Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: Jan 11-17, 2026

feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
Starting the new week.

I had a rough night last night. Pain in my right hand was really bad. Finally eased up in the evening. Hopefully it will not keep me awake here in a couple of hours when I go to bed. Yes, I'm a night owl. I took a couple of naps in the evening so am not quite as tired as I was.

Wishing all a safe and prosperous wee.
 
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WanderLore

Veteran Member
I am almost completely bed bound with this sciatica. My daughter came over and did chores, got me in the shower etc. Grandson will be here today also to help out. My son is on his way home from work. I've got to start my chiropractor again and see if I can get to the doctor and maybe get the shot or something. I can barely walk this is nuts
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
WanderLore said:
I am almost completely bed bound with this sciatica. My daughter came over and did chores, got me in the shower etc. Grandson will be here today also to help out. My son is on his way home from work. I've got to start my chiropractor again and see if I can get to the doctor and maybe get the shot or something. I can barely walk this is nuts
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Hugs. I hope this clears up quickly. Sciatica issues suck.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
FF, I hope you are feeling better soon!

WanderLore's back has gone out (see last week's thread). I hope that she is feeling better soon!

I'm thankful to be "okay" at the moment, but I go back to work Monday and will likely be exposed to the flu and everything else that is going around. I have kept up with my D3+K2 (etc), and I'll be practicing excellent hygiene. I hope my immune system is robust enough to keep me well! It was nice not being ill over my vacation. I got a lot accomplished!

Weatherwise, it's in the 20s and partly cloudy. I'm going to take my walk closer to noon in hopes it'll warm up a bit, plus it's a library day, so I'll be walking on a park trail a town over, after I do a brief Sunday drive. There are still traces of snow around but the pavement is mostly clear with some frozen puddles -- March weather.

Wishing everyone a peaceful Sunday!
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
feralferret said:
Starting the new week.

I had a rough night last night. Pain in my right hand was really bad. Finally eased up in the evening. Hopefully it will not keep me awake here in a couple of hours when I go to bed. Yes, I'm a night owl. I took a couple of naps in the evening so am not quite as tired as I was.

Wishing all a safe and prosperous wee.
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MSM has been great for my hand pain, just have to remember to take it. God Bless.

Cold and sunny.
 
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moldy

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Just got back late last night from a visit with Mom and the kids (and grandbaby). It snowed while we were there, making me miss out on dinner with one DD, but I got to see her the next morning for a bit before we left. Mom is doing awesome at the age of 96 1/2 (still lives alone although DSis checks on her a couple times a day). The grandbaby is the apple of grandpa's eye, and is now stealing his fries. DDs are doing amazing, and DSon is hanging in there. He is the fulltime caregiver for my ex MIL, and does a phenomenal job.

On the way back, I had a 'quick' (only because DH was there) job to clean a house and pick up stuff for Ebay. I also ended up with tons of cleaning products. It seems every house (granted, they are mostly houses of deceased elderly folks) has tons of cleaning products (especially carpet cleaners), soaps, and Miralax! I don't think I will have to buy any of those for at least a decade!! And he paid me $200!!

Hoping that my hyperbaric therapy gets approved where I want to go where I can start it tomorrow. If they notify the facility before noon, I can still get there for an afternoon session. I am having more pain (not bad - just achy and tension) in my jaw and would really like to get the show on the road with this.

Making cabbage pockets and chocolate cake for DH today. I am SOOOOO lucky to have him.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
Beautiful sunny day which I enjoyed from inside. I did not go to church today planning to watch on U-tube and my computer and monitor would not communicate. After trying off and on all day, it finally booted up about an hour ago. Don't know why this happens but it seems to at least once or twice a week.

Colitis is acting up which isn't fun but it's not as bad as some episodes have been. Back is a bit better so I'm giving credit to my therapy. I did half of therapy earlier and need to go do the rest before supper which I think will be scrambled eggs, sausage and English muffin.

I hear you on books. I'm very slowly getting rid of how-to-books that I know I will no longer use. A lot of gardening books, a few sewing books and a lot of fiction are leaving too.

I went through pictures last year and sorted a box for each of my kids, a box for foster kids and one for my sister and her boys. I was planning to send one foster son his pictures as he had been in touch. Sadly, he was murdered last year defending his dd from an intruder. I have no way of getting in touch with the daughter. Another foster dd was lost to cancer 3 years ago. One expressed not wanting to know about her life pre-adoption, so I've respected that and another is no contact and a third moved and I do not have her new address. I guess I'll hang onto the pictures as long as I'm living here where I have storage room.

