Along side the daily bounce on the trampoline (going well by the way) I've taken up weird drawing. The daily bounce is for balance and strengthening. The drawing is to try ward of going mad. My best friend helpfully told me it was too late in my case. Nice! The ink drawings are remarkably soothing to do. They are not copies. Just pen and ink. I don't have a TV and was looking for something to occupy my mind in the evenings. Oddly very precise, which is the exact opposite of my usual chaotic self. I kind of enjoy the focus.
What do you all do to keep body and mind active?
Written by
Blackberrywine
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Very clever. Photo is stunning. Thank you for sharing.Jigsaws, reading, TV (falling sleeping in front of TV!!) and walking. Used to be a school governor after I retired for 2 schools.
Along the seafront, I live in a town on the coast, or , when I felt stronger, out to the country, where there is a rough terrain. This was my exercise during the pandemic, as I live on my own.I now have compound fracture of the spine + osteoporosis, various other 'thing's.
Hearing - quick change of subject 🤔
I hadn't realised that RA can cause hearing problems. My symptoms started at the onset of coronavirus, although according to every test I took, I have never had covidu only a bad reaction to the first jab.
I suffer with bad hearing in both ears, tinnitus and very bad balance problems. Ended up with hearing aids, which helped slightly with the hearing but of no help with tinnitus or balance. Stopped using them because they got blocked up quickly with earwax.
I hear when I first wake up what sounds like being in a forest with hundreds of small birds singing. Live in the centre of a town with very large seagulls!! Was first diagnosed with RA approx 15 years ago. Due to balance problems had a fall last Christmas, which caused the spinal fracture and then found to have osteoporosis. No-one has ever mentioned hearing/balance symptoms.
Funny you should mention hearing. Quite a few of my friends developed hearing difficulties over last couple of years. They now have hearing aids. I went completely deaf in one ear during a virus recently. Thankfully recovered.
Always worth seeing someone about balance issues I'd say. I fell over a lot, but my problem was weak muscles, and a spinal issue. I still can't get up stairs! Hearing issues can cause balance problems.
GP has referred me to the audiovestibular dept at local hospital. So now waiting for an appointment. Think I need to be patient, like most hospitals they will contact me in due course, so in the queue. Thanks Blackberry wine.
That’s amazing! You must have an enormous amount of patience.
I walk on crutches so bouncing on a trampoline is out for me. I did challenge myself to walk more steps every day, but it only really works when my daughter takes me shopping or for hospital appointments. I fill my time reading, listening to audio books, cross stitching pictures, colouring and playing brain training games on my iPad.
Sorry you are on crutches. Mine are still in my cupboard (just in case!). Cross stitching and brain games takes some patience! I think things that need focus like this are very good for the noggin. Good for youbtrying more steps. I know that's hard with crutches.
It is hard with crutches and sometimes when we go out I have to use my wheelchair. One example is the car park at my hospital, I have a lot of OP appointments, and the car park, with all the disabled spaces, is too far from the hospital entrance to walk with crutches, so now I get her to drop me off outside the main entrance and pick me up there after my appointment.
I find the crutches hard on my hands even though they have the special hand holds.
On May 5th last year I collapsed with exhaustion (my husband has dementia and I cared for him for 3 years). I can’t remember collapsing, or my daughter coming the next day, or the 45 minute ambulance journey to the hospital in my area that all the broken hips are sent to. I’d been on the floor for over 24 hours, on my left side. I hadn’t broken my hip but the paramedics weren’t sure because I was in so much pain the couldn’t examine me properly and I was too dehydrated to get a cannula in for pain meds. The first thing I remember was coming round in an assessment ward and one of my sons sitting there with me. I spent 4 weeks on a kidney ward having dialysis because muscle had broken down in my right thigh with had stopped my kidneys working. I then spent 6 weeks on the orthopaedic ward where the broken hips go, and they were treating the large pressure sore on my hip . I eventually was discharged and community nurses dress my wound every other day. It is now 1cm across by 5cm deep. I’m waiting for a surgical appointment because I think it will need cutting open again. The reason I use crutches, and will have to forever, is because lying in the same position for so long stopped the nerve in my foot working. I can’t move my toes on that foot and only have a little sensation in it. Hope this hasn’t been too long!
