eileenkny wrote:
I bought a cushion called "the tush cush" and it's been a real life saver for me. It has a carved out portion where the base of your spine rests on the chair... so with that couple of inches of open space your spine doesn't touch the cushion or chair, doesn't compress and it really helps with the pain. I have one at home and one in work. They are about $45.00 but worth every penny. If you go on the internet and do a search for "tush cush" you should come up with a couple of sites. I ordered mine that way. Good luck. I feel your pain, truly I do!!!

Jessamina, I have written this before but it won't hurt to repeat it. I had the swallowing thing and had an endoscopy done. All you do is go to sleep and when you wake up, it is over. No pain, nothing. The hardest part was fasting 8 hours before. I was afraid to have it done because I thought I would be awake. What a fool I was. Judy in AZ

I have been too busy chasing my varmint in the sewing room and reorganizing my sewing space (see my quilting space topic for that saga) to really pay much attention to my own problems or really even read here much.
Jessamina - will be thinking and praying for you as you go through your tests and the surgery. I know it is scary and uncertain but you seem to have approached it well and know what you need so think positive thoughts in the days ahead and know many of us will be thinking about you. Regarding the swallowing issues- the resolution to that is really simple - you go in for a routine endoscopy but if the physician knows you are having swallowing issues he can be prepared to do it then. The procedure is not painful and has minimal risks according to my gastroenterologist. The main risk is if the esophagus is stretched too fast it can tear so that is why the first time I had it done it was done in two stages. The other risks are only those attached to a standard endoscopy and are also minimal. Life is so much easier when thinking about swallowing isn't an every time you touch food wondering and being cautious.

I had my routine iron tests about two weeks ago and am slipping lower in iron so tomorrow, Thurs, Fri, and next Mon. I will have iron infusions each day. The only bad thing about the infusions is that you must sit around for the most part of a day while the iron is being infused and the room is cold and chairs are uncomfortable. I take along my snacks (no food provided either), two blankets,a back cushion and my handwork to do to keep from total boredom. Dh says I pack the house but I cannot sit for four hours without things to do.

When I went for the final lab tests and the scheduling the doctor listed my diagnosis as "rare anemia" The lab workers didn't know what that meant and even checked with the doctor to see if they read it right. Finally I said "I think he means rare like unusual or cause unknown" which is what he had told me. They were totally baffled but I figured they might as well be baffled if all the rest of us were. That night a friend said that winning the lottery was rare and wouldn't it be better to be rare that way. I said winning a prize at Paducah or Houston was rare too and if I could take my pick that is what I wanted. Just confirmed once again that I am a rare (like not too many of ) individual and that isn't all bad.

at this point we hope the iron infusions will pump me up for a few months and I can continue to do what I want to. Our days on this earth are too precious to waste on being ill so I intend to spend them quilting and being with my family and friends.

So I will think positive thoughts for all of you as I hope you will do for me The opportunity to exchange information and get support here in the forum is so wonderful I thank each and every one of you and wish everyone the Happiest New Year. Ann

Happy New Year to one and all. I am doing better. still just taking it easy. I hope that everyone will be feeling better and better.
Margarita in Auburn, CA

Eileen, are you a tight knitter? It seems if you are having trouble, you need to relax and loosen up on those stitches.

As for the back, we have The Back Store out here and I bought a pillow for my back. You could probably go on line and order one. It supports the lower back and costs about $60 or so. It also has a strap to fit over the back of the chair. Good luck. Judy in AZ

jbtaz36 wrote: Judy,
I switched to smaller needles and can now do the garter stitch. I'm still having some difficulty with getting the working needle in behind the other one. Since each previous row is knit, it feels like I should be doing the purl stitch.
I'm just tooling along-it's beginning to look like something.
eileenkny

Happy-Congrats on the weight loss and to your new health. Hope your hand heals with no after effects.
eileenkny

Happy New Year well I got the stiches out of my hand yesterday and all is well it is all most a year from my gastrickby pass and the only trouble is I have no but to sit on and need pillows on hard chairs I have loss a total of 117lbs and I feel great and my family has been the best support with it Happy

Happy New Year!!! My wish for you all is a happy, healthy and prosperous year.
My FMS seems to have settled itself into the sciatic area of my back. If I want to sit at the sewing machine, I'm going to need some kind of support to that area of my back.
Has anyone found a really good chair that they can recommend? What about back cushions that can be placed on the chair??I'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars here but if I'm going to be productive at all, I'm going to have to get something.
eileenkny

Happy New Year Everyone!! I've not been on here for a while. I just renewed my membership. It actually only expired yesterday so, I've not been long away!!

I am scheduled for surgery on 1/23. Go for pre-surgery testing on 1/7. The back/leg issues have increased quite a bit. I can't deal with it anymore so I am having the surgery and praying it gives me some relief. I've not been at my machine since right after Thanksgiving. I miss it, but things just hurt too much. Everything has been put on hold. I wanted to finish a flannel quilt I started for my husband as a Christmas gift. That didn't get done. I am hoping once the surgery is over I can begin "LIVING" again, and that will include quilting.

And.... reading about the swallowing issues, I have that!! Food sometimes feels like it gets stuck, won't come up - won't go down. I drink alot before I swallow anything. I have a major problem with pills and have had some scary moments. I have to cut all but the smallest in half, and sometimes quarter them. But, with me I think it's mostly mind over matter and just swallowing normally. It happened once, now I'm always afraid it will happen again and I think I cause the problem sometimes. However, I have heard of this stretching procedure. For right now I can't deal with another issue, but this might be something I'll need to look into within the next year or so.


Margarita... so sorry about your hip issues.

Ann... same for you, so sorry you continue to experience problems.

We are just all way too nice to be going through this stuff, LOL!!!Have a great day everyone!

Margarita, I am sorry to hear about your accident but I am really happy you didn't break anything. It still hurts but it is not as bad as it could be. Have a relaxing Christmas--just think, you could have everybody wait on you!

Margarita

Take care of yourself and be careful with that hip "I really feel for you" I hope you will be able to get back into commision real soon. It's really hard for me to see people have to give up what they enjoy so much. My thoughts are with you everyone.
Hugzzz, Kathy

All quilting at the stand still.

I had a hip replacement in 1998. Went for a check-up Monday morning, and all was fine. Ned so therapy on the knee. Came home had lunch getting up from the table my leg collapsed under me. ending on the floor in excruciating pain. (Dislocated the hip) Got it back in place, still sore from the procedure which had to be done twice, first time it did not go in all the way.

I hope you all are feeling better, and /or getting better. I feel better today, still in some pain, but not to bad.

Margarita in Auburn, moving very slow and careful.

gone