@doreenc

Wow! You have been through it!! I tend to disagree with you about the "fragility fracture" with all that coughing and twisting. I've argued many points with doctors and have changed doctors when needed. Our first rheumatologist (he has PMR and GCA, high doses of prednisone to treat those conditions is what caused his steroid-induced osteoporosis.) His T-score is -3.4 so it's serious and he's fracturing easily. Unfortunately.

I am going to get some reachers to have around the house. I'd get knee pads for the floor but watching the way he gets up from the floor, I'm afraid he'd potentially cause himself another fracture.

I have no issues doing whatever needs to be done around the house, and asking for help for things that I just can't do (like I hired gardeners to take care of our large yard with two hills. I cannot possibly do it and there's no way he can. I also hired cleaners every couple weeks to clean our bathrooms, the upstairs and our kitchen floor.) I can keep up with the rest. I run a licensed child care and preschool out of my home so I'm constantly cleaning downstairs. He was my assistant however he can no longer lift any of the kids but he can still tell stories and sing to them. I try to keep him as involved in the things he can do because it's uplifting for him. Otherwise I find him slouched over falling asleep on the couch - and keep telling him to recline. He just isn't catching on very quickly at how serious this is. I really thought the news of two new fractures, one caused from simply reaching the low rack of the dishwasher, would open his eyes. He's just resistant to change. I just have to keep talking with him and reminding him.

The poor guy was completely healthy until May 2023 when he developed PMR. That was awful enough, then he got the dreaded giant cell arteritis and landed in the hospital. He's had very high doses of prednisone for over a year and is now finally tapering down. He's on another drug for the GCA and now going to start Forteo. He has bruises up and down his arms that look awful and embarrass him. His eyes and face are puffy from the prednisone. He just got some sort of hemorrhage in one eye so the entire white of the eye looks bloody. It's not dangerous but it does look scary. It's just been one thing after the other. He developed osteoporosis and is now awaiting the results of a CT scan of his bladder as there might be an issue there too. As well as needing a thyroid biopsy in August after finding large nodules. It's just one thing compiled on top of another and I get his frustration. The good news is the back pain is getting better so he's not in much pain at all anymore. He did suffer for months so this part is good. However it makes him feel like he can do more than the doctor says is safe.

I also rearranged pots and pans to make them more easily accessible. We have to do what we have to do to make things work and to make them easier.

I agree with you that the hardest part is no bending. They don't want him lifting anything over 5 pounds so he can't even buy cat litter (20 pounds) at the store. I told him no more putting things into the cart and reaching down. So if he wants to shop on his own get only what will fit in the upper kid seat area and nothing heavy. I feel like the old crab always telling him what he can and can't do. It's exhausting but if I don't he'll keep doing them. Someone posted that I can't make him do these things and he's going to have to figure it out and realize he's just hurting himself. That was good advice. One thing I've learned is that the longer it takes, the more he resists doing the right things, the worse it is on me because I'm left doing everything. And with running a daycare and house, it's a lot.

How frustrating not getting an answer on whether it's forever or not.

I'm anxious to see what others have to say on their experiences on what they can and can't do. It's super helpful hearing from others and so appreciated!!