Hi everyone! I'm LadyL. Joined yesterday and wanted to say thank you. :)

LadyL

I skipped the introduction part as honestly I was quite anxious to begin with but needed some advice.

Just as many of you have been dealing with a lot of things, which have been much harder because of your health, I have too.

Anyway, I'm really happy to say, it is nice to find such a friendly community. Everyone seems to be so supportive to one another. It is really nice to see. So, thank you all. 

Also, when things are not going so well in life, it's really hard not to feel like it is only happening to you and no one really understands. Reading some of your posts shows me that this is not the case and there are really lovely people going through the same sorts of things. So thank you for sharing and helping me see that.

janer1967

Hi there 

You are welcome that's what we do best support each other and share our experiences 

Have a lovely day 

LadyL

@janer1967 Thank you.

Have a lovely day too.

Ross_Alumni

Hello @LadyL

Thanks for introducing yourself, it's great to have you on the community, and I'm delighted that you've already found it helpful and seen the super supportive nature of our fellow members  

LadyL

@Ross_Scope Thank you.

Think I forgot to add the about me part though, lol.

Well... I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia when I was 28, after suffering with joint pain since my late teens which my doctor had dismissed as growing pains. I used to do Tae Kwon Do, but unfortunately I had to give it up as my Rheumatologist believed it could do more damage.

However, my family bought me a digital piano for my recent birthday, so I have finally managed to find a new hobby. Just need to learn to play it though as I am a complete beginner.

Ross_Alumni

What a great gift a digital piano is @LadyL, how's playing that going?

chiarieds

Hi @LadyL - it's good to properly welcome you into this friendly & supportive community. I didn't think Drs would still put things down to 'growing pains'......I got that when I was younger, & it turned out to be a genetic disorder that later caused generalised osteoarthrosis. I hope you enjoy your digital piano, that sounds like a great birthday present.

LadyL

@Ross_Scope and @chiariedsThank you. It was a present from my parents and siblings. Never had anything like it before. 

Had it for just under 2 weeks, so still learning the basics. I know where the notes are now so trying to get used to where to place my fingers and how to transition up and down the piano. Playing with my left hand is a bit tricky as I am right-handed, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually with practice. Just ordered a piano stool so my arms are in the right place and to make sure my posture is good (even more important due to my RA). Overall, it sounds really lovely and even just trying to learn is relaxing.

LadyL

@woodbine Thank you.

Sorry for the late reply.

I hope you are well and having a good day.  

Tori_Scope

How are you getting on with the piano playing @LadyL? Have you managed to play any simple tunes yet? 

LadyL

Hi @Tori_Scope ,

I hope you are well.

Sorry for the late reply. Was feeling unwell yesterday. 

As for playing simple tunes, yes, I have. Thank you for asking.

I can work out how to play some music by ear by figuring out which notes to play. I just need to learn the proper way to go from one note to the next.

I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos to help. Plus, I did get some free online beginner lessons with my piano, which you can follow at your own pace. They come with video clips too.

Will get my piano stool tomorrow, which will make it easier for me to practice for longer.

Katharine_Alumni

Lovely to have you here @LadyL and so glad that you have already seen how supportive everyone is!

Tori_Scope

There's no need to apologise @LadyL You can dip in and out whenever you like! I'm sorry that you were feeling unwell, how are you feeling now?

Wow- you must have more musical talent than me if you can play by ear Learning from videos is a really good idea. 

I hope you're getting along with the stool okay. 

LadyL

Thank you @Tori_Scope.   You're too kind.

Not so good unfortunately. Woke up with abdominal pain very early this morning and threw up some bile. Have been taking Lansoprazole and Gaviscon as my GP thinks it might be acid reflux as I have a chronic cough which also seems to be affecting my Asthma. 

I think it might be related to when I ended up in hospital pre-Covid with severe abdo pain and being sick. The junior doctor kept trying to cannulate me but couldn't. He even tried to do it in my foot, which really hurt. I felt like a pin cushion. Anyway, they couldn't figure out what was happening and had to give me Fentanyl because the pain was so bad. Then I was put on a Morphine drip for a few days to control the pain. The consultant was awful and made me feel like a fraud. He was a surgeon. I have recently learned that they got rid of him as he missed diagnosing quite a few patients. My mum is a nurse in the Endoscopy department where he was.

Anyway, since then I had an ultrasound which showed I had a small hernia and a contracted gallbladder. I had an appointment made for a followup with another Gastroenterologist in March 2020 but it was cancelled because of lockdown.

I finally have one now in the middle of June, so hopefully they can figure it out.

So, haven't really had much sleep and have been hearing whooshing in one ear too, in time with my heartbeat. I think it is pulsatile tinnitus, but it hasn't been officially diagnosed yet. It's been happening on and off during lockdown, but it is really quite loud at the moment and my ear is painful too.

On top of that, ants have decided to invade my porch. I am just waiting for my dad to bring some ant powder or something.

Sorry for my long reply and that it isn't very positive.

Hopefully, I will have something more positive to post soon. Maybe I can update you about my piano learning progress when I feel a bit better.

Anyway, I hope you are well and have had a good day so far.