Sorry... I have been very busy or recuperating from being very busy the last couple of weeks.

I think you are onto something re the exercise, Jeri. I walk at a snail's pace now, due partly to pain, partly to fear of falling, and partly to being so unfit.

I can't really get any aerobic exercise except perhaps in swimming. The problem is the pool in my area has no steps to access, only a ladder or (god forbid) a lift. This pool is not warm enough for me at only 30 degrees (86 farenheit) which to me feels pretty damn cold.

It is nowhere near enough to a bus stop for me so I will need to taxi it unless I can convince Chris to take me one or two evenings a week. Not likely as he is up to his eyebrows with work.

I have been doing stretching in bed before rising and before falling to sleep and several times during the day. Amazing how much better I feel after a good stretch. Start with feet and ankles where most of my pain is concentrated and work my way up.

Still not good on the sleep thing. Pain wakes me and keeps me awake. If I take the heavy pain killers then I am more dozy than ever during the day. I get into "what to do next" predicaments when just trying to perform simple tasks like putting on clothes or getting breakfast. I do things in an odd order or stop in the middle of one stage of task and start another. Example, putting socks and shoes on before putting on trousers, which don't fit over the shoes without a fight. Getting cereal into bowl, cream into mug for coffee, juice into glass to take morning meds, almost pouring coffee over cereal, drinking the juice and forgetting the meds.

Ahh well. Whether it is age, ill health, or bone idleness I have to learn to cope with lapses and sluggishness and remember to pay keener attention to the things I am doing and writing.