but we will be putting it up today.

Kathi, yes it is a small Charlie Brown tree, I have a soft spot in my heart for those little rejected guys. And just like in the cartoon they are beautiful when they are decorated. I am with you on the fake predecorated tree. When my little one is older I think that may just be the route we will be going. Sorry to hear about your hip, I hope it is feeling better today. Yes I do stuff just like that, regularly lol.

Deb I hope you are careful getting that tree down. Isn't there someone you can call to come help. Geez even if someone stops by recruit them.

Quahog thank you for the idea and the warnings always nice to have a professional on hand. I know this is a bit off topic and you may have been asked this before but do you watch Family Guy? I just wondered because in the show Quahog is the fictional town they live in. I know it is also a shellfish and I just wondered what made you decide on such a unique name.

Mark I hope you have recovered from your excursion. Geez, 2 miles and just running in and out of two stores and a mini "farm" just about did me in I can't imagine trekking that far and then having to wander around and decide on a tree.

Lisa, thanks, I am limited on what I can take for pain and my doc's office is not authorized for anything more than what I have which is Ultram. I do have like two pain pills left that I have been hoarding but I am waiting for a really bad time to take them. Geez that sounds so sad. That I hurt yet can't take what I have because I have no idea when I will be able to get more. I have one of those gel freezer packs that I use and also one of those little coolers that you fill with ice water and it has this manta ray looking thing you wrap around whatever and it circulates ice water through it. Love it. Insurance covered it when I had my knee surgery. Is a wonderful invention lol.

Haven't been feeling too good lately but that was a post for the BiPolar forum. Tired, hurt, stressed, fed up, I know so many of us are. Makes things worse when mental inllness is involved, but then again with pain comes some mental illness in the form of depression and anxiety so not much difference there I guess.

Geez I just feel as if I could ramble on and chit chat but ......... well I will be around.

[Gimpy]

Awe............... bless your heart! Last year my Dad died, but this year has actually been the least enjoyable Christmas I've ever had. To much going on, surgery recovery, and a million other things. No parties, nothing, just doing for everyone else and I am so tired and in pain from over doing it. I can't do the shopping in one or two days like before, it's done in 20 min. increments because that's all I can tolerate.

So I feel for you, sympathize for you and all the other things. Maybe decorating the tree will perk you up. It's all about the one big One (not Santa) and then all our little one's beyond that, it's only about Wal Mart. So don't beat yourself up to hard.

Big hugs, LInda

[Mark N]

Christina, how are you doing today? If your ankle is still sore, I am betting it is, soak it in ice water for 20 minutes at a time and take it out until the feeling returns. Do this for two hours at a time and in about three days it should be healed. Be sure to walk on it while it is out of the water. I used to use this on my athletes and they would heal very quickly. I hope your ankle and knee are much better.

Getting the tree was tough but I could rest up that evening and the next day. My wife and kids decorated the tree so it kept me from overdoing it.

I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas enjoying each others company while rejoicing in the birth of our savior.

[debhun]

Never did get the tree down from the barn. So Grand-daughter and I got DH to get the ceramic tree. It is about 12 ins in hight. So Jayden and I set it on the coffee table with snow, snow flaks and other things. She was happy so granny is happy.

[houghchrst]

Hi all, well I haven't been able to stay off my feet as much as I am sure I need to but after the holidays I plan to get plenty of rest. I have been doing last minute shopping for myself and mostly my mom. She is still pretty much bed ridden, though getting around the house a little more, and in a lot of pain today. So I went to get our dinner from Honey Baked Ham at 8 a.m. and have been finishing up wrapping for her and a bit for us. The tree is lovely. Small enough for me to reach the top for a change and I am a shortie. My ankle is still in quite a bit of pain, a have a centralized worst pain spot so I am thinking maybe a torn something or other, but the whole thing hurts all the time. Took a long time to turn a fully purple color but it is faint so I know it is deep.

Mark, OMG, 20 minutes in ice water, I don't know if I can do that LOL :eek:, though it definitely sounds as though it would work, by the way thanks for the pm, I am much better now.

Deb, a tree of any kind is better than none at all. I was going down the road on Saturday and passed a house that had half a pine in their front yard. They must have been desperate and cut the tree in half for their house :D. I kind of found that endearing.

