Little things that help

Hi All

I have not posted for ages - sorry! However I do drop in most days for a read.

I recently bought an electric blanket and have found that getting into a warm bed is making bedtime much nicer and thought I’d share! It cost me about £50 and I wish I’d brought one years ago.

I have had ppms since summer 2009 and I’m lucky in that I’ve not had much progression since dx in April 2010. Well luck or taking LDN since dx and sleeping on an inclined bed who knows!

Anyway, although I have many constant symptoms I can cope most of the time and am still able to work full time. I take baclofen at night for cramp and stiffness, but I have found that, with my new electric blanket, my body relaxes into the warmth and I can drift off more easily. (If my feet get too cold or too hot my left big toe points skywards and it is excruciating. I also get dreadful tightness in my calves, which although gives my calves muscle definition is also very painful). I don’t sleep with it on, though I will if the weather gets very cold, apparently it costs 2p a night if on all night - 2p well spent imo!

I also have a fan which I can operate remotely (remote plug switch thing, cheaper than remote fan), so I can cool down more quickly if I wake with a hot flush. Best of both worlds.

What little (or big) things do you do that help your daily issues?

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Wow! Great idea. We would never have got one, but now we have gone for two single profiling beds next to each other, so I could have a single electric blanket on mine. At the moment I take a hot water bottle to bed with me, every night except in the hottest part of summer. Thank you for that idea!

As for other comforts, the profiling bed itself and my riser recliner chair are a boon. And when I get my new bathroom done my life will be complete!

Kev x

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Hi Juniper, I honestly don’t think I can name just one thing, there’s something in every room. I guess most of my time is spent on my riser recliner, which helps my comfort through the day, but I think the list could go on lol

Polly xxx

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[quote=“kevadams”]

Wow! Great idea. We would never have got one, but now we have gone for two single profiling beds next to each other, so I could have a single electric blanket on mine. At the moment I take a hot water bottle to bed with me, every night except in the hottest part of summer. Thank you for that idea! [/quote]

You are welcome, I hope you find it as good as I do.

Actually for those in double beds you can get a dual control double under blanket, so you need only heat one half, which is what I’ve got.

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[quote=“Little Red”]

Hi Juniper, I honestly don’t think I can name just one thing, there’s something in every room. [/quote]

Oh - go on! :slight_smile: Name a few, It’s helpful to know what others do to make life easier.

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1.i used to have extreme pain in my knees, it felt like a toothache in my knees.no pills would touch the pain.then I decided not to eat gluten and unfortunately it worked on my pain it reduced it by 70 percent?I liked bread but I don’t like pain!

2.magnesium such a big help.get it from amazon helps me so much,can’t live without it.helps me go (to the toilet)

3.would love to have more helpful hints but I don’t ,hope these tips help

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Like others, my riser recliner is fab. Means I can spend much more time out of bed as it’s so comfy and doesn’t make my bottom ache like other chairs do.

Then there’s the linseeds. I grind them in a coffee grinder every morning and have them on muesli … means I go to the loo every single morning. What a relief!

My ipad which keeps me in touch with the outside world… and can order all my shopping on and come on here… and play games… watch movies in bed… and I’ve got an ipad stand so I don’t have to hold it to watch stuff and a blue tooth speaker so I can hear it ok.

Maxi dresses! Our own Nina turned me onto these… I can sleep in them and in morning pull on a cardigan and ta da I’m dressed!!!

That’s my list… and highly recommend them all… although our fella’s on here might not look so good in the maxi dresses…

Great post Juniper,

Pat xx

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Hello Juniper,

I’ve been through the maxi dress phase but stopped when I was arrested at Charing Cross!

As for the little things, I find that writing, wether it’s a form of diary, big story, (on my 4th children’s novel), observations or poetry, it’s a real catharsis for dealing with frustrations. Sometimes I even use the voice recognition on the laptop. From the local MS newsletter or any outlet that will entertain the written ranting of an ageing billowing old grump like me, I’ll offer work for minor publication.

I now plan things and build myself up for anything I intend to do from plugging in my tablet or going on a day out. I used to be mr spontaneous but it just doesn’t work anymore.Sometimes I even write things down!

Hope this helps, best wishes, Steve.

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Steve…so sorry about the arrest but Pat did warn you that it might not be the best idea for 'our guys’

For me it’s my lovely lovely bed, my iPad and as Pat says maxi dresses.

love to all, Nina x

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Great stuff! - I’ve made a few simple changes recently around the house and bought a few things like the electric blanket and it’s made a significant difference to my daily life. It has also given me a bit of a feeling of control again, which I’d lost. I wish I’d done these things years ago!

