Do you give out prizes for stupid?: I think I... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

21,317 members40,425 posts

Do you give out prizes for stupid?

Celebrant profile image
35 Replies

I think I should nominate myself. I am in the process of starting this journey. Diagnosed in Jan and on too little prednisone. Have about 70% relief-not all the way but better. The day before yesterday I had worked myself into a dither about all the things I had not gotten done--and believe me when I say this has been a learning experience for this Everready bunny. Yesterday ,armed with a list, and feeling not bad but a bit fragile I set off to accomplish them all! Yeah--stupid, set in big time! I got a few things done and bang--out of it entirely--dead tired and sore. Forced to go home--Fell on the bed and slept for two and a half hours --totally screwing up last nights sleep. Evidently thinking you can power through does not work with this dis-ease. ( yes I meant to spell it that way). Very hard for a person who has been strong and relatively healthy. I am not made to do one thing and then rest. This is hard on the mind!

Written by
Celebrant profile image
Celebrant
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
35 Replies
GOOD_GRIEF profile image
GOOD_GRIEF

Excuse me for being utterly frank but you have to learn this lesson.

Make up your mind that this is the way it is, at least for a time. You'll get better, faster, if you stop driving yourself into the ground.

Conversely, you can keep beating yourself to a pulp as soon as you feel a bit of energy coming on, put yourself into a flare, and are required to go back up the pred scale, which makes the entire recovery process longer and harder than it has to be.

It's your decision.

in reply toGOOD_GRIEF

Laughing but remembering and reliving your experience too. Good luck with moderation and sensible to some they come more naturally than others and I do envy the measured approach people. Sadly I identify with the , it's sunny out and I've go to to get things done, who knows maybe I am upto it now brigade. I feel your pain all too often!

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

Don’t be too hard on yourself. We all do this. Sometimes sitting around watching jobs accumulate is just depressing. Sometimes we do a calculated overdoing it and then collapse. Look at Poopadoop. If we weren’t on Pred, it would just be out of the question. It’s easy to forget that there is a pretty nasty disease process going on underneath, sometimes. The real art is in pacing. Do a job and then rest and maybe do part of another job. It’s still a massive achievement. Sorry your night sleep was disrupted by your afternoon sleep. I regularly nap in the daytime and am still ready for sleep at night. It’s part of my pacing. You’ll get a rhythm going, you’ll see.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

No - not stupid. Inexperienced! Over-optimistic.

We "Oldies/Aunties" who have been here since Adam was a boy have probably been there and done it. We are here now hoping to help others avoid the errors we made and when they do mess up to get through it without going mad. But until YOU experience it you won't know that we DO have a fairish idea what is going to go wrong. You have been there and got the t-shirt now. It will only be stupidity if you ignore this life lesson and do it again.

Celebrant profile image
Celebrant in reply toPMRpro

Got the T-shirt--definitely not looking for the hat or the vest!

PaulinaCanada profile image
PaulinaCanada

I hear you, I have set in my mind NOT to sweat any of the small stuff, get rid of all that guilt ridden stress of what you can and can not do .... all it is materialistic THINGS . Love yourself, heal and focus on you. Nothing else matters.

I also have made it a point ... with my husband and I, when I wake in the morning we both take roll call and go through whats going on in my body, and work according to that, I let my loved ones know right away when I feel 'OFF"

Celebrant profile image
Celebrant in reply toPaulinaCanada

I tried that but frankly the cat doesn't care!

aladymo profile image
aladymo in reply toCelebrant

Lol!!!

Gaijin profile image
Gaijin in reply toCelebrant

My dream is to someday be able to live with a cat and no one else... Lucky you! Lol

Insight329 profile image
Insight329 in reply toGaijin

I am living your dream. She (Moon) hogs the bed.

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toPaulinaCanada

I would never do that. Think there'd be a bit of one-up manship happening.... I'm married to the man who complained when I'd been in labour with our first child for going on for twenty four hours that he was coming down with a sinus attack. I think he still, after nearly three years, doesn't have a clue about PMR. When I had a broken leg pre-PMR he hadn't a clue how disabled I was. Naaah, I'm not sharing a daily checklist with him!

