Living And Sleeping With Arthritis

Hey Cats,

I come from a long line of strong independent women which is probably where my fire comes from. Even in the face of challenge, independence is something the women of my family have always strove for. I learnt this from a young age surrounded by older ladies who had been hit with illness they had to overcome just to live their daily life.

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My great Aunt Mary was a wonderful woman if not very religious. Songs of praise was always a soundtrack to my visits to her in my youth. I would offer to help set the table and she would politely decline and take her time even if it was only one cup at a time to push cups through a hatch walk round and lay them on the table, Some may have thought her a little stubborn when help was offered why go out of the way? Mary suffered from severe arthritis that seized her joints to the point her fingers could barely move and her walking was stiff. There is no shame in asking for help or taking help and in her later days that is something she did accept and we supported her but what helped her the most was being able to live in her own home and remain as independent as possible,

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Small adjustments to a house can go such a long way meaning she could remain in the quaint little welsh village, Having bars in the bathroom meant she didn't need support to wash or use the toilet and for emergency there was an alarm if she needed it, The biggest difference in her life was a bed! Not just any bed but one that allowed her to feel comfortable when her joints wouldn't allow her to move. Adjustable beds can make the a dramatic difference enabling her to move the bed up when she couldn't just sit up or lift her feet when she needed more circulation to them.

 Arthritis is complete agony for the sufferer a throbbing pain in the joints that becomes a daily occurrence. Three times as many women as men are impacted by this condition and it isn't solely something that impacts older people it also occurs in young people too. Raising awareness and making pain more manageable is so important. To find out more about Arthritis you can check the NHS information online. You can also check out the Ebook here.

Have you been impacted by Arthritis?

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