It's been a long time since I posted.

My daughter comes monthly with groceries, change sheets, to do chores. It's a regular routine, so I am much more comfortable with asking for help. I order the groceries online, so they are all paid for. I bought her a folding wagon to haul them.

I keep a "To-Do" list on the fridge or leave items on the table to remind me.

I have a new toy! 
Given some resistance bands. Presently using one on my bathroom grab bar.
​Looks like it may replace the need for the gym, the weight machines, etc.

That puts me in a doorway, apartment centre, and I can use while watching TV.

Seems to be great. Presently working out something for both upper and lower body.

Gym is now open. IF you weren't at high risk. IF you wish to book a 45 minute appointment. IF you don't mind wearing a wet bathing suit home. IF the handibus wasn't on "essentials only". IF you could buy/manage a bottle of hand sanitizer...

The list goes on and on. Definitely not the right place for me.

Well, COVID-19 certainly has changed a lot of things.

My carefully-constructed "house of cards" has been blown to hell. Years of ideas and solutions... poof!

Managing the needs of a pandemic is challenging, especially in a wheelchair with limited fine motor skills.
​Even gloves/face masks and washing hands is difficult and time-consuming. Lots of good reasons to stay home...

Items may not be available, meaning a wasted trip or more deliveries. Both are hard on a limited budget.
Handibus is on essential service. Boy, that makes staying home easy.
Gym/pool is closed which means exercising at home.
FCSS support is cancelled. Very slowly clean, change bed, do dishes. Garbage piles up.
Library is closed. TV is re-run extraordinaire. Finding new ways to entertain myself.
Social media is dire, full of experts, wanna-be stars, scams and fix-everything cures

Finding it now a problem to get up from my wheelchair... to transfer, stand, etc.... I am now working on this issue. I took note of what muscles are used or "what hurts". I also tend to pitch forward, so ensure there is a grab bar, cupboard, table, etc. in front. When I find any movement difficult, I repeat it 10 times.

Also, with the standing thing, I found moving to the shallow end of pool edge, allows me to simulate the "getting up" process. Hurts in all the right places. "Squatting" while hanging on to pool edge, repeat 10 times. Also found that "walking" while hanging on, in the shallow end is difficult. Experimenting with standing (upper body out of water, no hanging on).

​May also be useful to get out of recliner, bed, off couch...

Here's something I didn't know--people with MSA blink less. Plus people that stare at computer screens all day (like me) do too. A normal rate is 10-15 times per minute. The eye doctor suggested over-the-counter artificial tears, 3 times per day. Easy solution, but costly. I thought "if you don't blink enough, just blink MORE". I find adding those drops at night when I'm lying in bed is easier.

Here are other low or no cost ideas:
1. Warm washcloth compress. 
2. Salmon--in this case, the omega 3 can improve the eye’s oil film, also is an anti-inflammatory.
3. Computer breaks. 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, spend at least 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.
4. Blink more. I have post-its stuck on fridge, computer screen, tv etc