My right knee is arthritic. I am hoping to nurse it along so that it lasts a lifetime. That may or may not be possible, but I will do my very best for that knee!
I noticed on my first walk, after the temperature dipped below freezing out there, that my knee became painful. I have babied it since, resorting to an anti-inflammatory cream for a few days, covering it with a piece of one of Attila’s socks, with the foot cut off (my Mom’s suggestion, thanks Mom), walking carefully, and doing one knee exercise every single day. I have yet to return to the whole exercise routine, but that is coming soon, probably after we get the second wardrobe constructed, and Attila has moved the furniture around. When all that is done, the couch/daybed will be accessible, and I can use it to lie on while I do my other knee exercises.
I did a lot of poking around on the internet about the issue of arthritic pain in cold weather, and eventually found a pattern for a knee warmer. It is a knitting pattern. I don’t knit. I asked my Mom if she would give it a go, and she said yes. Today my knee warmer arrived in the mail from Mom, and it is wonderful! Because of the design, there is no pressure on my knee when it is bent, which can be a problem. I am wearing the knee warmer right now, and I can say that the warmth really makes my knee feel better.
Here is a link to the pattern:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/phils-knee-warmer
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Weather
SNOW SQUALL WATCH IN EFFECT
-12°C
Date: 6:00 AM EST Wednesday 13 January 2016
Condition: Clear
Pressure: 101.1 kPa
Tendency: rising
Visibility: 24 km
Temperature: -12.3°C
Dewpoint: -16.0°C
Humidity: 74%
Wind: WNW 18 gust 30 km/h
Wind Chill: -20
Today A mix of sun and cloud with 30 percent chance of flurries. Wind northwest 20 km/h gusting to 40. High minus 8.
Tonight Flurries and a few local snow squalls ending before morning then mainly cloudy. Local amount 10 to 15 cm. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low minus 9
Quote
“In spite of the cost of living, it’s still popular.”
Laurence J. Peter
1919 – 1988
Maggie,
My God you look so young. I thought you were quite a bit older. You just look great! Healthy.
The knee warmer is nice and I’m glad it helps.
x0x0x0x0x
Nora,
Thank you for your kind words. I love fuzzy pictures!
I have always looked younger than I am. My Mom and my sisters are the same.
Most of the time it is nice. Some of the time it is a pain!
For instance, in my first teaching job, the school had an open house. I enlisted some of the Grade 8 girls to help in the Home Economics classroom for the evening, serving cookies and beverages, greeting the parents, showing them around. I was there with the girls, working right along with them. For the next week the principal received complaints about me. The parents claimed I was not there!!!! They said there were only students there, the teacher was missing. I was there the whole time, greeting and socializing. But I looked like one of the students it seems, and the parents who did not actually speak with me did not know I was the teacher.
I’m glad you have a solution to keeping your knee warmer. I, too, look younger than my age. It’s not so much of a problem now that I’m 57, hah!
You do look younger than your age Joan! It will be a long time until you can pass for a sweet little old lady!
Glad to hear the knee warmer is helping! That was nice of your mom to knit it for you!
You look like you’ve lost weight since some of your earlier pics, Maggie. Looking good!
It was nice of my Mom Teri! She is a very talented woman, and can turn her hand to just about anything. Thanks for the kind words!
Good to see you!
What is an anti-inflammatory cream — and do you need a prescription to get it? What I take for my “neck migraines” is an anti-inflammatory, so why not try a cream on my neck eh?
Kate, the anti-inflammatory cream I am using is Voltaren Emulgel Original, purchased over the counter at Shopper’s Drug Mart, but I see it in most drug stores. I follow the directions carefully. The orthopedic surgeon recommended it as an alternative to taking Ibuprofen daily, which I cannot do. I used it everyday, morning and night, for three months as directed by the surgeon, during my knee recovery period. Now I use it, along with rest and care, when my knee begins to hurt. I like it, it works for me. If it were me, I would try it on my neck!
Have you got the knee warmer on the outside just to show us? Can you wear it on the inside of your trousers, as well? I like it. I wonder if I could alter the instructions to make an all-body-warmer that would make all my serious pains disappear? It would have to have a hole for the head, holes for the arms and legs, and also arms and leg sleeves…I think the only parts of my entire body that do not have constant pain are my head and my feet. Yup, every other spot hurts. I need a big one!!!
Love the photo!
Nice knee warmer. Nice Mom! I am using Voltaren cream for a hip joint that suffered from the many hours I have spent at the computer last fall. I am so cynical about the effectiveness about any ointments or creams, but this is working! To Stubblejumpin Gal, I have used it on my neck, for a pinched nerve that was troubling me.
Bex, I wear it on the outside of my trousers. On the inside I would find a cotton elastic warmer I think, something thin. But I like the outside, because I can easily take it on and off, without having to remove my trousers. What about long thermal underwear for whole-body-warming? It must be extremely challenging to be in so much pain Bex, sending healing thoughts to you.
Thanks Diane! Nice to hear another perspective on Voltaren cream, handy stuff.
I was also going to suggest thermal underwear for Bex.
I’m going to suggest the Voltaren cream to DH for some of his back/hip pain. He was doing good for some years after his back surgery but now he has a slipped disk, as was eventually expected to happen.
He doesn’t like to take pills all the time so that might be helpful for him.
Nice modeling! When I was in my teens, I looked older than I was; now I look younger. I can live with that!!
Just the right combination of circumstances Lee Ann!