One of the Benefits of Getting Older

[BarryBobPosthole]

I now have another body part that can predict the weather. I started getting RA in my hands about three or four years ago, or at least that’s when they started hurting for real, and any time we get a weather front with a low pressure associated with it my hands start hurting and a couple of fingers on my left hand actually will lock up if I make a tight fist. No biggie. People have worse stuff all over.
The last week or two my left knee has started wanking a bit and sure enough, we’re getting a big front through here right now and my hands and my knee are hurting like the devil.
Time for a medicinal toke.

Maybe I should start a weather podcast as my achy joints arre pretty reliable forecasters.

BKB

[quercus alba]

better be careful using the word "wanking" around Thump. It might get his barometric pressure up

[Thumper]

He said his LEFT knee. He does his wanking with his WEE-knee. :D

[BarryBobPosthole]

I actualy lol’d at that one Jim.

BKB

[Thumper]

:laughing

[Penguin]

I can sympathize Posty.

My right thumb has been giving me trouble for the last 6 months or so. I had the doctor take a look at it. He did a test and told me that it wasn't RA (thank god) but that it was osteoarthritis instead. I had just worn out the first and second knuckle... probably as a result of all of the computer modeling which uses the thumb to move the mouse around for weeks and months on end and also due to my mindless "palming" of firewood one handed.

I have admit that I was a bit scared when I thought it might be Rheumatoid. I'm a bit young for that and I see how it has hurt my mother so badly. I started taping it up at night and that has helped tremendously. I guess I must be clenching my hands at night because I would wake up with this thing screaming all the way up to the elbow. The joint is ruined and will only get worse but at least the taping has seemed to allow the tendons around it to heal up.

But I hear they have some new meds for RA. Maybe they would do you some good?

Will

[BarryBobPosthole]

I grow my own meds for it, Willy. And I have some grower friends that keep me in a high potency hand cream that they make for that specific condition. It works great. I call it WD-40 for my hands. I can’t take any of the nsaid drugs that works best, like Aleve because they’re too hard on Renaldo. The homeopathic weed route works well.

BKB

[Thumper]

I've had a problem with arthritis for a few years now and have been prescribed meds that I only take when it flares up. The problem is, sometimes I don't realize I have a problem until I go to pick something up. For instance, I'll grab a glass of water and the pain will hit me to the point I have ZERO grip and have many times almost dropped or spilled the glass. Other times I have a bit of a warning as my hand or wrist will be hurting, so I'm extra careful, but occasionally it will sneak up on me and I won't know there's a problem until it's too late. It's normally my right hand/wrist, but sometimes my elbow. I attribute it (maybe falsely) to 20 years of running a pressure washer. Handling the push-back from a commercial sized P/W put a LOT of strain on my right hand/wrist, elbow and shoulder. 'Course it "could" be from those early years of "chokin' my chicken". ;)

It sucks getting old.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Tying knots in fishing line is a biotch any more. Of course, the meds I take for the RA don’t help that.

BKB

[Thumper]

You're not supposed to SMOKE your meds! ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Why not? It works. It’s free. And the only side effect is cheeseburgers taste really effing good.

BKB

[Thumper]

I can't really argue with you there. :D