In huge slump, feels like life is just too hard

[Hound dog]

(((hugs)))

Over the past nearly 3 yrs I can honestly say I've had too many of these periods.

I'm not sure I have any great words of wisdom. I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not sure if it's helping or not. lol

My health is wonky. Not sure what it is....age, the kidney disease progressing further (likely at least to some extent), or something else. Finances are basically non existent yet I work myself into a stupor every night and now get new levels of pain to explore. Not sure I get that as a few months ago it didn't phase me and I'm doing the same job. Bills out the wazoo that I can't do squat about (refer back to the income level).

I figure if I just keep putting one foot in front of the other eventually things will improve. eh, dunno if that will happen or not. Can't say I'm depressed because I'm not. More overwhelmed. I feel like there needs to be at least 10 of me when there is only 1.

You need more exercise. It's good for you. I'm not talking walking right now or whatever.......just movement. You can do movement exercises while sitting. Not the same as the more normal exercise but it's better than nothing. Helps the circulation, metabolism, joints, and stamina. Try to nibble less or not at all. Lower your sweets intake. (I recall a habit of m&m's ?) Make your food portions smaller. None of these need to be drastic at first. Do it in steps, sort of easy yourself into it. It will be an adjustment that will have to be made if you want the surgery anyway. Avoid sweetners, they trick your body into believing you've ingested sugar. Once you've practiced at these things a bit.....you can start adding or substituting healthier food choices. They don't have to be expensive. Maybe some fresh fruit or veggies.

Weight loss would be a plus, but you're wanting to feel better.....so better health is the goal.

Good shoes is a must. Period.

Before deciding on weight reduction surgery of any type have a good long discussion with a couple of specialist on the pros, the cons (and believe me there are quite a lot of cons), the risks and the benefits. You need to discuss with them about what life will be like after surgery because it is not the magic answer. The risk factors do not end once you've recovered from surgery. You need to discuss that as well.

The weight is sadly but realistically the root of many of your physical health issues. It is terribly hard on the body, most especially the joints and organs. Many docs today shy away from being frank with their patients because well heck people are law suit happy. But as long as the excess weight is there, the health problems will be there and progressively get worse.

If surgery is what you want (and you have to seriously want it and want to make it work for you), then make it happen. No matter what anyone else's opinion is on the subject. You, mah dear, are very worth it.

 

[DammitJanet]

Lisa I know you are right. I do some movement stuff. I am the queen of chair dancing! As far as the whole m&m addiction, well I have had to change many of my favorites because of the fact that I cant wear my dentures. Almost everything I eat is soft. I adore, downright adore, black jelly beans and at Easter I bought a HUGE bag of them because that is the only time you can find them. Well I can only eat 4 at a time. It takes me at least an hour to get those gummed up too...lol. I still have the majority of that bag and will probably still have it next Easter! Now my go to is sherbet or homemade pudding pops. For some reason I have to have something sweet at night after I take my medications. Cant go without. I have tried fruit but I cant even chew up melon...except watermelon. My chocolate intake is about nil now unless I get a hankering for a chocolate sundae and if I do, I make that count. It only happens maybe once a month or less though. I cant do candy bars anymore or even chocolate covered ice cream. But I do eat more sweets than I should and now that I have started actually cooking again, well....we eat well. One night last week I made steak and shrimp for dinner, last night was marinated pork chops and tater salad. I watch a whole lot of shows on Food Network...lol. Tony is quite happy with me.

 

[nerfherder]

Heya, Janet.

Thorogood is another brand name of shoes to look for. I'm on my feet 12+ hours a day just because I'm nnnnnnnnnnnnnnon a farm. (Oh yeah, we have a sixish month old kitten who is trying to catch moths.) Thorogood boots are the only ones I want at this point - they cost, but they last for months at a time - our dirt here is very alkaline, and cheap walmart product lasts six months tops. These boots might make it a whole year! And comfortable? I can't feel the steel toe at all. You don't need the really heavy duty ones I do, but all I can say is that they rock - and if you have questions you can call their customer service line on their website. They don't sell through the website, but you can buy 'em via Amazon.com. Boots, shoes, and so on. And I can tell when my shoes or boots are worn - it's not my feet that start hurting first, it's my knees.

Good suggestions from others about floor padding. If I had to choose between diet and smoking to quit first, I'd go with the diet - I hear too much about people who quit smoking and gain weight, and you certainly don't need THAT right now. Take that weight off the joints, let them start to heal, and once you can move around better - increase your activity level - that can compensate if you gain anything from quitting the cigs.

Best of results to you.

 

[Hound dog]

Janet it sounds like some positive changes are already being made. Good for you! Lifestyle changes don't usually happen overnight, not if they're going to last.

I understand the need for a sweet something. I sometimes go through a period when I want something sweet a short while after supper. I figured out quickly this does not mean desert as that is too much....... My stomach is very small these days. I also can be quickly overwhelmed by sweets. Too many years of convincing myself I didn't really want them?? I dunno. So when I want a "sweet" I've taken up peppermints. I pop one or two that that usually stops the craving. Once in a while it may be something else but usually the peppermints are more than enough. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy sweets. I just don't want much of them.

I've been enjoying DQ ice cream cones with the grandkids after a day of yard sales lately. lol

It doesn't hurt to treat yourself once in a while. In fact, it helps with the lifestyle change because you won't feel deprived of pleasure.

You'd be stunned at what I can eat with or without my dentures. Some things still have to be without.......and some of that is still a sensory thing. I must have missed something........why can't you use your dentures??