Gaijin profile image
Gaijin in reply toHeronNS

Exactly like my husband... No clue about PMR nor anything related... Daily he tells me to "get off the pred", he asks for my opinion and says "no" before I can answer.. Hahaha.. I tell him to stop looking for narcissistic supply from me because he ain't gonna get it. He turns me into a monster .. I used to be a sweet, loving, push over and now I have such a short fuse, I'm probably scaring him!

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toGaijin

Well my hubby is a kind person, just oblivious. Even our younger son, the one who spends a lot of time with us (too much, I wish so much for him to have a significant other) was the one who came up with that adjective to describe his father, which I think quite perceptive of him. But I guess this is part of my journey, too. I've learned a lot about acceptance in the last four years.

Gaijin profile image
Gaijin in reply toHeronNS

That's the most important, that we learn from all that is dealt to us..

Chrisbox profile image
Chrisbox in reply toPaulinaCanada

I want your husband!

Hi celebrant

I am coming up to my second anniversary and as sheffieldjane intimated I am still learning and being stupid and overly optimistic in equal amounts. In fact in terms of pacing it is something I have had to do for at least 15yrs due to other mobility issues so you would think I would know better. I worked 40-60 hour weeks travelling 200miles a day for 10years overlapping my pacing period. In the end at 46 I went on sick leave and effectively retired on ill health. As i said i have other issues than PMR so dont panic!

I actually saw a psychologist for several months via the pain clinic and to keep working for 5 years I put various things in place. I always cooked enough food for a fewportions to be frozen. I tried to rest as much as possible and allocate either one "big" task - that varies vacuuming can be big- or 2 small to.medium tasks. Stop multitasking and save your energy for the good things in life. Dust doesn't get much deeper after a couple of months.

Last week all I did was clear out a car and make a pathetic attempt to vacuum it and clean inside and I was shattered and pulled a muscle in my back twisting with the garage vacuum. Pretend you have two broken legs once in a while. I sit to chop veg etc. You will get back to feeling better and have seen now what over exertion can do to you. Welcome to the club!!!

DorsetLady profile image
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer

Hi,

If we did, we’d soon run out of prizes 🥇gold medals too!

We’ve all been there, but the art is to learn from it...it takes some longer than others, but we all eventually get there in the end.

Don’t worry about the cat! They only care for themselves anyway - that’s why we’re here 😇

teesher profile image
teesher

Dear Celebrant, just to add to all these wise words about exercise, I've been there, getting very frustrated at not being able to whizz through everything. But PMR makes you slow down, makes you realise that the world will not end if you don't hoover every five minutes or make perfect beds. You'll get it as time goes on. This site is wonderful source of advice and comfort and a few laughs.

I think you have to learn the hard way.... I know I did!

Janicep profile image
Janicep

I agree - I have done too much today and will suffer tomorrow

Jackoh profile image
Jackoh

We've all been there!!! - pushing through does not work as we've all had to learn unfortunately!!

Sandy1947 profile image
Sandy1947

As a retired energizer bunny I’m learning to accept life in the slow to no go lane! Sold my business Monday, can only date in the day time since pj’s usually at 4:00 pm. Date yesterday...Wrinkle In Time and dinner at 3:00 pm. Accept me as I am or move on is my mantra!

Celebrate Celebrant!

HeronNS profile image
HeronNS in reply toSandy1947

"Retired Energizer Bunny". Love it!!!! 🐇

Sandy1947 profile image
Sandy1947 in reply toHeronNS

Yesterday I went to a lecture on kindness. I really needed it with Pred making me edgy and short tempered. I was the youngest one in the room! The retirees look like a thousand but it’s encouraging that they are learning, mobile and interactive.

Perkey profile image
Perkey

I sympathise with you Celebrant I too was a do everything person and cannot believe myself as I sink yet again onto the sofa . I am about to have an extension put on the house for a downstairs bedroom and there is so much clearing to be done in preparation and here am I watching Homes under the Hammer from the settee! two years since pmr and hopefully waved it goodbye but I will never be the same again. I now have hurting knees which rheumi says is not pmr but take 5 mg pred if you feel it will help. I take them but not sure they do anything for legs. However we are all very different as you will see from reading all the letters it is wonderful the information picked up. I am now being sent to the hospital gym for help to restore legs ! Well I will go of course but I am 84 and would now prefer the settee but I will never give up. Lots of good wishes and Happy Easter to all 🐣🐣🍹

in reply toPerkey

Good luck perkey. I had down stairs bathroom and new kitchen so I can move down stairs eventually. A bit stressful but worth it for me. Get some people in to pack it up if you can find someone or afford it. They can box it up and if you haven't needed contents in the year following then its time to clear it.

