Sometimes it's the little things......

The Little Things!!

Have you ever thought about the little things that are sent to try us with AS. Sometimes they can feel worse than the big things…

For example, like me you have a fused neck, so there is little movement….you go to a party, social event of some kind, and you are handed a long thin glass, or a champagne flute. You know that feeling… you know there is no way you can drink more than a little drop out the top of the glass as you can’t move your head back far enough to be able to drink much of it. So - do you say something, nurse the one drink, or just quietly try to figure out how you can change it into a glass with a wider top?

Right then, that’s the drink covered; you wander over to sit down and low and behold, but the seating is all nice and low, you know the kind I mean, where you need a crane to get you back out of it, either that or slide off it to your knees, so you can get something to hang onto to haul yourself up with. The same way when you spend a night in a hotel or with friends and find the bed is low to the ground so you have the same problem……So again what do you do???? You can’t stand around for too long, but if you sit down it will be a major exercise to get upright again, or do you just end up leaving early…..

Of course before you get into the house / hotel, you may have steps to contend with. There are lots of tenement flats in Edinburgh, and many of them have no lifts and the buildings are so old the stairs are likely to be worn and uneven, oh joy!! One step at a time while clutching the handrail and basically pulling yourself up. You arrive hot and bothered and sounding like you need an immediate oxygen mask!!

Alternatively, in some "trendy" new properties with internal staircases you may find stairs with no handrails, or curved with narrow steps, not sure which is worse.

So go back a stage - you are getting ready to go for a night out - what to wear???? I can no longer wear dresses with being as bent as I am; I end up with the back of the dress considerably shorter than the front - not a good look! So separates it is, bottom half is ok, problem is with the top - and the bent body. I have to buy a bigger size to accommodate the bend, the same problem re shorter back and longer front, but it is easier to camouflage with a top. However with getting a bigger size there is always the chance the neck / shoulders will be too big.

Blouses are better with a yoke back with a pleat so it will hang better with the additional material, but not always easy to find. Also if there is too much fullness at the front and no yoke at the back, then the back is accentuated with the tightness of the garment and all the loose material is hanging at the front. It’s a fine balancing act. Then the neck line………...if it is too high it strangles, I can no longer wear a polo neck (turtle neck!), and of course the opposite is also a problem too low and suddenly you realise you are exposing more than you intended!! The end result is that many clothes are bought simply because they are appropriate for the shape rather than because you really like them, and if you try something on and it fits - well it will do!!  So many days I set out for a shopping trip, and end up with a continuing cry of too long, too short, too low, too high, too straight……………then the ensuing depression when I can find nothing suitable and am reminded that I have such an awkward shaped body.

So thinking about all that, just a selection of the everyday problems, is it any wonder that my social life is non-existent!!

Right then, into bed, with TV, laptop, book and glass of something, so much easier and more comfy, not as much fun though………………………….