 

[SuZir]

I have few suggestions that you could maybe consider. Janet, you do know that I'm a fitness nut, right? I don't want to make these sound too overbearing and I certainly do know you can't sprint to the ten mile jog. But keeping up and bettering your mobility is extremely important. And while losing some weight certainly would help the most and diet is the best way to lose weight, exercising is even more important for your mobility. It is very good that you move in your chair, it really helps. But how about getting more organized with it? That way you could also notice the changes in your mobility easier and earlier when you do more exercising. And believe me, that can be incredible motivation boost.

There are lots of tutorials in the net how to exercise while being confined to the chair. I look through some videos and for example this seemed quite effective and still reasonable:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-detail.asp?video=38

The way instructor does the movements is very effective but there are lots of chances to make the movements in the way that fit to your limitations. It is 11-minute work out, but you could also pick few moves and try to make an habit to use commercial breaks in your favourite shows to do one movement at the time. That way you would get very regular exercise in small doses without it feeling too strenuous. And most people find it difficult to start the workout, it is very typical, just getting up and going to walk or jog or gym, feels a big task even when you actually like the exercise and you know it feels good afterwards. But starting can be so very hard for almost everyone. Hey, I have seen my difficult child sitting half-an-hour glaring murderously an exercise bike or kettlebell, because he really didn't feel like starting to use them. And believe me, he really enjoys training most of the time. And my warm bed certainly is very compelling some mornings when I'm getting up and putting my jogging gear on to get to my morning jog - and I love running. Actually starting an exercise is hard for almost everyone, and we are really good at making excuses why we will skip it today and do it tomorrow . That eases up a lot when you make an continuous habit out of it. And for example using those commercial breaks for exercising may make starting easier, because you know they don't last long. I mean, they are only couple minutes long and then your favourite program will continue, it is not so bad if you have to do something dull for that couple minutes, it will soon be over. Sometimes we have to trick ourselves to do things that are good for ourselves, because they don't feel good right before you have to start doing them.

When it comes to sweet food options: have you tried smoothies? Some fruits and berries, little bit of greek yoghurt, maybe vanilla extract and some sweetener. There would be fibre, vitamins, sweetness and no chewing. We do lots of smoothies in my family and you really don't need any expensive first line product to make them. Any mixer does the basics.

 

[GoingNorth]

Janet,

My husband carried black belts in several martial arts forms. He was unable to walk for the last three years of his life.

He still did his exercises sitting down. No-one expects you to do "katas" or anything like that, but you can do chair exercises.

The Arthritis Foundation is a good resource for exercises. Why not pay their website a visit and surf around.

Search 'chair exercises' and I'll bet you find plenty that you can do.

You may not be able to eat fresh fruits and veggies, but when I was without my upper plate for 3 months a while back, I found that I could gum up many canned fruits and veggies. Certainly peaches and carrots are do-able.

 

[DammitJanet]

Oh I do eat canned. I miss fresh veggies badly..who woulda thunk it! I love onions and even if I dice them small I cant mash them down small enough if they are raw..such as in potato salad so I end up having to use a grater to get the flavor and some onion mush.

I must not be eating too horribly badly right now because as sedentary as I am I am losing about a pound or two a month. Maybe its all the exercise my fingers get while typing...lol.

One thing I have noticed is that because its just me and Tony I am cooking much better meals using better ingredients. No more pasta 3 to 4 times a week. I do eat potatoes but I eat real potatoes and not instant. I realized the other day that I have only made instant mashed potatoes once since we moved in here. I still have the second bag in the box! I have discovered these little bags of mini gold potatoes and I am vowing now to never eat a full size one again. These are too quick and too yummy. For heaven's sake, the bag costs about 2 bucks for us to eat for a meal. A packet of instant mashed potatoes costs a tad over 1 buck...much better to go with the fresh.

Now lots of the stuff I am doing has got to be unhealthy. I have discovered making flavored butters. When we had the kids we lived on margarine by the tub. Now I have one very small tub of it in the fridge because Tony likes it but I have BUTTER! Real glorious butter....lol. And I use lots of olive oil too. Oh and spices...I am discovering all sorts of new spices.

Im actually loving the freedom of having no kids. I have never been alone as an adult. Sad isnt it?

 

[GoingNorth]

Butter, in moderation, is actually healthier than margarine. Spices, used properly, will help you to cut down on salt, which can't hurt.

Why don't your dentures fit? It is your dentist's responsibility to do what is needed to make your dentures fit. If they fit right, you should need no adhesive or very little.

Visits for adjustments within a reasonable time after initial fitting should be free of charge.

It took 6 visits over a two month period to get my new plate adjusted so it fit. I was not charged for those visits, even though they included a re-line.

My memory is shaky: how long after the extractions were you fitted for your dentures? Impressions should not be taken until after the sites have COMPLETELY healed. This can take up to three months.

I hope that you can get your dentures sorted out so you can eat a proper diet.

Some other things to eat: oatmeal, preferably fortified. Rice, preferably brown, but white is OK for carbs. Potatoes so long as you go easy on the toppings.

Those Yukon Gold baby potatoes are yummy, aren't they.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Actually, white potatoes are not really a good food. They are a perfect food raw (who eats raw potatoes!) because their sugar is encapsulated in fiber. As soon as you begin to heat a potato, the fiber case explodes and all the sugars are present without the benefit of the fiber (which slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream). A white potato, which is sugar and starch, is actually higher on the glycemic index than white sugar or fruit! It's also similar for peas and corn.

If you can eat sweet potatoes instead, they are a little better option. I thought I remember you saying that Tony is borderline or pre diabetic? I know your sugar levels are good, but keep on eye on those hidden sugars in starchy foods for him.