Gaijin profile image
Gaijin

I think I'd win 1st prize for being a slow learner.. PMRpro could attest to my clumsy mind! Once I went to the gym, after being housebound for months due to a broken pelvis, did a few machines, swam quite a few laps, then went under the water jet and the steam room and sauna.. that afternoon when I woke up from my siesta, I felt like I had been run over by a Sherman tank and was coming out of a coma.

Sandy1947 profile image
Sandy1947 in reply toGaijin

Slow learner rings my bell! I’m struggling a little getting used to 10 mg. In my third week with neck pains and headache before taking 3 mg at 6 pm (7 mg at 5:00 am). Last week I traveled, this week I’m preparing for 12 people for the Seder, going to my mother’s for the weekend to train new housekeeper. I am thankful I have help but it’s still not PMR compatible!

Gaijin profile image
Gaijin in reply toSandy1947

There is nothing I hate more than training a new housekeeper, but you sound like a pro at organizing so it won't be a big deal for you.. .. The last one I had was older and more disabled than me, but I stuck with her till she gave up and now I'm dreading the day when I will need to find a "minder" for OH or a cleaner imposed on me by one of my kids.

Sandy1947 profile image
Sandy1947 in reply toGaijin

I use an agency. If you don’t like the person, they replace her. I wrote a training manual so it’s easy. Also got her dinner delivered. My mom is getting a bit difficult since she’s home too much with little to do. Before August she went to the gym daily, spent more time with her boyfriend and played cards until 10:30 pm a few nights a week. Now she’s declining mentally. At 94 that’s to be expected! I’m declining too! Pred head interferes with clear thinking.

I love having help! I only want to do what I want to do and cleaning is not on my radar screen!

I say get help, be pampered and enjoy life!

tgca profile image
tgca in reply toGaijin

My daughter is already nagging me about finding a cleaner but didn't everyone say that you had to clean/ clear up before they came? Plus, I'm very bad at letting go!!!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply totgca

It's polite I think to make sure the floor isn't full of "stuff" just dumped. But I certainly didn't clean before she came!

stellafmdm profile image
stellafmdm

Me too Celebrant, because my BP suddenly rose leaving me feeling a million times better I went for it and did far too much. I'm now paying the price, sore neck & shoulders, and no energy. Do we ever learn?

Mike1964 profile image
Mike1964

Welcome to the club. I too share your pain (And frustrations!) have only recently started this "Interesting" journey. I had 5 days of Pred, felt wonderful. Who in their right mind wouldn't spend 5 hours cleaning worktops and cupboards in the kitchen Saturday followed by another 5 hours having a massive cooking and freezing session on the Sunday? Somewhat unfortunately this was followed by taking the Mon, Tue and Wed off work as my body refused to work, all very strange, if only I could see some kind of connection? :-) Do you think their might be room on the stupid step for 2?

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply toMike1964

If you hadn't found us by then it wasn't really stupid - just I doubt there is a doctor who knows never mind thinks of warning the patient! Many of them really do believe that once we are on pred we are back to normal - and that pred ALWAYS makes you feel wonderful. If only...

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Careful what you do when feeling well

Although we all know this I'm sure, including me, I thought I'd just share my lapse of sense with...
Badgergirl profile image

To Sheffield Jane When you say your disease is on the way out can you give some descriptions?

Sheffield Jane wrote in another thread that she felt her disease was on the way out. I thought some...
bunnymom profile image

Thank you to DorsetLady, polkadotcom, and markbenjamin57 for replying to my post so late last night. I am feeling !!!!!!!!!???

I have only very recently retired and my professional background is as a nurse but for the past 30...
Judyliz profile image

New Year Resolutions I can stick to , shared with thanks and good wishes to all PMR/GCA members for 2019.

We are all set to thinking about our goals for the year on this day across the World. Some of you...
Blearyeyed profile image

PMR/Prednisolone

Hi, I am new here and wanted to post this. I'm currently on the start dosage of 15mg of...
Malcdw profile image

Moderation team

SophieMB profile image
SophieMBPartner

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.