We Take Modern Conveniences for Granted Until They Break. What About Our Bodies?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
October 10, 2016 5:19pm CST
I was thinking about this while standing at my sink washing dishes. While we do have a working dishwasher, our disposal quit working a few weeks ago. Having a disposal might be considered a luxury by some, but I grew up with one so that's what I'm used to.
For those that have never had a disposal it chops up leftover food enough so it can be flushed down the kitchen sink without creating clogs in your pipes. When it quit working we were still using our dishwasher but found that debris from the disposal was somehow being pushed into the dishwasher leaving crumb-like residue on the outside of dishes and glassware. Rather than continuing to wash everything more than once, we've reverted to washing them by hand.
Many of you know or have heard that I have a bad knee and will be getting a knee replacement this next February. I probably waited too long to get this done because it takes me much longer to do most things. In the early morning my knees do okay. I can usually walk a bit without any cane and sometimes my knee will bend easily while walking. But as the day progresses it gets worse.
Eventually, when I need to sit down, whether I'm getting into my car or sitting down at the computer, I need to pre-bend my knee first before taking a seat. When getting into my van I take time to swing both legs in under the steering wheel at the same time. I can no longer put one foot in and follow it by the second.
When I get out of the van or stand up next to my computer I need to put weight on my leg first and wait until it's ready to carry me before taking a step. At first it's baby steps and then I can do a small stride. I am no longer walking normal.
I'm not writing this for everyone to feel sorry for me. I'm writing this so maybe some of the rest of you will quit taking your bodies for granted like we take our electric appliances for granted until they break down.
17 people like this
16 responses
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
11 Oct 16
You are so right. I thought I would be young forever until I was diagnosed with cancer. My whole life changed! And not only because the primary ailment, but because being ill is expensive. And one has to manage and we don´t know how.
3 people like this
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
11 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman I´m in remision, but my whole life has changed. Still, I am a survivor
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
I think most of us do learn to manage, but others might think we're doing great when we're just staying afloat. Still that's better than drowning in my book. I hope that you're in remission from the cancer, Marguicha.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
@enlightenedpsych2 I'm not really talking about managing the pain and illness, but not taking our bodies for granted when they are working properly. I'm sure that's human nature, but it does help to be aware so we can do things properly like not twisting when picking things up from the floor and that sort of thing.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
11 Oct 16
i wash dishes here by hand 'nless there's tons 'f 'em coz folks've come 'n ate heartily - then i only use the dishwasher coz there's no place to put all the dishes whilst they dry :)
i thought i t'was takin' great care 'f my body, then the gut issues hit. now i'm broken more oft than not :(
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
12 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman thanks, hon. with the crohn's one ne'er knows when 'it' 'tis gonna strike. stress seems to be a huge factor :(
i know what'cha mean 'bout those dish drainers. i dislike havin' mine'n the counter, but've found the dishes dry purty quick there. i've been thinkin' 'bout huntin' fer one that folds fer storage - do they e'en make those anymore?
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
I hope whatever is going on with your gut is healed quickly, Crazy. I use my dishwasher to put my dishes into to dry even when washing them by hand. If I ever saved our dish drainer, I'm not sure where I may have put it and it takes up so much space. THis way the dishes are hid while they are drying.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
13 Oct 16
I tend to ignore body pain until it gets too much to handle before pursuing medical advice which could be dangerous
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
14 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman the rest period will certainly help
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
19 Oct 16
@arthurchappell The last two weeks with the extra days off was great. Now that I'm back in full swing again for a bit, it's no longer great. I'll survive, though. My other option is to leave on disability earlier than planned, the problem with that is I'll make 1/4 less than normal and we barely squeak by as it is.
I just need to figure out a way to get to bed earlier so I can do some exercises before my day begins each morning. I was doing good for a while there, but already quit.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
13 Oct 16
Exactly. Had I gone back even last year, I may have prevented the rest of my body getting out of alignment because of my knee. Even though my hips and back hurts periodically, at least it's not so much that I'll need hip surgery too. I think all that will heal up once I regain full movement of my left knee.
