“What do you mean I have arthritis in my hips? I’m only 49 years old…. I’m healthy…. I’m super active. Are you certain those are MY x-ray results?”

DIANE’S STORY

That was my initial response when my doctor informed that my pain and loss of flexibility was due to osteoarthritis.

My problem started in the fall of 2001, when after a bicycle ride with my two daughters, Stephanie and Karlana, I missed placing my foot onto the curb right in front of my house. This tore part of the quadriceps of my right leg and inadvertently jolted my hip joint. For months, I had tremendous pain. For years, I had worked out at the local gym 2-3 times a week doing aerobics, cardio and weight training, but soon I realized that I had to slow down as I was not “mending”. I limped through golf games and just couldn’t play tennis or coach my youngest daughter’s soccer team because I could no longer run. The skiing season came up and I ventured to downhill ski with my daughters from January to April. The skiing loosened up my hip joint and I thought I was on the road to a full recovery from that biking mishap.

Not so…..summer of 2002 made me very aware that something was very wrong.  The rheumatologist confirmed that yes; I had advanced arthritis in the right hip and to a lesser degree in the left hip (the hip that was not even giving me problems). I was advised to read up as much as possible on the disease so that I could modify my lifestyle until I would probably need a hip replacement. The MRI appointment booked for a date in 6 months confirmed the presence of osteoarthritis. I now had to face the cold, hard facts…..I had arthritis. A total feeling of despair, helplessness, sadness, worry and devastation came over me.

 • I am a single mom….how am I going to take care of my children?

 • I am self employed…how can I continue to work and make a living?

• Who will take care of me if I need the hip replacement operation?

• What kind of a life am I going to have?

There were mornings after my girls would leave for school, that I would sit at my kitchen table and worry and cry and cry and worry… sometimes wasting the entire morning.

I was getting less and less motivated to go to work, to do things around the house, to get together with family and friends, and even to play with my daughters. My world as I knew it was falling apart. I had a feeling that my life was coming to a standstill. After existing like this for a few months, I knew that I could not just sit around and let everything fall apart…….I needed to find people to talk to, people to lead me to information and people to teach me to get through this low period in my life. Once I had come to this conclusion that my “old lifestyle” had ended and that a “new lifestyle” was about to begin, I felt more confident, more in control and happier.

My starting point was attending a “RENDEZ-VOUS” conference provided by A.W.I.S.H.

(Arthritis West Island Self Help Association) where I was able to collect information. I came to the realization that I was not alone as I met people my age and even younger with arthritis. Shortly after, I became a member of the A.W.I.S.H Association primarily to be on the mailing list to receive information and the schedule of events.  I then got involved with the A.W.I.S.H. support group activities. As I was previously very physically active and loved doing so many sports, I needed to modify my exercise program to suit my physical condition…..so I signed up for the exercise class taught by a physiotherapist and I discovered how to properly exercise in order to regain some strength and flexibility. I’m not doing the sports that I once did, but walking and gardening are not as painful to do anymore. I then signed up for the Pain Management self-help course which taught me a lot about arthritis and how to develop a lifestyle that makes it easier to live with the pain and restricted mobility. Since that course, major changes have been made in my life (more sleep, better eating habits, drinking more water, exercising for strength and flexibility 3 times a week, stretching exercises daily, pacing the physical tasks, taking time out for “me”).

I have found myself again and the motivation to enjoy each and every day is back. The biggest challenge for me once I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis was to accept the fact that I had arthritis. The next challenge was to be able to admit to others that I do have arthritis. My “super woman” image was gone.

Now on difficult days when the pain causes me to limp, I simply take the extra time to complete the task at hand and now I’ll even ask for help. My daughters, Stephanie and Karlana, are my greatest helpers and cheerleaders. I have shared with them the facts about arthritis and their understanding, patience and assistance to helping me around the house makes life easier on me.

I share my story with you in hope that it will let you know that arthritis can be managed with acquiring knowledge, modifying your lifestyle, changing your attitude and doing the best you can with every day you wake up to.

Diane Gibb, Owns and operates a successful Marketing Consulting Firm
Since 2005, volunteers as the VP of Arthritis Montreal and is currently a municipal city councillor for a Montreal borough.

Arthritis West Island Self Help: (514) 631-3288

http://www.awishmontreal.org/

Arthritis pain and stiffness eased by good nutrition...so let’s start cooking!!

Arthritis is a complex group of diseases that affect joint health.  Over 5 million Canadians suffer from either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, the 2 most prevalent types of arthritis.  What you eat, and how you prepare it can play a role in decreasing inflammation, which will lead to less pain, stiffness and more mobility. 

