@rwinney, @gingerw, @thenazareneshul, and others....Rachel, everything you noted was great, excellent advice on handling each day. Ginger, you put it more in line with what you accomplish each day. thenazareneshul put it in a different perspective. An interesting discussion of moderation and modification.

My simple addition to this lesson is it begins or began for me with acceptance. I worked on moderation most of my life. I grew up with a very successful father who repeatedly said, often at breakfast as he mentioned it was the most important meal of the day while eating his cereal or oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries, drank a juice glass of orange juice... Everything in moderation.

I worked for 60+ years on that concept. No good. I still struggled through the days and years with illnesses that required me to slow down or rest or whatever and meant I couldn't be the best at what I was attempting. I was therefore a failure. Nope.

The same with modification. How to modify without thinking from the place of moderation or disability or allowing yourself to need to modify. It took years for me, after years for the world to develop, to use products made for comfort with arthritic hands, wrists, legs, vertebrae issues, or muscle issues...I still thought I had to succeed by doing everything the best and being the best. Wow, what a load to carry all your life.

Now, thank you Ginger and Sue and Lori and so many others, now I accept the fact my body has limited abilities. There are actually things I cannot do. Amazing, eh? I can't walk safely, without falling or wobbling dangerously, without using a cane or walker. I must stand up slowly and give my body a chance to adjust to the new position. I hurt in most places at various times. But, I rest a lot now. Most days, I give my body real rest. Even back in bed if it helps. Some days, I'm on the computer or watching tv in bed because I cleaned the birdfeeders the day before.

That's ok now. The birds have clean and full feeders. That's a good thing. So, I rest the next day.

Ginger, cleaning one room is not possible for me. Hasn't been for years. I fought it for years. Beat myself up for years. So, now, after accepting this as the way my life is and no longer fighting with my body all the time, I do a load of dishes in the dishwasher, and that's that day's work. Or, collect and take out the garbage and that's it for that day. No vacuum, very little sweeping. Some dusting. I water my plants and talk with them. I no longer expect myself to clean the kitty litter every day as I did for years. Now. poor baby is lucky to get it cleaned 2X weekly. She howls at me on occasion while sitting in front of the litter box. I hate that I can't do better. Tell her I'll clean her litter later today or tomorrow...she looks at me and is satisfied. But, I follow through and schedule that task for what I promised. She's adjusting with me.

Acceptance. She accepts my limitations. I accept my body, my life, and my limitations. But, no longer think of limitations, but just as life as it is now. That has helped me more than anything in this pain journey. I love my hot pink, zebra-patterned walker. I accept the walker, but on my terms. I choose to put the birds and plants and animal needs first, as I get such joy from them. My needs are met each day. Just differently.

This works for me. I hope it helps others to get to the moderation and modification and a normal part of life, good life.

Be blessed all...elizabeth