I've taken a few extra days off last week and this week just to give my body a rest from standing as a cashier,and it's done a world of good. I still hurt in the day, but I can sleep part of the night without pain.
I hope to put in for extra days off here and there for the next several months since I have three weeks of vacation to use up before the surgery takes place. I pay for short-term disability, so I'll get some of my pay when I'm off.
1 person likes this
@AutumnSnow (4583)
•
10 Oct 16
It's true things break down including our bodies and it's usually at the most inconvient time too. I can relate to your knee problem. I've had a bad back for years due to a condition I was born with two years ago. I still have a lot of problems walking and with my balance.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Oct 16
Okay, so you have a back condition you were born with, but even then it's not bothered you until two years ago when it got worse? Before that it was bad, but not as bad as it got two years ago? Am I understanding you correctly? Your sentence there should be re-written a bit plainer.
Did anything specific happen two years ago that made your bad back even worse than it was before?
I had a lot of back pain growing up, or not growing up exactly but more when I was in my twenties and early thirties. I was skinny back then, so it could have been due to picking things up incorrectly. Then when I had kids that went away. Now, I have some of it back again since I'm usually walking with my left knee straight which throws my hip and back out of whack somewhat.
Did you have physical therapy to help you and your back out?
1 person likes this
@AutumnSnow (4583)
•
10 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman Sorry I guess I wasnt specific enough. No I had always had trouble all of my life with my back and my legs. The surgery I had two years ago I should have had done when I was younger but my neglectful refuse to let it be done and so over time my condition gotten a lot worse and trying to find a surgeon that would do the surgery was very hard because I was very major and any little thing could have left me paralized. I feel two year prior to my surgery the ending up leaving no choice but having to have it done. We went all over the country trying to find a surgeon and finally found one.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Oct 16
@AutumnSnow I waited too long for this too, so I fully understand. We get used to the pain or doing things differently and don't realize when we've waited too long. The first surgeon I saw some years back gave me a hard time, so I figured I would wait until it got a lot worse. Until July of this year, I could walk normally for the most part.
How far did you have to go to get your surgery and how long did you stay in the hospital before they let you go home again? Also, did they schedule physical therapy for you after the surgery at all? If you still have balance and walking problems still, I'm guessing you never had any pt.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Dec 17
That knee is now excellent. I have full extension. I'm planning on getting the other knee done this next June. While it's not quite as bad as the first one was I still have days when it's messed up and the arthritis in the joint is taking up a lot of space so it's a needed surgery. After that I may check into getting my thumb joints replaced if that is ever done in our area.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Dec 17
@Hannihar thanks. I hope so too.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
12 Dec 17
@MarshaMusselman
Marsha, I am glad your one knee is excellent. I hope it all works out well with the 2nd knee.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
18 Oct 16
I agree, it just needs a small part of the day to devote to keeping our bodies fit.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
20 Oct 16
Ahh, yes. But for some of us fitting it into any part of the day can be difficult at times. My best time is before I get going for the day, but since I usually get to bed late at night, I do like to sleep and then it's hard to wake up enough to exercise. If I don't begin soon, though, I may have more problems. I can tell that the muscles in my calves and upper thighs aren't getting enough exercise especially since I can't walk correctly any longer.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
24 Oct 16
@responsiveme I don't have enough time during most of the year to group activities. I'd like to be able to afford going to planet fitness again since they're open 24hrs other than during the weekend, but I have to make sure it's in my budget.
I did discover a way to do the bicycle exercise on my back, but I can't put both legs into the air, but it works fine when I bend my knees and then do the same type of movement. I feel it in all my leg muscles and am doing crunches too. The difficulty I have is I have more time on the weekends, but I need to give the muscles a bit of a break before starting again.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
20 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman Its good to have group activity for this kind of thing...otherwise I too cannot keep up the self discipline :)
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
12 Oct 16
Our disposal quit shortly after my mom moved in with us. She prefers to wash the dishes by hand, and washing dishes is what she considers her keep for staying with us.
