Life in the Driver’s Seat (extended)

[maritalbliss86]

On 1/31/2021 at 9:55 AM, Seraphim said:

I am not sure I want to carry on with daycare . At the same time I can’t stop working. What does one do?

Daycare sounds very hard... just based on my limited knowledge of watching only our children mostly.  It's like never-ending things to do, very demanding and you have to do so much physically for babies and toddlers, which does get exhausting.  I feel like I'm young and strong, but it's still a lot of physical work!  And mental work in a way, trying to figure out different problems they encounter.  I love it ❤️ but wow is it, "work!"

Do you think maybe you could provide a tutoring service for afterschool kids?  Tutors can charge a lot more generally (at least in our area... I did this a couple of years ago).  And it's far less physically demanding work.  Basically just an hour a few times a week, for $25 per hour or so... I was making close to $150/week which isn't too bad per child.  And it's only afternoons and you'd basically help a couple of kids get their school work done and help solve any issues they're having with understanding it.

[maritalbliss86]

Something else could be music lessons maybe?  I know a woman who makes her sole income just being a piano teacher.  You can come to them, or they can come to you... or in pandemic restrictions, you can zoom music lessons (that sounds extremely hard to follow though). 

It may be financially less than you'd make with daycare, but it may be more rewarding or less physically demanding?

[Seraphim]

I could definitely tutor somethings but math and music is definitely out. The last time I played a musical instrument I think I was nine. 

[Seraphim]

Finished! 

[Jibralta]

I love the thin white border!

[Seraphim]

5 hours ago, Jibralta said:

I love the thin white border!

Thanks . 

[Seraphim]

Hubby told me he has to go away to do a writing board in March. He might be gone for a week. 

[Seraphim]

[boltnrun]

Pretty colors.

[Seraphim]

8 minutes ago, boltnrun said:

Pretty colors.

Thank you. I am started on a second one. I am just crocheting like a fiend lately . 

[Seraphim]

So it seems March 2nd we will find out where we are going. 

[Seraphim]

Arthritis bump getting worse. 🙁

[Seraphim]

Go away arthritis. My hands are just aching. 

[Jibralta]

When did you start feeling symptoms of arthritis, and how did you know what it was? The joints of my fingertips of my right hand ache when I wake up. I'm wondering if I'm starting to get arthritis. That would really suck.

[Seraphim]

39 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

When did you start feeling symptoms of arthritis, and how did you know what it was? The joints of my fingertips of my right hand ache when I wake up. I'm wondering if I'm starting to get arthritis. That would really suck.

I have suffered with joint pain most of my life. When I was 20 my dr discovered bone cysts in the base of my fingers where they join to the hand. I also have hypermobility issues so I have had joint issues all my life. My mom has horrible osteoarthritis and all her fingers are bent totally sideways. But I remember complaining about joint pain since about the age of nine. 

[Jibralta]

I've had intermittent joint pain in my life--wrists and ankles, mainly. It lasted for years, but it always went away. Maybe this will go away, too.

Sometimes I wonder if it's diet based. But I don't think I've been eating anything bad lately. Mainly venison, which is about as hormone/steroid free and as free range as you can get.

[Seraphim]

3 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

I've had intermittent joint pain in my life--wrists and ankles, mainly. It lasted for years, but it always went away. Maybe this will go away, too.

Sometimes I wonder if it's diet based. But I don't think I've been eating anything bad lately. Mainly venison, which is about as hormone/steroid free and as free range as you can get.

Yeah, mine I know for sure is genetic-based.  There is horrible arthritis in my mom‘s family my grandfather her dad actually had pins put in his toes and stuff to straighten them out in his 50’s. My mom has had one of her knees replaced needs a hip replaced on my dad side his mom had both her knees replaced. And my dad before he died was also getting bad arthritis. So I’m going to have no luck. They also think my husband might have RA. So my son really has no luck. 

[Jibralta]

I don't have any idea what my family history is, so I'm going to pretend that everyone was 100% healthy.

[Seraphim]

2 minutes ago, Jibralta said:

I don't have any idea what my family history is, so I'm going to pretend that everyone was 100% healthy.

It is so hard to know when you don’t know the medical information... I am sorry. Hugs. 

[boltnrun]

My hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders are tremendously painful every single day.  It's been this way for at least two years and probably more.  My doctor ran all sorts of tests and found nothing.

I'm presuming it's either arthritis or fibromyalgia (spelling?).  My current doctor told me there is no treatment for arthritis other than taking over the counter painkillers when needed.  I'm too young to be in constant pain (as you are, Seraphim!) but apparently this is how my life will be for however long I'm still here!

[Jibralta]

1 hour ago, boltnrun said:

My doctor ran all sorts of tests and found nothing.

Yeah, when my wrists were bothering me it was the same thing. My primary care physician told me to wear wrist braces for a while to see if it helped. She said that if the braces didn't help, she'd look into the possibility of carpal tunnel syndrome. So, I bought two wrist braces and walked around the office looking like wonder woman for about a year. 

But during that time, I booked an appointment with a hand specialist. He took Xrays, which showed no damage. The hand specialist referred me to a neurologist. He hooked me up to a machine and tested both arms--no nerve problems. They didn't know what my problem was, but they were able to rule out carpal tunnel syndrome. 

I had great insurance at the time and was able to do all of this without a doctor's referral. So, my PCP had no idea that I went to the specialists--but I didn't realize that.

When I went back to my PCP, I asked her if I still needed to wear the wrist braces, since it wasn't carpal tunnel. She actually snapped at me, "You do have carpal tunnel." And I knew I didn't because two separate specialists had run tests and told me that I didn't have it--and she hadn't run a single test and was telling me I did have it!

That doctor sucked. I remember one time, I booked an appointment with her because I was sick. I managed to get an earlier appointment at a local clinic and they diagnosed me with strep. But since I had an appointment with my primary physician already, I went to her for treatment--she was literally across the street from the clinic. I told her that I had strep, and she was like, "Who told you that?" I was like, "Um, a doctor." And then she saw the name of the woman who diagnosed me and decided it was ok. 

She was a pain in the ass. Once her office stopped being efficient, I stopped going to her altogether. I don't care much for doctors, to be honest. Nobody ever questions them, so they tend to operate on autopilot.

ANYWAY. My wrists stopped hurting one day. After years of pain. Not really sure why. 

 

 

 

[Seraphim]

I hear you. I have been in pain from many multiple conditions 3/4 of my life. 

[luminousone]

On 2/3/2021 at 5:29 PM, Seraphim said:

Thank you. I am started on a second one. I am just crocheting like a fiend lately . 

I love the colors on this one too!

[Seraphim]

6 minutes ago, luminousone said:

I love the colors on this one too!

Thank you!

[Seraphim]

Parents getting old and frail and immobile and decrepit is awful.