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Home Modifications

I remember sitting with my counselor, Elaine, on a bitterly cold day, during the winter of 2014. I had been experiencing ankle and foot pain for almost a year at that point and I was not handling things very well. Since I had yet to be diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, I was confused and frustrated by my physical limitations. I was no longer working and I was completely exhausted all of the time. My big accomplishment of the day was getting out of bed, getting dressed and making it into Elaine's cozy office that morning. 

 Sitting on her couch with tears in my eyes, I described the daunting task of housework, especially my struggles with laundry. Since the washer and dryer are in the basement, I had to gather everything from the main floor, bring it downstairs to be washed, dried and folded and then carry it back upstairs. Living in our home since 2003, this had never been a problem for me. Now, it was literally impossible. I felt guilty. My husband would get up at 3:45 am and go to work, come home, take care of everything outside the home, fix and maintain our vehicles, and now he was coming home to piles of dirty laundry, a dishwasher full of dishes and a house in disarray. 

I felt like my whole world had been turned upside down. I would toss the laundry down the stairs and hobble down step by step, so at least I was attempting to maintain my home. It would take me all day to plan and organize dinner. I didn't want Steve to know chores were so difficult for me. 


As I explained my woes to Elaine, I felt like I was speaking about someone else. Her words resonate with me to this day. Change is inevitable. People experience it everyday. Accidents happen. Diseases are diagnosed. Things can change in an instant. Adjustment times are necessary. Be kind to yourself. Ask for help.

May 15th will be a year since I was officially diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. My Rhuematologist is still trying to find a successful treatment for me. I am still tired and my home is certainly not the organized and clean home it once was. However, I have begun to look at things differently and my husband has even begun to adapt our home to make things easier for all of us.





His first idea tackled our biggest issue. 
Laundry.








Since a corner of our master bedroom sits over a corner of the basement laundry room, Steve designed a laundry shoot. This empty corner of our bedroom has become a beneficial addition in our day to day lives.





This wonderful box delivers a separate space to store extra towels, while providing a direct path straight down to a bin in the laundry room.

Brilliance!




This delightful alternative to lugging piles of clothing downstairs has been happily accepted by our kids who reside on the 2nd floor, as well!


While my dear, sweet husband devises new ways for me to do things in our home, I look for ways to adapt on a daily basis. 










Stay tuned for my next blog, "Attitude Modifications", and I will share a few things that have helped me shift my perspective and cope better with Psoriatic Arthritis.

Peace!
Ellie

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