With the disposal not working we weren't using the dishwasher anyway as it goes through the disposal.
It's replaced now but mom refuses to put food down it!! Her and I need to have a talk as the food she puts in the trash is drawing flies and other bugs as well as making the cats, and the dog dig into the trash can for food.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Oct 16
@marsha32 If you don't make it to the doctor right away, you could try eliminating certain things like milk products, yogurt and cheese as they can cause mucous.
@snowy22315 (208906)
• United States
11 Oct 16
You are right,,,we need to take better care of ourselves...especially those of us, getting long in the tooth!
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
12 Oct 16
Oh, you are so right. I have taken my moveability for granted for years. Now I am seeing the error of my ways. Back issues that seem to be leading to other problems are holding me down. So the old saying ;"Treat Your Body as a Temple" really rings true for me now. If only younger folks would listen.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56241)
• Canada
10 Oct 16
I try to keep our appliances maintained, and run cleaners thru them to help them out.
With my body, I am always trying to eat and do what I can to maintain my health.
Good bodily and appliance health is never anything that I take for granted.
I've seen too many suffer past the time that they should have to seek medical attention, and although I do not run to the doctor for the least little thing, if I cannot find a fix for something, then I call for an appointment.
I hope that you see a big difference after having your knee done, I know that the recouperation period will be full of adjustments, but hopefully nothing that you cannot handle.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Oct 16
I have gone to specialists about my knees in the past, but one of them made it sound like it was in my head even though I knew it wasn't. He'd done both hips and both knees for my mom, but I figured I'd wait until it got a lot worse. Odd thing is your body doesn't usually, or it doesn't always give you much warning before it goes to the next level.
I found out this fall that this particular doctor has an awful bedside manner. I don't know why no one ever told me that before. Maybe I could have gotten the surgery quicker had I gone back to him, but I went to another surgeon in the area that someone else recommended to me.
I try to watch what I eat too, and I've done maintenance exercises periodically. If I didn't have to work so much it would be easier to fit a regular regimen into my lifestyle.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
12 Oct 16
It is funny how some of us forget that our body is the most important thing we have. Feed it well and move about often! It seems the more active we are the better we feel. (Who said that?)
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Oct 16
Ahh, but many of us might consider ourselves to be active enough, but activity doesn't take the place of proper exercise. I went to planet fitness for almost a year fairly faithfully, but then decided that we couldn't afford it anymore. Later, after having my muscles in one leg go into spasms and needing to be off work a week until it healed I realized that the expense of the exercise program offset any future expense of health care issues needed. By then it was a bit too late.
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
12 Oct 16
@MarshaMusselman No even the most common body replacements are never as good as the originals. I have heard all people wearing dentures complaining about them.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Oct 16
The modern conveniences can be replaced or fixed, if you have the money to do so. But, yes, as far as our bodies are concerned even when we get replacements it's probably never as good as the original.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Oct 16
I can totally relate to how you sit and stand. I'm the same way. I need to wait before I take my first step, and now I'm back to using the cane again with my fall yesterday. My left knee is in real bad pain. I hope your surgery goes well in February.
1 person likes this
@LindaCPearson (2240)
• United States
12 Oct 16
I am in denial of what my body is trying to tell me, which is not a good thing. I'm definitely not as perky and sprightly as I used to be!
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Oct 16
I'm sure many of us aren't as perky as we used to be, lol. I may have been in denial too, although I will partly blame the specialist I saw a few years ago for he said he didn't' see what was wrong with my knees. I've since heard he has an awful bedside manner, but I never heard about that when I was still seeing him. I know they want people to wait as long as possible before getting replacement surgeries, but I think I overdid the wait time.