Today I will take all the gifts that belong at my mom's house there, she is only 2 miles from me, then run to the store for some last minute dinner preparations, Honey Baked ran out of potatoes :mad:. I will be smart and ask for help though. I think I have just about reached my limit.

The little man has been watching NORAD to keep track of where Santa is and tonight I will fill stockings and wrap his presents with special Santa paper. I love it.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Minimum pain and maximum pleasure.

[BrokenBladder]

Christina,

I'm sorry that you haven't been able to stay off of that foot, but we have to get some things done, LOL!!

It does sound like your spirits are higher than the last time you posted. I hope you continue to feel better.

Sounds like after you run a few more errands you might be able to sit back and relax for a bit.

It's funny that you mentioned Norad as I saw that a little while ago....how cute, but my kids are way to old for that.:(

Oh and when I read about the Honey Baked Ham my mouth started to water. I love that place!! So am I invited to eat with you? LOL!!

Last but not least I just wanted to say that I think you've done a wonderful job getting things done. You've had to take care of your family and your mother and I know you've been under tremendous stress.
May God Bless You!!

Merry Christmas To You & Your Family!!*candycane

[Jo6]

I am so sorry things aren't going well for you right now. I hope the ankle is on the mending side, but it will probably need some TLC to get you back up to par.

I could not help but smile at your "
Christmas tree" hunt. When we have little ones we do all kinds of things for them, even if it does kill us.:D

I'm leaning toward what Kathi said. I have gotten to the artifical tree with lights already on. I have no idea what made me think I must get a hugh fat tree.:eek:
I have beautiful ornaments, I store them in my antique trunk. All wrapped with care and love. I opened that trunk, took 1 look and was about to close the lid, who said we needed ornaments anyway?

Well, my 3 early teen granddaughters came in, opened that trunk and had that tree decorated in no time flat. It truely was beautiful. Well, its time to take down and wrap ornaments and store. I keep wondering when the 3 little Elves will be here to finish the job.:eek:

Am I dreaming? Probably so. I will look for a smaller tree, already with lights. It may even have ornaments. I am getting weary of doing all the decorating thing. Something I once loved to do, but alas, all these ache's and pains and other health problems.

Not complaining, just the way things are for me now. I left all other decorating stuff off, bought trays at the Deli and sat back and enjoyed Christmas. We had no small children this year, that was sad. I will count my blessings for the family I have and hope to make at least one other person happy.

PS oh my, I forgot to tell you what Mr. Jo does every Christmas. He cooks a huge breakfast, everything you can thing of. And YES, GRIT's are in there too! Home made busicuts etc. He's a real jewell, well at Christmas time he is
Blessings to us all, Jo

[houghchrst]

Hi everyone. Well I survived Christmas. Got most of my gifts and the others put away. Now I look around at my dusty Christmas decorations and wonder when housekeeping is going to come put those away for me :D. Gee could still be up by next year if I wait for that LOL :rolleyes:. Dinner at my mother's was okay, the ham was excellent as was the triple chocolate cake :D. I did all the work with a bit of help from a brother and my BF. My mother grumbled quite a bit about other brother's girlfriend just sitting on her butt and doing nothing but complain about how she feels. Par for the course. She is like that whenever she comes over, wherever she goes. Went and did some shopping for myself yesterday with Christmas money.

My ankle still is swollen, in fact the skin over it was stretched so tight that it hurt to just softly rub. It itches kind of bad yesterday and today so I take that as a sign of healing. Have to make one trip out today and then can take it easy for rest of weekend.

Well I accidently hit post reply instead of advanced so I will have to cut this short as I am in edit mode LOL.

[Mark N]

Christina, sounds like you did pretty good with your part of Christmas. Sorry your mother has to complain all the time but that is just how some people are. You need to be concerned a bit about your ankle and not just assume it is healing. You need to get the swelling down and if it doesn't go down in a day or two see the doctor. Remember R.I.C.E; Rest with your foot Elevated, use ice, and put a compression wrap on it. You do not want to let that fluid settle into your ankle SO GET OFF YOUR FEET AND REST. Sorry about yelling at you but you really need to take care of this.

