Things CRPS has taught me.

I think I will do a series of posts about lessons I have learned thanks to this ugly disease.  Over the almost 2 years of dealing with CRPS and the additional 1 year of dealing with the injury that lead to CRPS I have learned all kinds of things.  Some I did't care to learn, some were good lessons.  The first thing I learned was, there is more than one way things can get done and it doesn't always have to be me doing it or be done my way.  The southern saying for this is "there's more than one way to skin a cat."  That saying doesn't paint a pretty picture but it is true.  I used to do all the housework and laundry and all those domestic things.  When I injured myself and ended up needing surgery it took quite a while to not have anxiety over the house not being the way I want it to be or the laundry not folded how I would etc.  Now I am forever grateful that my husband is the type of man to step up and help even after working all day.  He never once, in almost 3 years uttered a single word of complaint at having to take over most of the household stuff.  He just took over like he has done it his whole life.  No one has figured out how the vacuum works though ;).  Go figure. So this year I bought myself a robot vacuum and it is the best thing I have done in a long time.  My floors are always clean, he cleans under beds, tables and couches and I don't end up in a several day flare from doing it myself.  I have had it 3 months and haven't had to get out the regular vacuum one time since! Here is the link to the one I got.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077HW9XM7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I couldn't afford a big expensive fancy one thanks to not working and this one had tons of great reviews so I jumped on it and have not regretted it one single time.  It isn't just fabulous for my floors, it is great for my mental health. It stressed me out to see the dirt and dog hair all over knowing that if I got out the vacuum that it would hurt me very badly and would cause me to shake for hours and hurt for days.  I am constantly amazed at how well this little thing does.  All the heart eyes for him.
I named him Igor.  Sometimes when I have been home alone a lot I find myself talking to him as he passes by.  Don't judge, chronic pain and illness is lonely and isolating.  Very isolating.

Back to the original topic.  I used to take the kids to everything and pick them up and stay and watch practices etc.  When all this started I could't drive fore 6 to 8 weeks at a time due to being in casts so I relied on a few friends grabbing my daughter on their way to the same practice and my husband once again stepping up and taking over that after long days at work.  It killed me to not watch them do their thing but it was my hope to recuperate and be back at it in a few short weeks.  That obviously didn't happen so that lesson is still being learned.

I am constantly figuring out new things, ways to do stuff or learning new lessons. I hope I can remember them all.

Catch you next time

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