Loved ones of those with rheumatic diseases

[A Friend]

[user=50]Michele[/user] wrote:

Thanks for posting this…I'm going to go drink some “Natural Calm” which is a magnesium drink my Mom sent to me.

I didn't realize all of the connections related to magnesium deficiency…and these sources of information show that antibiotics can further deplete magnesium.

Michele

Michele,

About your Natural Calm drink, it is my understanding that this is a very good source of Mg.  I got some of it for my husband's insomnia a few years ago (on a friend's recommendation), but he didn't drink it but a few times.  One of our adult daughters was visiting later and said she had been having some chronic weird deep, sciatic type pain that she couldn't get rid of.  I found the unused box of Natural Calm packets and sent it home with her.  A week later, I asked her if it had helped.  She said yes, that the pain had gone away.  Antidotal, I guess, but I'm believing it was what helped her pain.

Hang in there!

AF

[A Friend]

ANewDay/Dawn,

You've had some very good replies already, but I do want to add some things about my husband and what he did in those early days that meant a lot to me. 

The day I received my dx, he said immediately that “we” need to find some information, perhaps a C. Edward Coop video, etc. and learn about “RA” (later I learned that this was not my exact diagnosis, but this “error” served us well at the time in finding the Arthritis book).  No videos were available, but a lady at a book store told me she had three on RA, but one was her favorite.  Want to guess which one that was??? Yes, Dr. Brown's work. That's the one I got.  

I read the book, then my husband read the book.  When I announced I was not going to take the medicine/treatment the rheumatologist recommended, but I was going to Iowa to Dr. S for treatment.  His reply was that he didn't blame me, that he would do the same thing.  (We went in blizzard weather.  I tried to postpone the trip, and he said no, we were going.)

So, he took an interest in my diagnosis, learned about the treatment. 

However, he did not hover over me, looking worried, but carried on as usual.  He was not overly solicitous, but would help if I needed him to do something. 

He maintained a good sense of humor, teased me as he always had, (oten distracted me with pleasant and funny things.  I'm not saying everything was easy; sometimes it wasn't.

He was alert to serious changes — like the three-day bout of coughing and calls to my PCP, and his nurse saying the flu was going around.  My spouse told me during the night of the third day, get your robe on, we're going to the hospital.  It was pneumonia.)  But I would not have wanted him looking concerned, worried, etc. every day.  By his reassuring presence, he allowed me to be ill and rest when I needed to, knowing he was there.  I encouraged him to play golf and pursue his usual activities. 

I believe it was good for us to include funny programs and movies, simple things that cause us to laugh (in spite of ourselves).  Those endorphins really are good for us.

We women are usually the nurturers.  When we are ill, it's really nice to have someone look after us. 

AF   

[Parisa]

Be there for them and let them know that no matter what you love them.

 

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