I've been shredding papers and have my to-do basket 3/4's empty. I keep a basket by the shredder and put anything that needs to be shredded in it, and it was overflowing after end of year purge.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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feralferret said:
During my visit with my primary care doctor last Thursday she recommended taking MSM. I have an order of it scheduled for delivery tomorrow.
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MSM is really good for soft tissue inflammation and pain. It takes quite a bit to be effective, especially at first. We started with 3 grams a day, then dropped back to 1500 mgs after a couple of weeks. I buy it in bulk... the stuff they sell for horses! I usually make capsules, but hubby says its fine mixed into juice...

Summerthyme
 
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feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
summerthyme said:
MSM is really good for soft tissue inflammation and pain. It takes quite a bit to be effective, especially at first. We started with 3 grams a day, then dropped back to 1500 mgs after a couple of weeks. I buy it in bulk... the stuff they sell for horses! I usually make capsules, but h7bby says its fine mixed into juice...

Summerthyme
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My doctor said that I needed to hit it pretty hard at first, then taper down.
 
feralferret

feralferret

Veteran Member
summerthyme said:
Wonderful! She actually understands what shes prescribing/suggesting! You've got a rare gem...

Summerthyme
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Unlike most doctors she is comfortable with natural remedies. Yes she is a gem. Almost lost her recently. She was out for over a month recovering from a heart issue that required a pacemaker. She actually listens to what the patient tells her instead of just rushing the patient through. She is also a strong knowledgeable Christian.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
feralferret said:
Unlike most doctors she is comfortable with natural remedies. Yes she is a gem. Almost lost her recently. She was out for over a month recovering from a heart issue that required a pacemaker. She actually listens to what the patient tells her instead of just rushing the patient through. She is also a strong knowledgeable Christian.
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I love that about my PCP and Rheumatologist, too. They are all for natural remedies, supplements, nutrition, and vitamins, before prescribing any drugs. They do that as a last resort. Both are also very knowledgeable about nutrition. I'm sure both of them are pleased with Trump's new food pyramid. They didn't really agree with the old one and never pushed it. Our PCP just told us to watch our salt intake. Too much isn't good, but too little is also not good.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
WanderLore said:
At chiropractor now. Last two days couldn't walk. Kids came and helped. Tylenol and Aleve. Daughter got me a really strong heat pad. This has to quit.
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as we've discussed previously, you can have difficulties for many weeks, depending on what's wrong. If you are in the beginning stages of degenerative disc disease (as I have to deal with), you'll need to make some live style changes and set some drastic limits on lifting/hauling and other activities that stress the problematic areas.

The good news: if you build up your core muscles, there's still a lot you will be able to do! But going back to an earlier comment -- you live a labor-intensive life style (one example: hauling coal) that will need some modifications.

Prayers have been on-going for you! I hope that you get some relief today!
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

TB Fanatic
Meemur said:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as we've discussed previously, you can have difficulties for many weeks, depending on what's wrong. If you are in the beginning stages of degenerative disc disease (as I have to deal with), you'll need to make some live style changes and set some drastic limits on lifting/hauling and other activities that stress the problematic areas.

The good news: if you build up your core muscles, there's still a lot you will be able to do! But going back to an earlier comment -- you live a labor-intensive life style (one example: hauling coal) that will need some modifications.

Prayers have been on-going for you! I hope that you get some relief today!
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I agree, Meemur. My back surgeon has set my lifting limit to only 25 lbs. I also have to be very careful how I bend and twist my back, or my sciatica will act up every time. I have degenerative disc disease in my thoracic spine and also a messed up disc in my lumbar spine that surgery won't help.
 
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WanderLore

Veteran Member
Yes so true Sherry and Meemur. Son and I are constantly actively discussing what to do about the situation we're in. This started just before Scott went in the nursing home for rehab. It was all the hospital trip sleeping in the truck etc. I was able to keep up with all that and stuff at home when I was able and son took over. We just can't spend another winter here.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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Wanderlore... if at all possible, get your doc to prescribe physical therapy. Yes, you can do the exercises on your own (and you'll need to, for the rest of your life!), but its SO useful to be taught the correct way to do them.

In 2021, I could barely walk. I was bedridden m9st of the time, essentially doing whatever was necessary, then lying down...over and over. My MRI isn't pretty... degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis..all in the lumbar spine and sacrum.