Not at all...I asked! You must be one tough cookie that's all I can say! I'm sorry you have so much going on medical wise. I hope you are not in too much pain.
I’m in quite a bit of pain because I was in hospital again in April, this time with pneumonia- I was in for 6 weeks this time, but all my RA meds were stopped, and it took a while for me to be allowed back on my methotrexate because of the wound on my hip. About 6 weeks ago I started on my 3rd biologic, Cimzia, and I don’t think it’s working yet. Also I was due to have a knee replacement last June but I was in hospital then, and now they won’t do it because of the open wound on my hip!
I’ve had a lot of work done on my large Victorian terrace including new windows, rewiring and a downstairs shower room will hopefully be finished in about 6 weeks and I can move home which will be brilliant.
No problem. You said you made gifts. I love hand made gifts. My neighbour makes me a pot or bowl every year at her pottery course. My house is getting a bit full! 😆
I distract myself, doing short exercise classes, at home, with the Apple fitness app. I can do 3-4 10 min sessions. Other than that baking and cooking, or reading my kindle. I have an ebike, and sometimes go out on that along the seafront, I find the sea calming, especially when you get away from the crowds. 🤪👍
You don't have to bounce on a trampoline. We are all at different stages. I'm sure you do other things for mind and body. There are wonderful gardeners on here. I've seen some of their photos.
I'm a bit fearful of dementia. It's in my family. I feel it's important to keep as active as individually possible, both physically as well as mentally. I think we have so much taken away from us. I had four years of not being able to do much.
Well I’m an optimist…my next BIG birthday is the nine oh! I have never had to wonder what to do to keep myself occupied….I just get on with what presents itself. I really miss the energy of being young…but that’s life - innit?
Today the sun is shining here so I will play at being a gardener. ..only sometimes successfully. Right now I am happy that some very special cream & pink Geraniums - are actually blooming - after a lot of TLC…..because a mindless courier put them in a garden box on my lawn…..but never left a delivery slip…& they lived in that box in the dark for a week before I found them! So maybe I have green fingers after all?
Yes, I miss that energy too. That's a good age! Must be doing something right. Poor geraniums. Good you've nursed them back to health. I love geraniums...lovely colours. Annoying how parcels are just dumped these days.
The Geraniums are a new strain called Rosebud Astrid…they are pink & cream & supposedly flower until November & are perennial .If you search on Plants2 garden you will see them…they are so pretty…I would add- mine are nothing like their photo….Yet???
Mostly early classical music in small ensembles. Sadly can’t play the instruments I used to as I can’t hold them; clarinet; guitar. Can still play piano a bit.
Wow that's amazing - I can't even draw a pin man. My relaxation comes from x stitch (when the eyes are behaving) and making friendship bracelets for a local charity shop. Plus I love the challenge of a jigsaw
To be honest I can't actually draw true to life. I'd love to be able to do landscapes in pen and ink. There's a lady on here who does amazing landscape painting. That's a talent. I just doodle.
I don't know how you do jigsaws. I get so frustrated with them. People find them very relaxing and they are good for the brain. Friendship bracelets sound fun
It's inspiring to see the talents hidden on these pages, and to see the other side of illness and where it can take us. I really enjoyed seeing all these pictures, and hearing the stories behind them. We are amazing people and our achievements and tenacity are mind bindboggling. Thnaks for sharing! X
And I always think it honestly doesn't matter if you feel you ' aren't good enough '. There's no such thing in my book! I genuinely feel the real value is the enjoyment of just doing an activity craft rather than an end result 😍
I'm rather unmotivated when it comes to crafts but I love experimenting with food and listening to podcasts. Keep meaning to get back to my piano. Don't have a trampoline but I bought a large fitness ball which is quite satisfying to bounce around on! Can recommend!