[houghchrst]

Okay Mark, today I will dedicate the rest of my day to R.I.C.E. I do have a wrap, always keep those because you never know. The swelling has gone down a little but it is still a faint purple. I can tell it was a deep injury because there isn't that vibrant purple you get from closer to surface injury. It still hurts like a bear and the skin over it itches like crazy, I have been icing it everyday but I know that icing it and then getting up and walking around kind of defeats the purpose.

Both ankles hurt but yes the left hurts pretty bad still. Thank you for your concern and I will do what I am told. Going to my room now with a chastened look about me.

[BrokenBladder]

Christina,

Glad to hear you're going to your room even if you have a chastened look on your face, LOL!!

Glad to hear that you had a nice Christmas with your family. Sounds like you did a great job for everyone!!

Any plans for New Year's Eve? I personally plan on sitting on my behind and watching the big ball drop and that's it!! LOL!! I just can't stand to get out on that night with all of the nuts on the road!! Guess I'm showing my true age huh?

[houghchrst]

Lisa that sounds like a great way to ring in the new year LOL. I think maybe this year we will let the little guy stay up and see what it is all about. He is a little more understanding about time and the new year coming. That is if I can stay awake that long LOL. We haven't gone out for New Year's since we quit drinking and stuff. We don't know anybody who celebrates sober LOL. Yes, I am getting old because quite frankly I would just like to ring in the New Year by getting a full night of solid sleep. Skip the ball dropping and all.

Jo I was wondering if those three teenage darlings have taken down that lovely tree yet, LOL? I have gone around and put a lot of my decorations in a nice neat pile and will be putting them back in boxes probably slowly but surely tomorrow. I don't want to put too much stress on my bad ankle, (see Mark, I am listening). I put up less and even gave away some of my decor this year. I really need to scale down and it is a sad thing for me because just within the last five or six years we have reached a point where we can afford a little more. Nothing extravagant, just a couple dollars here or there, I am a knick knack addict, and I see all these Christmas decorations I like and know that I cannot afford them physically. Does that make any sense? Besides that I am truly beginning to dislike clutter. LOL I never thought I would say that because I love my little things. Most of which were given to me or yard saled or things that I got from Freecycle. Not to mention all the things I hate to part with that I have stashed. I have learned to become ruthless and start giving stuff away or throwing away.

Okay well I have started babbling on so that is a sign that it may be time to go to bed.

Have a good night everyone and sleep well.

[Jo6]

Teenage darlings? where are they? must have gone back with Santa!! Well, Baby Teenager came 2 days ago to "help" me. We took all the ornaments off tree, layed them gently on the sofa. they are now still resting on the sofa!! Baby T went home, mr.Jo took down tree and stored it. Thats it, everything else is still where it was put before Christmas!

You sound a lot like me concerning decorations. I have some beautiful stuff, I keep storing them every year. this Christmas I didn't get most of them out. I will have to give or maybe yard sale? much of this in the spring.

I have always loved decorarating and inside my house looked great. I never got into the out side decord. The granddaughters will have to "promise" in writing they will put everything away after Christmas if they want decorations next year.

It's hard to get rid of things you have collected over the years. I looked at all the Angels and decided I would have to keep only a few. Three of them play music and I keep those out all year. I also have a small picture of my mom in one of the angels. I keep that one out too. the rest? found here and there will have to go.:(

I hope your ankle is better. I'm older than you so I will be bossy and tell you to do exactly what you need to do most, stay off of it!!:p

I enjoyed Christmas through your words, I imagined what it must be like to hunt down a tree and all the other things you did with the ankle swollen so big. thank you for sharing your Christmas with us. I hope you are letting your ankle heal.
my love to all, Jo

[BrokenBladder]

Jo,

I hate to laugh at your comment about teenage darlings. Where are they indeed? I have two teenage son's one is 17 and one is 19. I think mine left with Santa a couple of years ago, LOL!!
I have to be honest I didn't put up decorations this year because I knew that I wouldn't get the help I needed. One day close to Christmas my youngest son said mom I wish we had a tree. Of course I said well get up in the attic and get it down along with all the ornaments and lights and we can do it. You wouldn't believe how quickly that shut him up. HE HE!!

Jo's right about you sharing Christmas with us Christina. It was nice to hear about your activities. I felt like I was living the moment through you without the pain, sorry, of doing it myself. BTW, how's your FMS these days? Are any of the meds helping?

