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| My Backyard |
When I stopped living at Peaceful Forest and moved downtown to a small apartment I did not know what to expect. I had a lot of mobility issues. I knew I had to move and leave my marriage so I could go to a doctor. At that time I did not have health insurance and could not get any. It was out of our price range. I had absolutely no money to pay for any. When I did go to a walk-in clinic for something the young doctor there said my mobility issues was just normal aging. No real exam and no x-rays. Just a big bill with sixty dollars extra added because I did not have health insurance! So I did what I had to do.
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| Doing Laundry |
As much as I did not want to give up my life as a homesteading woman, I knew I had no choice. I struggled to do my chores. Washing laundry by hand was something a lot of people who read this blog romanticized. It was not by any means. It was a difficult chore for me to do. Putting my hands in ice cold water. I could not carry the water from the pump to the house to heat and then carry back outside. No, I had to use the cold water. To this day even with washing machines, I wash my personal clothing in cold water and hang to dry. Lasts much longer. I even made my own laundry soap which I do not care to do anymore. Moving here simplified my life. As you get older there are health issues that make it difficult for you to keep doing those chores that you used to do every day. When I used to say that homesteading was not a simple life I meant it. Nor an easy one.
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| Canned Ground Beef |
For a long time I baked our bread letting it rise next to our big wood stove. Now I don't even eat bread. Life changes and so did my diet. When we were low on food, I could go in my pantry and create a meal out of ingredients and canned foods that I stored. It never felt like we didn't have anything to eat. Maybe not a lot of meat though I had that canned in the pantry also. I did not realize that my inflammation was most likely coming from the baked goods I was making. Lots of sugar and wheat! Two foods I no longer eat. I know so many people with serious health issues and they don't want to try to resolve their issues by giving up their beloved sugar, wheat and high carbs. I just ignore them now. It is kind of like being a Christian and watching people talk against it so they can continue doing the things they do and not have to change their ways. Well, they don't have to. Just pay the price later on.
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| My Kitchen |
Instead of cooking from scratch I now look for foods I can cook easily without much mess. I cannot stand in the kitchen for longer than five minutes. So I get the food started and sit back down. Keeping it on a low enough temperature so it does not burn. Back and forth is the way I cook. I call it the back and forth method! If something takes some time to prepare, like a salad, I put it on the tray I keep on the walker seat and go back to my chair. There I cut up and peel it, put it in the bowl and then wheel it back to the kitchen to finish. Washing the dishes after each meal is another big help. That way I never have to stand at the sink for a long time. I cannot even if I wanted to.
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| Local Bus Transportation |
Living in an apartment in a small city is easier for someone living alone and zeroing in on old age. A house has a lot of work and expenses associated with it. Like a car. I choose to live without all those headaches. To be honest though, it is not easy. Having to arrange transportation to medical appointments can be a headache. They don't always arrive on time or at all. Sometimes they just cancel you and don't even let you know. Then you miss your appointments. Even so, I could never afford a vehicle even if it was completely paid for. The repairs, preventative maintenance, insurance, registration, inspections and whatever else comes up with vehicle ownership. There are taxi cabs and the bus system available. For groceries though I normally have them delivered. It is the easiest option.
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| Ready-Wrap compression garments |
Right now in the middle of summer I am already looking forward to fall and cooler temperatures. I can't wait for it. Even more so this year because it has been hotter and my Lymphedema is worse. I am wearing the Velcro Ready-Wraps most of the time now. They are easier to put on but they are hotter than the compression stockings. A couple of days I skipped the compression but it resulted in more swelling. You pay for what you do. Even if you know something is not good for you for some reason you still want to do it. Human nature I guess. I keep telling myself things will get better but unfortunately they never do. So I am learning to have patience, wisdom and discipline and hope for the best.