But I am also knitting while listening to lectures and for webinars when I don't have to take notes. And I never gave up home educating my son (now 27 but disabled) so we listened to podcasts together.
I used to spin wool and weave, but I struggled to combine the PhD with that so I reckon I have two more jumper's worth of PhD to go before I start building up my leg muscles with the spinning wheel.
The Phd is in computing, but I am on the Human Computer Interaction side of thing, looking at knowledge and how we collect it and how we can represent it. There is so much more to computing than writing software, it is also about how humans work with the software. Sadly many people in computing are young, male, and just want to code and then people wonder why computers make life worse not better! We need more women, especially older women, in computing.
As for spinning, it started as a home education project when the farmer next door gave us a fleece of one of her sheep (they were getting no money for them) so we learned all about wool, spinning and weaving. My son moved on of course, but I caught the bug!
That's fascinating. I've used computers for work, but more recently for simply researching things of interest. There's a dark and light side to computers. I've learned loads via the interwebs! 😁
Hi Blackberrywine the pen & ink drawings are lovely & so inticate! I used to do similar pen shapes when I was a teenager doodling during boring classes! I hope you keep it up. I'm very surprised you don't have a TV, I take it that's by choice. I started watercolour painting classes at a local art group aged 50 but I do oil painting now (aged 70) & I started at an Art group who did mainly portrait painting which was a real challenge & quite frightening for me. I feel comfortable painting animals, landscapes & flowers but not people/portraits! I've now completed 2 & although they take a long time to get right I'm thrilled with the results. It's good to try new things & stretch ourselves & it really helps me to switch off & concentrate on something else. I hope you continue with youre art & others feel encouraged to have a go. I find it so relaxing & you forget all you're troubles & aches & pains!
Yes I got rid of the TV about ten years ago. Oil painting sounds wonderful. Drawing people is so difficult. I watched a few online tutorials and the chap teaching made it look so easy. It wasn't!
You are right about it distracting from pain and worries.
Yes I got rid of the TV about ten years ago. Oil painting sounds wonderful. Drawing people is so difficult. I watched a few online tutorials and the chap teaching made it look so easy. It wasn't!
You are right about it distracting from pain and worries.
I love that! You could sell them for extra Christmas pennies or give as gifts. I play Sherlock on the iPad looking for pictures of things oddly relaxing 🌊
That’s really great. Love it. I used to paint but never have time these days. I would love to try this. I used to trampoline many years ago but gave it up after a backward somersault went wrong ( I under rotated) causing a nasty break in my elbow. Day before my daughters 4th birthday too poor hubby was up all night attempting to make cup cakes etc He did well
Ouch! It's small trampoline with a handle. I can just about bounce on it! 🤣 Do give doodling a go. It's very relaxing. I had to purchase a tabletop eisel for drawing on as bending over a table was killing my spine. I got a very cheap one from tge Works. Just the job.
That is fantastic. Did you have a pattern to follow or have you just done it randomly, either way, it is great. I do some papercrafting but not as much as I used to. I love genealogy. My brother and I have traced ancestors, on my dad's side, back to the year 800AD. It is totally fascinating but all consuming, as are most hobbies. I hope you carry on with your drawing, you are good at it.
I pass my time when not at medical appointments dealing with moans groans and complaints both mine and other peoples. I also have some small garden tasks that are mammoth for a disabled person like myself. At night I sometimes play games on my phone or listen to music videos from my family in Australia. There are always other things to occupy our minds besides TV or computer. And one last thing I try to do is help a freind have a shower once a week , not easy when you have to climb in a bath to do it. I have a walk in shower myself. Love your ink drawing thank you for sharing.
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Medication 
medication, not working
Well i am not surprised
Took my 5th dose of mtx yesterday (15mg), on hydroxy as well - not been sick but feel really nauseous. It has got slightly worse each week.
Feeling Reasonable well at mo!!!
