Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi! My name is Marg, I'm a new member of the list, so thought I should

introduce myself. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knees and hands

early last year, this year it was the feet and ankles. I was also diagnosed

with diabetes last year, shortly after the arthritis diagnosis, most likely

because of the 2 dose packs of prednisone I took fairy close together. I am

controlling it well with diet and a small dose of oral medicine, and I'm

supposed to be adding exercise, but it hasn't been happening as well as it

should. I just went through physical therapy for bone spurs, plantar

fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, and arthritis in both feet. A couple days

after I had my last therapy, my hip started bothering me, enough to make me

take a muscle relaxer which totally wiped me out and made me not want to

move, so I didn't. Naturally not the best thing to do, since I get stiff

and sore after a short time, but I couldn't make myself do otherwise. So of

course, the ankles and feet got stiff and painful again, and it got hard to

walk all over again. I had been able to put the crutches and cane " away "

for a few weeks while I was doing therapy, but within a week I was back to

using the crutches. I had to go on a short road trip this past week, which

made me get out and get a bit more exercise, as well as using the custom

made orthotics the therapist had made for me, and I'm doing better, thank

goodness. Of course the knee problems haven't changed much, and because I

leaned on the cane too heavily for a time, my wrists are not good, although

several days in an Ace bandage has helped. Anyway, I know that my pain isn

t as bad as some of you are going through, and I'm lucky enough to have a

wonderful husband and daughter (she's 17) who take excellent care of me, but

I feel like I complain all the time, and put such a burden on both of them.

I'm glad to have found a place where I can unload some of my frustrations

and whines to people who understand, and hopefully take some of the burden

off them. I'm a good listener, too, and have big shoulders (probably

arthritic) that can be leaned on if needed. Thanks for being here!

Some personal information, I'm 58, married for 34 years to my sweetie

Chuck. We have a beautiful daughter, Abagail, who is 17 and sometimes very

frustrating (I'll be glad when she's over the teens...wish she could go

backwards and be my baby again! (G)), who I home school. She wants to be a

fantasy writer, and has already written a pretty good book (she was 14 or 15

I think), but she has to learn to let others view her writing, and believe

them when they say it's good, not just because she's their daughter. (G)

She is a great help doing things around the house, although I can hear the

irritation in her voice sometimes when she's had to do yet another thing for

Mom. She still does it with a positive and caring attitude, though, so I

can't complain. We also have several critters, including 2 German Shepherds

4 cats, and 5 birds. At one time I was breeding birds, but no longer. I

am a stitch-a-holic in the worst way--I love to do any kind of needlework,

crocheting, knitting, you name it. About the only thing I don't do and have

never wanted to do is Candlewicking, which is a series of French Knots done

in a pattern. I hate French Knots and go out of my way to avoid them! (G)

I also read a lot, love to listen to almost any kind of music, and a

collector of movies. I used to be a public school teacher, taught 1-3 grade

for 17 years, but when Abagail was born, I retired to be a wife and mom, a

decision I've never regretted. We live in central Georgia, my husband is

also retired, so we're usually here together, which for me is very

comfortable. All 3 of us are geeks to one extent or another, too. (G) I am

looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Marg