Progressive Degenerative OsteoArthritis

[Silent_Wolf]

I'm going to be very straight out with this: I DO NOT WANT PITY IN THIS THREAD!!! I want help, yes, but if I get a single post in this that simply says "o im so sorry" I will scream. -.-

For years, my mother has had awful arthritis in her knees; she's had surgery twice on them, but her new doctor says that could actually be making it much worse. Last year, she managed to break her leg after walking backward off a staircase (please don't ask. DX), and when she finally started working at the deli, her back started hurting, a LOT. Initially she ignored it, she's not one to complain much about anything and when you do hear her complain, something is really wrong.

She finally got her butt to the chiropractor after almost ten months straight of nothing but pain and agony, and we found out that she's got what the title of this thread says: Progressive Degenerative Osteoarthritis. It is NOT to be confused with Osteoporosis; this is affecting her lower back.

Her doctor gave her two options: Stay on her feet and work despite the pain, or sit on her ass (that's what he said, he's very frank) and get bloodclots in her legs.

Pretty obvious what she chose, considering she's still going to work.

My mom is 37, 38 years old for god's sake! She doesn't need to be put through this. We don't know how the arthritis got to her back, but if it's putting pressure on her spine then she's gotta have surgery to prevent it damaging anything. If that happens, I don't care what the school board says about social development*, I am getting homeschooled to take care of my mom because we can't afford a live-in or visiting nurse. She basically gave up college for me and my brother (she was 23 when I was born), and while I don't want to take the same chance of having to give up a good education just to take care of her, she's really gonna need help because she can't do anything without being in really bad pain and if she does have to get that surgery, it's really gonna hurt us all because of how the economy is becoming and I really don't know if our insurance will cover something like this.

What should I do? I really want to help my mom out, but she's incredibly stubborn and is STILL trying to do her usual work around the house. I'm not at home right now, hence why I'm typing this up (she'd probably kill me if she saw me typing this), but I need some advice pretty bad right now.

*=The school board for my county absolutely abhors the idea of homeschooling because apparently that means you become a social outcast. I frankly don't care, I'm already a social outcast. O_o

[Xx_Pixie_Dust_xX]

I'm not very good at giving advice,especially about something i don't know alot about (like this). But,i googled it and i found this site that has some info on Progressive Degenerative Osteoarthritis:
Medinfo: Osteoarthritis


Hope it helps a bit.
And about what you said about the homeschooling to take care of your mom was sweet,i would do the same.
My grandpa has sorta bad arthritis,mostly in his knees.It has gotten alot better over the years,mostly because he keeps active.He has had i few surgeries which i think have helped.He used to have to walk with a cane,but he doesn't anymore.I don't even think it bothers him any more,or if it does maybe only for a day or two and then he's fine.

[TheHayleyDoll]

I know how you feel. My mom has a kidney stone and gets these awful spasms in her stomach and leg sometimes. She getting real thin. Luckily, it's getting much better and she's starting to be able to eat a good amount again. She still has them, just not as often. I couldn't hang out with my friends as often as I would've liked this past summer. How sad. T.T


I guess the best advice I can give it stay strong. Make sure your mum knows about her condition and maybe she'll slow down before it gets a lot worse.