Anyone else? Homesteading and Chronic Illness

Some people, actually I think most people, with mast cell issues are cutaneous, meaning it is confined to the skin. Maybe that's what yours is. My nephew has that, I told him benadryl cream, and pills if necessary, were really all that can be done for the skin thing. I assume you've looked at pics and info for urticaria pigmentosa, which is the skin/hives/mast cell deal.

Good luck to you, I'm glad you have a doctor who seems knowledgeable about mast cells. Pay close attention to your health, as there are mast cells everywhere in your body and sometimes things that seem unrelated can indeed all be caused by these unruly little cells.

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

I used to get b12 shots, and sometimes they made me feel better, sometimes not. The shots caused cysts though, so again, back to food sources.

I'm glad they work for you! MY BIL has Crohn's disease (yep they wrongly diagnosed me with that too, before we found the masto...boy did that medicine make me SUPER sick!!!), and he gives himself b shots. He would be super bad off without them.

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

Thanks to all of you. Being forced to sit here isolated in my house, sometimes you get to feeling pretty hopeless. Thank you, all of you, so much!!!!!!!

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

We're here for you earthkitty! DH has osteoporosis of the spine, so his days are dictated by what level of back pain he is having. On a good day he can work for a couple of hours in the shop. I have asthma, which gets horrible this time of year with the chemical spraying via plane and also the dust from the local farm fields. We do what we can, when we can. Fortunately our youngest DD (21) still lives at home and she helps out when necessary. Our goats and horses are well cared for and the barn is clean, but the flower beds are full of weeds and the house really could use a deep cleaning. We're just not able to do it all anymore.

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I have osteoporosis in my spine and hips. You would be amazed at how many docs will tell you that osteoporosis doesn't hurt. What kind of treatment does he have for it?

The systemic mast cell stabilizer I take was originally intended for asthma. I believe it is a pretty good med for it, but it's not available in the US. Unless you can find a doc willing to thumb their nose at TPTB, like mine.

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

I am best friend and caretaker for a gentleman who has scleroderma, heart disease, COPD, macular degneration, and Reynauds Syndrome.

He went from being a retired 31 year career Navy Command Master Chief to sitting in the living room watching "Deal or No Deal" for hours. He's been through depression, too.

Yes, it is hard on him and on me. His wife left him a couple of years ago, saying "He'd changed." Well, duh.

He used to garden, cook, do woodworking. Now, he does still mow the grass, but he fell today getting off the riding lawn mower.

Just muddling by one day at a time.

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

DH is a physician (retired/disabled), so no one can tell him osteoporosis doesn't hurt earthkitty! He had surgery on his cervical and lumbar spine. When they wanted to do his thoracic spine (through his chest), he said no. He is no longer on pain medications. He has to keep himself really well hydrated with pure water and he can't sit or stand for extended periods. He controls his pain level by controlling his activity level.

DD and I don't have insurance (DH is on Medicare), so I get my inhalers and medications for my asthma in Mexico.

Are you talking about Allegra? It's an allergy drug that's also a MAST cell blocker. I think that's available over the counter though. Jules

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Yes, we all have multiple dx's in my immediate family... both of us adults and all of our kids. And all pretty "invisible" if you don't notice the Medicalert bracelets.


We do it one day at a time and with alot of thinking outside the box. And there are plenty of days that just slide by without anything getting done. You try to make up for it on the "good" days.


{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}






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You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.

Have you ever read the "Spoon Theory" story?

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/ar...e-miserandino/


Her whole website is dedicated to "invisible" illness.

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You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.

Wow, thanks for sharing that. Invisible illnesses are horrid!

That website was interesting. I don't worry about being a burden, you never know when your other half may have issues of their own. I have been unable to do most of the things I wanted to this summer, haven't even been for a motorcycle ride or to a carnival due to how bad it is this time around. And he won't go without me so he hasn't done anything either. I felt pretty bad about it. Well, now he is probably going to need surgery and be out of work at least a month- maybe 3 or 6-we'll know for sure next month. So I'll give up whatever I have to to take care of him.

