Seconds Matter – Arthritis in the ones we love.
Last week I was chatting to my lovely Mother in Law, who has been suffering rather too silently for some time with a very painful shoulder (caused, she’s convinced, by the time she got knocked off her moped by a bus. Yes, until pretty recently she used to bomb all over town on her moped – and now at the grand old age of 72 she’s trying to get to grips with driving a car again…). She admitted that she’d finally given in, stopped rubbing in oil of moss or chewing thrice-boiled bark or whatever other mad remedy she could find and actually gone to see her GP, who told her it was arthritis.
And she actually admitted that she’d not really had any understanding, despite watching her own mother’s hands slowly curl over the years, just how painful and debilitating arthritis can be.
So it was weird that it was as I was helping her look for a walk in bath (yes, she finally admitted that too – she hates showers, but getting in and out of the bathroom is becoming increasingly difficult for her. A serendipitous roof issue has lead to a necessary bathroom remodel, and I was convincing her that now’s the time to find a bath she can use for the next 20 years) that we came across this video on the effects of arthritis – and just how destructive it can be across a simple morning routine…
I know – makes you think, doesn’t it? Around 10 million people in the UK have arthritis, and it’s not just a disease of older people – it can affect people of all ages. And 65% of those people with arthritis say they have difficulty making a cup of tea when pain is at its most severe.
I had always thought that a few painkillers or anti-inflammatories were all you needed… *embarrassed face*
Please do take time to watch the ‘seconds matter’ video above. What does a second mean to you? Does it mean missing the last post or running late and not getting the last train home? For someone with arthritis those seconds are regularly missed and they can turn from minutes to hours in the struggle to get through the day. To raise awareness for World Arthritis Day, Premier Bathrooms challenged Nick to wear an arthritis simulation suit, while his twin brother John carried out his daily duties as normal – to demonstrate how an able-bodied person copes when their mobility is taken away.
If that video has spurred you on, or a loved on of yours is suffering, do visit one of the many Arthritis charity websites which are crammed full not only of information, advice and support but also with ways in which you can help.
24 May 2016
Thank you for raising awareness of arthritis and how it can affect all ages. My daughter was diagnosed last year aged just 2 years old. Even though my arthritis started as juvenile arthritis it wasn’t until I was ten years old so Miss T’s diagnosis still came as a shock. For children, early diagnosis is so vital as with prompt treatment sometimes they can prevent the long-term joint damage from happening so we are hopeful for a bright future for our daughter despite all the horrible treatment she has to have.