Everything’s a Struggle…
Everything seems to be a struggle these days.
I have pain in my right arm to the point where I cannot use it to feed myself. I cannot type using that arm or hand, I cannot even brush my hair. Just putting something in the microwave is difficult — I have to use my left hand to open the door and then I have to make sure I can get the plate or bowl inside with my left hand, My right arm is virtually useless because of the pain in my shoulder.
The steroid injection I had in that shoulder did not seem to help; in fact now I have pain across my upper back and the pain in my lower back has returned. Repositioning myself in bed is painful. getting dressed in the morning is painful. Taking a shower while sitting on my shower bench is painful — especially, as I try to wash my hair using my right arm.
I have been given Tramadol for pain and Oxycodone for extreme pain— both I take very sparingly. Sometimes I even take Ibuprofen, although I shouldn’t because I have high blood pressure.
As I watch the news and listen to the struggles of the people in Ukraine, I realize that my struggles are small in comparison. Unfortunately, that does not make me feel better — it just makes me feel sadder for them.
We all have struggles, some are more intense than others, some last longer than others. But after 70 plus years of life I have found that living means moving through the struggles, adapting to them, and becoming stronger.
That’s all I can wish for myself.
And that’s what I pray for the people of Ukraine.