My DH is bipolar and has arthritis and vitilago, and is on diability. My son has OCD and vitilago, my daughter has social anxiety disorder and I have arthritis and anxiety. I flat out asked DH the other day if would should sell up and move to town, and we've decided to stick it out. Sometimes, things just don't get done. I work full-time and DH is at home, but some days, he just can't do anything, so things don't get done. Sometimes, the house is messy, and usually the yard is messy, but we make the people and animal meals a priority, and when everyone is feeling up to it, we tackle the other stuff. We're in pretty darn good shape compared to many, so we count our blessings every day. Good luck to all of you.

i too can't deal well with the heat, I do everything I can first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening when it is a little cooler, but can't function during the 80's to 100's outside..don't have air conditioning but have fans.

I am partially disabled since birth but YES I do have to deal with a spouse that is in horrible shape..

He is mentally and physically disabled and barely can function at all..although he is still allowed to drive he seldom does and he sleeps most of the day and watches the t v all night..His disability happened in 1985 from a head injury from car accident and also neck, shoulder, arm and other injuries plus lots of surgeries.

He has OCPD and anger issues from the head inujuries and takes gobs of medications..he can mostly care for himself such as bathing etc..but that is about all he can do. I do most of the maintainence of the house and property, all the cleaning, gardening, building etc..and we are on an extremely small fixed income..so yup..been there, done that.

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Brenda Groth
http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/

My hubby has Stage IV cancer, we can totally understand the invisible illness thing. Nobody would ever guess that there's anything even wrong with him. In fact his doctor says when we go in for appointments, I can't believe you're so sick because you look so good. For him the most frustrating part is the fatigue from the treatments. It makes him mad that he can't do as much as he used to do. He forgets that he's still working full time, plus we're finishing our new house so we can get moved into it.

I've tried to pick up as much as possible here at home and to ignore the moods that the lovely chemo brings on. And you tend to think the physical chores thru a bit more, as in how can you do this easier, instead of just muscling thru them like you used to do!

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S-J Farms
http://s-jfarms.com

DH and I bought this place when we were young and healthy LOL. Now he has degenerative disk in the L4 L5, has had open heart and has asthma. He still works full time and does the heavy stuff around here. I have heart disease and an aggressive form of RA.....of course both of us look healthy. We have down sized the homestead and are always looking for ways to work smarter.

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Life is uncertain, eat dessert first

The over the counter mast cell medicines work on specific histamine receptors, like benadryl (h1), and tagamet (h2), and the like.

The medicine I am on (as well as an h1, an h2 and valium for the fourth histamine receptor), is a systemic mast cell stabilizer called Zatiden (ketotifen).

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

Ain't that the truth!

And thank you for posting the spoon theory. I read that years ago but had forgotten about it. I have saved the link for future use.

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

Well God bless all of you and your families, proving that in spite of various difficulties we can take care of ourselves and try to be as self sufficient as possible.

No matter what happens, I'd rather be sick in the country than sick in the city!!!!

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Watch the transformation from city mice to country mice, visit my webpage at Billy Joe's Food Farm


www.facebook.com/billyjoesfoodfarm

EK-
The fibro is pretty well controlled on a regular basis with Pristiq, neurontin & mega doses of flexeril. When i'm having a flare or the barometer is on the move, it isn't controlled at all and those are usually stay in bed days
The pinched nerve is a constant, never-ending pain. The asthma is under control for the moment, thankfully.
I am uninsured so everything I do is paid cash for- hence why I can't have anything done about the nerve.

I love the spoon theory, btw. It explains II (invisible illness. Love this term) perfectly.

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" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."

Chris Ledoux

The arthritis I am dealing with seems minor compared to some of the things you all are dealing with. I am glad I can still walk, and do need to remember to plan things and do things in stages.

Do any of you use a carry along stool of some sort? I can't stay on my feet for long stretches so end up setting to do anything that can be done setting down. Even weeding is done from a setting position. A stool that can be carried but then used to set on would make things so much easier. Especially the "getting up" part of setting down. Maybe with fewer bug bites also?