Today’s health story is the first of a (hopefully!) series of ‘a day in the life of…’ features around different chronic illnesses. It is a paid collaboration between Rachel from www.whatapain.co.uk who blogs about her life with Rheumatoid Arthritis and CBD Hemporium a premium CBD supplier (our readers can get 20% off their products too with the code 20thanks). Rachel was asked to blog about a day in her life as an RA sufferer, how she manages and how CBD is part of her daily routine.
Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for your exclusive discount code for CBD Hemporium!
Morning: Time to Wake Up!
My wake-up time varies, which can be frustrating for me! Pain sometimes prevents me from sleeping well, and I battle with severe fatigue as part of my disease. I am always trying to improve my sleep routine, but sadly I’m yet to win that battle. Whatever time I wake up, my morning routine looks the same. I wake up with stiff, painful joints and this can mean it takes me anything from ten minutes to an hour to physically get up out of bed.
Once I’m up, I take my various prescribed medications and assess my pain levels before deciding whether to shower. Of course, on a bad day I can’t really leave my bed but on an ‘okay’ day I take the quickest shower possible and hope it doesn’t aggravate my joints too much. You don’t realise how many joints are used while showering until you live with joint pain!
Next, I decide what to wear. Getting dressed can be uncomfortable when you live with joint pain. Quick tip: most of my clothes have easy fastenings now and I live for jeggings or anything that doesn’t pull on my joints too much!
As I dress, I assess my joint pain and apply CBD cream accordingly. When I discovered CBD came in cream form it was a revelation for me. It is fast acting on my pain and provides great effective relief; particularly in the smaller joints of my hands and feet!
My Morning Routine
Because I don’t leave the house much during the week, I rarely bother to apply makeup. I stopped working in 2016, when my health declined significantly, and this means my days are mostly spent at home. However, I do follow a strict skin care routine, so I always take time to do that.
Once ready, I head downstairs to make a cup of coffee, being careful not to drop the kettle! Anyone with arthritis in their hands/wrists will know that making a ‘cuppa’ becomes significantly more dangerous when pain causes you to drop things
Once the coffee is poured, I take my CBD oil. I have been using CBD oil for several months now and it really has made a significant difference to my pain levels.
My Afternoon Routine: The Importance of Pacing
How I fill my day varies greatly. I started a blog seven months ago, which has added some ‘work-like’ routine back into my day; this has been really great for my mental health. One adaptation I make is I have an adjustable desk and chair to work from because the pain in my hips and back can make sitting problematic. I tend to start off by checking my social media platforms and engaging with followers, before doing some writing or editing.
I don’t work for hours at a time but I break my day up with lunch and a short walk with my dog. I can’t always manage to walk him, but he’s a Lurcher and a notorious couch potato so thankfully he doesn’t mind. If I am not well enough to walk him, I will spend some time doing enrichment activities, games and training to ensure he’s had positive mental stimulation. Then he generally goes back to sleep for the afternoon. Depending on my fatigue levels I sometimes join him for a short nap.
I try to do a small amount of housework each day to keep on top of it. I used to have a set ‘cleaning day’ before I got ill, but my joint pain means that is no longer manageable. I now break it down into small daily tasks, and it makes life a lot easier. I generally re-apply CBD cream to painful and swollen joints in the afternoon, to try and keep on top of the pain while I do those small tasks.
My husband arrives home at around 5 pm and helps with bigger household tasks like the weekly shop, walking the dog, hoovering and the dishes (I’m notorious for smashing things so it’s best he does this).
My Evenings
Our evenings are spent making tea together (thankfully he chops because arthritis in my hands makes this difficult), then we watch some TV or spend time chatting about our days. If I’ve been cooped up in the house for a few days, he will take me out for a drive somewhere to ease the cabin fever. We often go to the beach, which I absolutely love!
Then we head to bed, where I take the rest of my daily medications and apply some more CBD cream to manage pain levels and make sleep a little easier.
About the Sponsor
Rachel shared how CBD comes in many different forms and is used in her daily routine. CBD Hemporium is a UK site that sells all types of (completely legal!) CBD products; including skin products that can help with achy joints, gummy bears which are more palatable than oils for those with sensitive taste buds and even CBD coffee for a morning pick-me-up! Our readers can get 20% off their products by using the code 20thanks
Interesting post. I was recommended the pain cream yesterday having tried the oil for a few weeks. It’s good to see these products coming out on the market.
thanks Jo!