Mine was so bad at that line that (sorry, TMI!) I often couldn't pass urine, or feel that I needed to pass my bowels.

I was scheduled for surgery in the fall of 2020, and a week before, the surgeon's practice decided they wouldn't take our insurance anymore! (That was a God thing, as it turned out!)

The summer of 2021, my pain levels were horrible, and pretty well all the time. But one morning in July, I woke up with NO pain. I couldn't believe it...but you'd better believe i took full advantage! I had eight completely pain-free days... I weeded the garden, rode the horse, did a bunch of canning...and then woke up on Day 9 almost unable to move again.

But it basically told me that I *could* heal without surgery! So, I got a referral to a physical therapist, and it slowly started helping. When I started, I could barely climb stairs...basically had to drag myself up each step using the hand rails. Within 6 months, I could do 25 "step-ups", alternating legs, on an 18" box hubby built for me! (Therapy had a 4" step...I needed to be able to mount my horse from the ground - 4" didn't come close!

A good therapist will also show you HOW to lift... I've thrown my back out tossing something light, because I bent and twisted wrong doing it. But I can lift 50# grain bags without pain, *and* without paying for it later!

A strong core is SO important for lifelong health! One thing I noticed is that since I got back into shape, my spine doesn't go "pop, pop, pop, pop" when I roll over in bed! It wasn't really painful...but it felt awful! Apparently, now my muscle structure is strong enough that it keeps the vertebrae from misaligning and then "popping" back into place.

I definitely get the desire to avoid the long winters...that's still our goal, to move someplace it doesn't freeze 7 months out of the year! But regardless, try to get your core strength back, because warm weather isn't a cure by itself!

Summerthyme
 
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hd5574

Veteran Member
I would also try Collagen powder...every cell in the body requires it and the body produces it ...but after age 25...the body produces about 1 and half percent less each year..we use Great Lakes Wellness brand..they have been making it for 100 years....I have it delivered on auto from Amazon...at 79 I can still do things I could do 20 years ago..like crawl around on the floor...and still sit Indian fashion....it just might help you strengthen your back...
I drink tea morning and evening ...and put 2 coffee measures..in a cup twice a day...it mixes right in and has no taste..DH puts his in his coffee twice a day..
Some years back DH had hip replacement surgery....did it 3 times a day before and after..he spent one night in the hospital ...home the next night..and going up and down stairs as soon as he was home...the stuff is amazing..he was driving in a few days...if he does something dumb..he uses it three times a day for a few days seems to heal him fast...he is mid 70s..
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
25 years ago and orthopdist wanted me to have back surgery, this was not sciatic paid. My PCP at the time and I both laughed and said we'd have to be in a wheel chair before back surgery. Although I have a cousin that was just about crippled up with sciatia and did have surgery, it made all the difference in the world.

Yes, there are exercises that will greatly help the pain. I do a couple of them in my chair when the pain starts to creep in and and an inversion table works miracles.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
My late dh had horrible back issues and kept doing things he wasn't supposed to which made things worse and worse. The lower four discs in his back were basically gone, and doctors were amazed he could still walk. He had physical therapy, surgery for ruptured disc and bone spurs, more therapy, progressed to injections in his back, spinal cord stimulator, more injections, nerve burning and finally to a morphine pump. Who can say if his progression would have been as bad had he followed restrictions early on, but he didn't.

I'm determined to stick with my therapy exercises and so far, I'm doing pretty good. Two days I separated standing/sitting exercises from floor exercises and ended up forgetting to do the floor. I will not be separating in the future.

I have a very old decrepit lift recliner and I'm seriously considering replacing it. I don't need the lift to get up, but my hands can't manage pushing a button or pulling a lever to move the footrest up and down. Almost every piece of furniture in my living room was purchased used, given to me very used, except end tables which were new in 1979 and two storage units purchased in mid-1960s. A new recliner would be a luxury!!

Today has been beautifully sunny again with current temp 46º with low to be 37º. One more warmish day then temps start down again. 54º/22º tomorrow, 24º/11º Wed, 26º/25º Thurs and 31º/7º Fri and Sat 14º/5º. I'll not complain because Sat. is more normal for January!
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Yes, it was very nice today! I did extra steps at lunch and will do more tomorrow because winter is coming back on Thursday.

I just hope that I don't get sick. I went back to work today, and there seems to be a lot of flu around. People were wearing those worthless masks. They probably should've just stayed home. I didn't say anything! I'm retiring in June. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut, except for "good morning" and work-related topics.
 
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