what-the-fuck-broski

[what-the-fuck-broski]

So you just got diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis....

A guide to coping with inflammatory arthritis written by someone who has been living with it for years

1. Warmth helps with pain and stiffness

Take a hot bath or shower

Use a rice bag to heat your most stiff and painful joints - How to make a warm rice bag (no sew) How to make a warm rice bag (sew) Adorable heated stuffed animals

Heating pads can also be good for heating specific joints (I don't like either of the ones I've had so I'm not dropping a recommendation)

2. Compression helps with stiffness

Compression gloves work really well in particular - Really cool compression gloves

Compression for other joints works well too

3. NSAIDs help reduce inflammation in your joints

Topical diclofenac is my personal favorite, it works wonders

Meloxicam is only available by prescription but has fewer negative side effects than over the counter NSAIDs do

Ibuprofen and Aleve/Naproxen are both OTC NSAIDs

Here's a full list of NSAIDs

4. Steroids reduce inflammation but are usually only used for flares. If OTC remedies are not working for your arthritis it may be worth asking about steroids to manage flares

5. Use adaptive devices

Note that I haven't tried all of these!

In the kitchen - Jar opener, pull tab opener, arthritis friendly silverware, ergonomic knife, another ergonomic knife

In the bathroom - My favorite shower chair, long handle bath sponge, shower grab bar

Dressing - Many button and zipper aids, magnetic jewelry clasps, sock aid

Standing assists - Bed rail, couch stand assist, cane with stand assist

Office - Pencil grips, book stand, vertical mouse

Other - Arthritis friendly gardening tools, so many grips adapters and holders

.... and many many more

6. Use mobility aids - I'd strongly recommend talking to a doctor before deciding to use mobility aids. mobility aids cause damage to your body so it's important to weigh the pros and cons of using them. Anyways my personal recommendations:

Canes - NOVA T cane, Carex ergonomic offset cane

Crutches - Millennial In-Motion Forearm crutches

Other people with inflammatory arthritis are welcome to add on!

[what-the-fuck-broski]

Sometimes I wonder if there’s more than one of me

Part of me is screaming you know there is

Like

There’s the parental one who’s really nice and takes care of me

And there’s the really mean one that really fucking hates that we exist and will insult literally everything I do and convince me that all of my friends hate me. But the nice of says that she just needs to be loved and cared for and shown that she matters even though she’s a bitch

And there’s the little one that’s just a kid. That’s it, he’s just a kid. He’s precious and funny.

And there’s me and I’m just like. Feeling lost. Who am I? I’m trans and I’m a man. I like soft things. I’m not great with people but I care a lot.

Anyway, there is probably just me and I’m making all of this up and I definitely don’t have enough, or any trauma, for there to be multiple of me. I’m definitely faking it, even though I will literally never bring this up to anyone ever and I get scared when I slip and another side of me shows (really it’s just the mean one. The other two are okay. And she’s only bad when she’s being mean. She can actually be helpful and assertive)

And I keep getting internal responses to all of these like you know it’s not fake and that’s cuz I stole all the therapy, why do you think you don’t remember any of it except when she said she was upset for you and when you decided to not come out to your parents as trans and to instead force yourself to be femme god maybe that’s where I come from that would make sense since I’m the only cis one

[what-the-fuck-broski]

I wanna fucking die

I wanna kill myself, I hate myself so much

I just don’t deserve good things

[what-the-fuck-broski]

IF YOU ARE UNMARRIED, DON'T HAVE KIDS, AND HATE YOUR PARENTS PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HAVE A FUCKING WILL

this has been a public service announcement from your friendly neighborhood probate lawyer

[what-the-fuck-broski]

Perhaps my parents house isn’t the best place for me, as evidenced by the fact that the thought ‘I’m going to fucking shoot my self’ crosses my mind at least once a day

Usually more though

[what-the-fuck-broski]

To be clear, some days is just about every day

Some days I think I’ll kill myself if I have to stay here any longer

[what-the-fuck-broski]

Some days I think I’ll kill myself if I have to stay here any longer

[what-the-fuck-broski]

I wanna go home I don’t wanna be here. I wanna be myself and I don’t wanna be misgendered and dead names all day. I want to feel safe. I don’t want to be so fucking anxious. I don’t want to feel trapped. I want to have parents that I can talk to without having to avoid my own opinions. I want to go home. I’ve been here for less than a day. I was done being here after twenty minutes and I have to be here for TWO FUCKING MONTHS

Everyone is concerned about me being here but I don’t really have a choice in the matter, do I.

[what-the-fuck-broski]

Dressed Ziggy up as a yellow spotted lizard for Halloween and did a spooky pumpkin photo shoot

Got that last one by feeding him a couple crunchy mealworms. Happy Halloween everyone!

[what-the-fuck-broski]

[what-the-fuck-broski]

[what-the-fuck-broski]

[what-the-fuck-broski]

I’m just falling apart right now because my brother is leaving the family but not leaving me but it’s causing him pain and everyone else pain and dad is going to be angry and mom told me when he first walked out that I needed to do my thing and fix it (because I’m the therapist of the family 🙃) but I can’t fix this because it’s been building up for years and my brother is his own person. But I just grew up with a strong foundation of having both parents and my brothers and my dog and now bith of my parents are sick in different ways and my dog is dead and our family is splitting up. And everyone always vents to me because I can actually listen without judgement (again because I’m the therapist of the family and I don’t want this job). So I carry all of their anger and sadness and resentment and it’s a lot and I even fucking know I how feel because I’m so full of everyone else’s feelings. And I just feel so fragile and broken and I don’t know what to do.

Because I should be able to take this, right? Thousands of people deal with shit a thousand times worse than their brother saying he doesn’t want to be a part of the family anymore. I should be able to handle this because he isn’t even leaving me. So why can’t I handle this

[what-the-fuck-broski]

I CANT BELIEVE THEYRE MAKING A GENGAR PLUSH OF THIS SDFGH

[what-the-fuck-broski]

Hello, yes, I think I just started dating the guy who asked me on a date? And I’m really happy? And he like, genuinely likes me? And I don’t think I ever saw myself as having someone like this who responds to every part of a message and actually like shows they care that much? So obviously?

[what-the-fuck-broski]

I just got asked on a date. For the first time ever. By a guy because apparently I’m attracted to guys when I am also a guy? So transitioning I’m.... bi?

Anyway, I’m excited and nervous and I hope it goes well but also our first chat will be over FaceTime which is good because it’s a 2 hour drive between us

[what-the-fuck-broski]

why are all pride flags just stripes make that shit like Wales