For toe & finger nails, I have been going to get a mani/pedi for years. Lately, though, I can't afford it. I have nerve damage in my hands due to botched carpal tunnel surgery many years ago, and it makes my fingernails grow in strange formations and are very, very thin. Lately, I've been just clipping them off very short before they break (less than 1/8 inch) and use a nail file to get rid of chipped edges. Toenails are a big problem, though. I still have good use of my hands, but my back won't cooperate in getting to them. I have a garden tub in my bathroom, so I sit on that and put my feet across it and cut them from there. Carrying a purse was a problem, too. I now have a very lightweight small Vera Bradley backpack that carries enough stuff for a day out. I use a matching wristlet for a wallet - it has a zipper pocket that fits my cell phone perfectly. But I did have to go through my purse and get rid of a lot of things. I used my wheelchair (without the foot rests) in the kitchen so I don't have to be on my feet (standing is extremely painful to me). I also have a padded chair in the laundry room so I can transfer clothes from washer to dryer. I also deliberately bought front-loading machines so there's no bending over. There are two neat little gadgets to help with getting out of a vehicle. One is a strap that attaches around the top of the window to the body of the car. I don't like that one very much, so I got the other - It's just a little hook with a handle that fits into the square loop that the door latch uses. Made a BIG difference in my being able to get out and about. There are so many ways to adapt certain activities to your level of disability. It just takes a little thought and ingenuity. It's not about what you CAN'T do - it's about what you CAN do. JaynieBeth
----------
Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2007.
Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1999.
Spinal injury in 2003. |
