Realization

[TipBill]

I am slowly but surely coming to the realization that I can not clean my entire house in one day anymore. It is a little over 1,800 sq ft and I used to be able to clean the entire house from top to bottom in about 6 hours. That would include dusting the baseboards, mini blinds, scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees, the whole nine yards. Now I can barely get through one thing in a day. I try to keep up with the bathrooms and kitchen on a daily basis. Clorox wipes have become my best friend. I gave up dusting unless company is coming because I live across the street from a corn field and the farmers are always over there, plowing, planting or harvesting.

What I want to say is don't think you have to do it all in one day. Every day pick something that needs done and try to get it done. If you don't make it, don't beat yourself up over it. It's okay if your house isn't perfect. I tend to be a little OCD when it comes to my house but I am trying to let some of that go and I think it's finally settling in that I will never be the housekeeper I was twenty, ten or even five years ago.

Take care of yourselves first.

Peace out!

 

[1sweed]

Hello there and thanks for your great tip and good coping skills. I used to be so fussy about the way my house looked. everything had to be sparkling all the time, but as my fibro got worse my house has learned to be a bit less perfect and visitors just have to see it the way it is. So I like you, pace myself and get the most important rooms done first and the rest can wait.

That is a hard lesson to deal with and most of us push ourselves to hard and for too long and end up to weak to move. But your way of putting it was the best way. Thanks again for reminding us to slow down.

 

[cmetryme]

hello,
i see you are learning and spreading what you have learned.
keep up the good work.

 

[moe1959]

This is one of the hardest thing I deal with. And my husband has 2 huge dogs, indoors, stink hair and all, and with fibro the smell knocks me over, then there's the 2 cats, they make a beeline to the house only to shit on our carpet. He thinks I should deal with it because "I don't work".

 

[kdurning]

I understand the feeling like you have to do it all. I know now being told I have Fibro that I can't and need to take my time. If I hear one more time the house is a mess I will scream and is the laundry done. I still work full time and raise my 11 year old but still get no help around the house from my husband he says he works all day well you know I do to and need some help but never get any.

Moe1959 does not matter if you work or not I belive everyone should help out but some men just dont and they don't understand what we are going through. I try to get my husband to go to one of my appts so he can understand but he is to busy. I love him and he is great father but I need help out son also has health issues and I hope he does not get this from me as well.

I have learned one step at a time little by little it will get down and if I need a break I take it. If I don't want to do it I don't becuase this is me and my life.

 

[jaminhealth]

Oh brother, my folks were married, 63 yrs and dad didn't lift a finger...when mom died, he had to learn everything, we had to teach him to write a check and wrote notes on the washer/dryer how to use them. He was lost.

On the other hand my daughter was married to a man who did it all, controlled everything. Yes, controlled.

Me, I love my single life and do what I can, if I can, etc. For something, I can't do, I hire.

It's a parntership isn't it.

 

[Forgetmenot]

Well we all feel u . Gosh some days kill me cleaning but I'm lucky that movement helps me a lot, it's when I stop I suffer

 

[nascarmike]

It works both ways there are days when all I can do is rest before work, but the family thinks its just being lazy. Would not wish this on the most vile of people.

 

[Tharper]

I am the same way, I used to be able to clean my house in 2 hours and that was my Saturday morning chore. (My house is much smaller). I tried to get as much as I could done last weekend and couldn't get through one room without the burning lower back pain and hip and arm/shoulder pain. It is hard to accept. My husband helps with a lot, but he is not in the best health either, I just started a new job and I am not sure how I will handle my bad days. If you call in you get a point against you and you get 3 points it is a disciplinary action. My feet hurt soo bad and on my right foot I have what feels like a golf ball in the bottom of my foot and it hurts. I have burning on the top of my feet....not sure what that is but it is new. I just moved back to Indiana from Florida because I couldn't handle the humidity but my old family doctor said she would treat my fibro. Anyway my point is that I guess we need to accept that we do what we can and not let it get us down for the things we cannot do.
Gentle Hugs!