There’s some suggestions here that I’m going to try and others that I won’t hesitate to do I soon as I need to.

The remote plug sockets are great. They mean you don’t have to get anywhere near a socket to turn anything off or on. Good for when you’re in bed or for those hard to reach plugs.

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Hi Juniper

My OT got me a chair that sits on the bath, wonderful! I can shower safely and wash my hair (I fall if I close my eyes) and it really helps when I’m fatigued, sitting seems to use much less energy.

I find meals much easier now that I have a slow cooker, I can prepare the food when I’m up to it and I’ve invested in an eye level oven so I don’t drop the dinner when I over balance and I got a dishwasher which was one of my best purchases. All things some people take for granted but I’ve always done things the hard way.

I might just invest in an electric blanket next, thank you.

Cath x

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Hi Cath

I also fall over if I shut my eyes without really thinking about it. I can still manage getting in and out of a bath and prefer that to a shower and I find lying in a bath full of warm water one of the most relaxing things, in fact I often doze off! I brought a bath board, which is really helpful in getting in and out more safely and similar to a seat in the bath I can shower sitting down. I also got a slip proof bath mat, which helps too.

We’d love a dishwasher, but it would mean losing part of a kitchen cupboard and so realistically quite major expensive work - long term project I think. Though I should probably look into it a bit as it may not cost as much as I imagine.

Getting into a warm bed is not quite as relaxing as a warm bath, but I find it has a similar effect and relaxes me. I suppose it would depend on how your nerves react to warmth. I know for some it is a trigger.

All the best J.

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Juniper, can you explain to me what the remote plug sockets are?

As soon as I turn my back someone somewhere invents something that is beyond my comprehension!

Thanks,

Pat xx

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Hi Pat

Yes, I should have written “remote controlled sockets” if you google that phrase you’ll see what they are. But in a “big” nutshell you plug them into a socket, plug your electrical item (lamp, fan, heater, hair dryer) into that and switch the socket on. You then have a remote control with which you can switch the socket on and off without going anywhere near it. One remote can control several sockets, there’s a switch thing on each plug thing to correspond with a number on the remote and you can get spare remotes.

Hope that helps. J.

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Hi Pat,

I have a set of three of these, they are great, saves you bending down to turn something off at the plug!

Amazon as usual!

Nina x

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Oh-oh! Mentioned this too Ruth and she flatly refuses to have anything to do with electric blankets. Her reason is that it would add to the cleanup procedure on the odd occasions when I am incontinent in bed. I’ve used every argument I can think of to try to convince her, but she won’t budge.

I think deep down she is scared of having anything electrical in the bed.

I’ll stick to my hot water bottle then.

Kev a few years ago on here someone asked if it was possible to buy an electric blanket for incontinent people. I searched the internet and… nothing!

There’s definitely a hole in the market there.

Pat xx

Now they sound like something I could do with, I love the sound of those plugs. May be on my Xmas list. Like you Juniper I do better with heat, cold makes my legs really sore. I got stuck in the bath about a year ago and now I’m really wary of getting in again, I think I’ve only had one or two since and only on really good days where I know I can probably haul myself out. This is all good but it means that when I’m sore and need to soak it’s not possible. I’ve looked at the bath chairs that lower and lift you out but they’re beyond my budget when I could shower and get clean. Maybe when I win the lottery…

Take care

Cath x

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Sorry Juniper, I had been away to Glencoe for my anniversary which was beautiful, amazing scenery and a disabled room phew!

okay if pushed I will need to list some things for you honey.

1- blue badge, enabling me to get to some places that I just couldn’t without either small trip crutches or longer, ie supermarket wheelchair.

2 - riser recliner, self explanatory lol, ahhhh

3- medication, hate taking it always have, but with a few different things going on with the MS meds are a must

4- iPad my ability to have contact and life with others like me, who understand it all online and for all shopping needs lol

5- my lil daughter and amazing hubby.

6- wheelchair and crutches

7- bathroom adaptions/bed raiser and rail

8- kitchen wheelie trolley for kitchen which I use all over for everything

9- the understanding and grounding of new friends to accept my life is changed not over!

love to you all Polly xxx

thanks Juniper x

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Little things do mean a lot,

My Rolator is number 1 don’t go anywhere outside without it

Blue Badge.

Bath bench.

This forum

MS nurse

My little big son he always has a smile and a hug for me, he is lovely.

Pauline

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