[Jo6]

Lisa dear, I will get their plans before they start draging things out!

Where are they INDEED? One left Christmas Day for a week in Chicago, the # 2 had plans way thru New Years Day. the littlest darling did come by a time or 2 to help me out. She truely is a darling. Did very little else, but I'll have to give her some credit, she DID show up.;)

She helped me cook a fine meal for Papa Jo, it was our 31st anniversary. She celabrated with us:D Oh gosh, Santa must have put the fire out when he left,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,way back in the '90 s lol. Papa Jo was going to take us to a very nice restrant but he was sick with a cold. I didn't want him near me, muchless expose everybody in the restrant.

Christmas comes alive with Christina's words. It was nice, wasn't it. I smiled at your son's. Typical teenager?:rolleyes: I have some of them too. I'm thinking I will loan a few to Kathi so she can get her pictures with Santa:p

Christmas with Chronic Pain is quiet differant. Family seems to forget you are not all in one piece anymore. I guess we need to put the "rules of Christmas and other holiday's" up where all can see way before the actually time.

Our world is changing, much too fast at times. Our family's need to consider this and keep up to date. Then we shall all live with love and compassion forever after. :D Well, isn't that the way it goes in fairy land?

I dream too much. I am not willing nor happy to give up anything else!!INDEED! Jo I know it will happen though

[houghchrst]

Hi guys, surprisingly enough the pain in my upper back and arm joints has abated. I believe it may be some of the Rheumatiod drugs I am taking and as for that fog well it comes and goes not near as bad as it was and I would like to think that the Fish Oil, Vitamin D and B12 I am taking contribute quite a bit to that. Good days and bad as usual. How about you BB?

My ankle, well I think I am in dire need of an X-Ray. It hurt very badly yesterday, almost as bad as when I first did it despite the wrapping and on and off icing. Maybe I pressed my luck too much when I first did it. Was supposed to go to primary doc today and was going to ask for an order for an xray but they just called me and cancelled and wanted me to come in on the 2nd. I knew when they scheduled me for the 31st that they would probably wind up cancelling.

As for those Christmas decorations.....well they are still in a neat pile. The tree is still up and decorated though the needles have started dropping LOL. I can remember putting up my tree kind of early and having to clean up needles for months after Christmas because the tree would drop like crazy by the time it was to be taken down. I will work on getting them put away today but I am so worried about my ankle that I am almost afraid to. And I dread having the ham fisted BF put them away LOL. That is okay, not much more to go so I will do that and then clean my disgusting bathroom. It is so little that it is hard for me to maneuver, lots of bending and reaching and stretching so I have been putting it off. I can't any longer.

Well stupid question here but does anyone have any New Year's resolutions? Not me though I would like to start eating healthier. You know it is a shame that it costs more to eat healthy than not and I am on a major limited budget. Seems there is always a reason for fresh fruits and veggies to be priced ridiculously high. Every year. Plus my youngest is getting chunky and dad is no help. He came home on lunch and I was visiting with a friend and little man was right there, so dad hands him a pop and then grabs his can of chips and gives them to him. Now mind you the little guy hasn't had lunch yet so I said to the bf, now why would you come home and give him that, instead you could have cut up an apple or given him a yogurt but no. Junk. Dad is a junk food junkie which makes it very hard for us. I love my chocolate and chips but have been trying not to keep a supply in the house. Okay I have babbled on food enough.

So I will go and peruse the rest of the forums and see if I can be of any help anywhere else LOL.

Have a wonderful day yous guys.

[houghchrst]

Well Jo you popped in while I was typing. Happy Anniversay!!! Wow that is wonderful. Sorry to hear the PapaJo was sick, hope he is better now. Glad you got some help with dinner and all.

Teenagers......I think most would do without all the fanfare and preparing for Christmas if they were the ones responsible for it LOL but boy don't be skimpy on those gifts.

My family is really good about my pain. My mother is constantly telling me not to do this or that for her because she knows all about pain. I in turn understand her pain which is far worse than mine and I will be damned (sorry) if I will let this put me in a chair for the rest of my life. I am still mobile and relatively able so I will do as much as I can while I can, pain or no pain. Okay that is all I wanted to say. You guys are great.