People with arthritis can face some physical challenges when they go grocery shopping, when they are preparing food at home, eating and even doing the cleanup afterwards.  Here are some ways to make it easier to shop, prepare your meals, and even eat your meals.

Grocery shopping:  Before you leave make a shopping list.  Then, shop at a store that you know well and look only for the foods on your list.  Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes.  To make shopping easier, you could bring a grabber to help you to reach for items that are on higher shelves.  A shopping cart with a seat makes it easier to transport your groceries.   Make sure you have some padded handles to put around the handles of the plastic or reusable shopping bags since transferring grocery bags from the car to the house can be painful to swollen hands.

Cooking:  Standing for long periods of time can be a challenge for sore knees, ankles, or hips.  Using a special chair that is on rollers can save steps.  The height can also be adjusted to allow you to work comfortably at the stove or counter...even to wash dishes.  A grabber can be a great tool to use in the kitchen too! It can help you reach items that are stored on the highest shelves of the pantry, while eliminating the need for standing on a stool.   There are a number of products available that will help make food preparation easier, including special cutting boards and knives. 

Eating:  Sometimes it is difficult to hold utensils or glasses in our hands.  Sometimes food seems to slip around on the dish, defying our attempts to put it on our forks to eat.  So, we can turn to the 2 handled mug, or special plates with a deeper rim that allow us to scoop up our food with greater ease.

Article graciously provided by:  

Kim N. Arrey, P.Dt.

Dietitian/Nutritionist

Nutrition Coach, Speaker

Author: Complete Arthritis Health Diet Guide and Cookbook
www.kimarrey.com

Solution For Challenges With Dexterity

Dexterity is most commonly defined as the ability to execute fine finger movements, such as gripping, pinching, twisting and turning.  Challenges to dexterity may affect our ability to use our hands and fingers to manipulate familiar objects. These movements may prove painful, and many people notice a loss of strength and/or sensation while handling the everyday tools of living.

Sometimes we tend to associate only our  senior years with a decline in different abilities to cope and function on a daily basis.  While this may be so, people who are recovering from surgery or stroke, those who have experienced an accident or trauma, or those, young or older, living with chronic medical conditions, such as arthritis, may also find everyday tasks to be quite a challenge.

Truly, anyone, at any time or age, can discover that the simple activities we take for granted aren't so simple if we become disabled even on a temporary basis.  There really is a time when we all can use a little help! 

As an example, a lady close to us recently tripped and fell, resulting in an upper arm fracture. This independent senior lady has found herself in a cast and sling to ensure that her right arm remains immobile. For her, it will be  a very long six weeks!  She has suddenly found herself needing assistance to do all those little things that we tend to take for granted.

Always a glamorous and well groomed lady, it has been frustrating for  her to be unable to properly care for her finger and toe nails. Both she and her family, are delighted to have discovered that Marnau has available special large non-slip nail and toe clippers that she can use with both hands.

These clippers will be great for her to have and use now, and will help her to maintain her independence in the years ahead.  

Marnau Offers A Simple Solution For Traveling By Car

One of the movements that most people simply take for granted is the ability to, easily and smoothly, both enter and exit a vehicle - that is until they are experiencing limited or reduced mobility. 

Severe pain and/or numbness is a complaint that we hear often from our clients who are experiencing difficulty during the transition both in and out of their vehicles.  The movements can add additional stress to the back, abdomen, hips, legs and knees.

It is not realistic for most people to simply opt not to travel by car.  Marnau offers you more wonderful aids to help ease discomfort - a portable swivel cushion and a 360 degree memory foam swivel cushion. These cushions are padded for your comfort and help to reduce the pain that may be caused by a torso twisting motion.  

The addition of such a simple tool can truly allow for independence and the maintenance an optimum quality of life.

Arthritic Hands Are Still Useful

Many people don’t think twice about picking up everyday household objects, however, if you are dealing with Arthritis, this simple task can be painful and frustrating.  Arthritis affects millions of people worldwide. It can affect the hand joints and make grasping thin objects especially hard to maneuver and employ.

Let’s look at a run-of-the-mill kinda day….. everything from using a tooth brush, to using standard cutlery and writing implements - and let’s not forget about keys, can be struggles with frustration.  

There are many adaptive devices available to help ease the discomfort. This Closed-Cell Tubing is one of the easiest to adapt hard to hold handles and objects in and around your home by offering greater control.  The slip-resistant “skin” is dishwasher safe -  and adaptable to a variety of lengths.