Don't touch that toolbox a.k.a. taking a lupus hiatus
I've briefly mentioned before that with KitKat's arrival, Deirdre will be moving into a "big girl" room down the hall from her current nursery. We're coining it as a "big girl" move, even though she'll still be in a crib. Thankfully, she's excited, and loves taking part in all of the preparations to get her room ready - new bedding, new furniture, and new "big girl" stuff. Unfortunately, with new stuff comes screws, and nuts and bolts, and I've had about enough of them!
A few weeks back, I disassembled the daybed in what will become this new big girl room to move it out and into the next room, along with everything else that we'd been keeping in there. Nothing was particularly heavy (Johnny helped with the actually "move" of the bed) - but stuff is stuff...and it was a lot to move.
And then just last week, while Johnny was away for a few days, Deirdre and I tackled some of her new furniture. Again - nothing big deal - I just put together a new mini table and chairs set, a stool, took off some old knobs from closets and dressers to make room for new ones, and assembled an adult-size chair perfect for reading books together. (Okay, that last one WAS a biggie...but it wasn't heavy...just big.)
Unfortunately, my arthritic-prone hands aren't meant to use screwdrivers and drills - and I paid for my handiwork over the following few days. My pointer finger on my right hand swelled up - first, the tissue between the end and the joint, right where the screwdriver had to rest while I used it, and then eventually my joint and most of the finger. On top of that, my knee was swollen (not actually the joint, but all of the tissue right above it, where I'd been resting on my knee as I put all of this stuff together.) It's no wonder why it happened (although in later posts this week, I'll tell you how I convinced myself that it couldn't possibly be because of my construction shenanigans), but bottom line is that I've cut myself off from the toolbox. For awhile. I have so much more to do in her new room - but I've got to be smart about this swelling. It went down within a day or two...but come on. How important is it that I get this room finished right now, this very minute? The answer: Not very. (Although it took a lot for me to just write those words!)
Now the task at hand? To practice patience, patience, and a little more patience, while I wait until Johnny can help me finish up with the tools. He'll do it, but I just can't expect him to stop working or doing what he's doing in order to do what I wish I could do, but just can't. Oh - the patience that's involved in living with lupus. Wish me luck!
A few weeks back, I disassembled the daybed in what will become this new big girl room to move it out and into the next room, along with everything else that we'd been keeping in there. Nothing was particularly heavy (Johnny helped with the actually "move" of the bed) - but stuff is stuff...and it was a lot to move.
And then just last week, while Johnny was away for a few days, Deirdre and I tackled some of her new furniture. Again - nothing big deal - I just put together a new mini table and chairs set, a stool, took off some old knobs from closets and dressers to make room for new ones, and assembled an adult-size chair perfect for reading books together. (Okay, that last one WAS a biggie...but it wasn't heavy...just big.)
Unfortunately, my arthritic-prone hands aren't meant to use screwdrivers and drills - and I paid for my handiwork over the following few days. My pointer finger on my right hand swelled up - first, the tissue between the end and the joint, right where the screwdriver had to rest while I used it, and then eventually my joint and most of the finger. On top of that, my knee was swollen (not actually the joint, but all of the tissue right above it, where I'd been resting on my knee as I put all of this stuff together.) It's no wonder why it happened (although in later posts this week, I'll tell you how I convinced myself that it couldn't possibly be because of my construction shenanigans), but bottom line is that I've cut myself off from the toolbox. For awhile. I have so much more to do in her new room - but I've got to be smart about this swelling. It went down within a day or two...but come on. How important is it that I get this room finished right now, this very minute? The answer: Not very. (Although it took a lot for me to just write those words!)
Now the task at hand? To practice patience, patience, and a little more patience, while I wait until Johnny can help me finish up with the tools. He'll do it, but I just can't expect him to stop working or doing what he's doing in order to do what I wish I could do, but just can't. Oh - the patience that's involved in living with lupus. Wish me luck!
Comments
I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for your blog and your book! They have changed the way I live my life and they way I view my illness!! I can finally say that I feel like I am making steps to living a healthy life despite chronic illness!! You have blessed my life more than words can express!! Thank you!!
Best wishes and thanks again!
SG
I actually do not have lupus, I have several auto-immune diseases of the endocrine system. I came across your book at Amazon. I have a friend who has lupus so I originally was looking into your book for her, but as I began to read, I realized how incredibly useful the information you have learned is to anyone who lives with chronic auto-immune diseases. In fact I have recommended you book and web site to so many of of my friends who suffer from many different types of auto-immunity!! You have an amazing message for SO many people and I am thankful that you have taken the steps to share this knowledge with others!!