Sunday 30 October 2016

Seconds Matter - Arthritis is a Pain

I was approached by Premier Bathrooms* to help raise awareness of Seconds Matter, a campaign to raise money for those with arthritis. This is a cause close to my heart as I hate arthritis! Yes I hate it. Our lives are ruled by it.

Grandad is waiting to have his hip replaced and we both hope it will improve his mobility and definitely reduce the pain he has. If someone knocks at the door I go as he just can't move quickly. Pain, constant pain. Arthritis is a pain.


Seconds Matter - Arthritis is a Pain. 


What really drove it home was catching the bus with Bear this week. We saw the bus, Bear saw the bus, but seconds matter and Grandad can't run because he has arthritis in his hip. I put out my arm and Bear got all excited shouting "Bus! Bus!". Grandad was behind us doing his best to catch up, luckily the person at the bus stop didn't have their money ready and took ages to pay so we caught the bus, but Grandad was then in pain because it hurts to run.

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The next day we took Bear to the park with his new bike. We stopped loads of times for Grandad to catch up but Bear is only two. He wanted to go fast, so we left Grandad on a bench and whizzed around the park again and again. Arthritis sucks. Grandad can't catch Bear and with a two year old seconds really do matter.

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View Towards Pen Y Fan from Fan Y Big in the Brecon Beacons

We used to walk in the mountains. We walked miles and miles but we don't do that now. I think that is one of the hardest things to get to grips with as we both loved the freedom and peacefulness of being alone in the mountains.

Sadly arthritis doesn't just affect older people like Grandad. According to the NHS website over ten million people in the UK suffer from it. Eight million adults over the age of forty suffer from osteoarthritis, what Grandad has, but that means two million under forty suffer from arthritis and that includes children.

Premier Bathrooms have lots of innovative ideas to help those with arthritis they also manufacture stylish walk in showers and walk in baths. To support Seconds Matter they have made a short video of what it is really like to live everyday with arthritis.

They filmed twin brothers getting ready for work in the morning. One wore an arthritis suit to demonstrate how simple tasks like cleaning teeth or eating breakfast add minutes to the morning routine. The result was that he missed the bus, they could have filmed us! Every day people are struggling just to do the things that we take for granted.

It is a great campaign and if you wish to donate or have any questions about arthritis visit their website Seconds Matter. It is full of practical advice for those with arthritis and details how you can help.

*Disclosure - this is a collaborative post

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14 comments

  1. Arthritis can be such a debilitating and life-limiting illness so i'm really pleased to hear about the "Seconds matter" awareness campaign. Like you say, it's all too easy for us to take for granted the little things that arthritis sufferers really struggle with. More needs to be done to make people aware of just how much pain etc. they live with every single day xx

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    1. Its awful to watch and I just wish I could help but we are just waiting now for surgery

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  2. My dad has suffered with arthritis for years. He's had one knee replaced and needs the other doing but the first one wasn't successful and still causes him pain. It's horrible to think there's not much that we can do to help.

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    1. That is awful. It is something that worries us, that it may not be successful but it is so bad we have to do something

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  3. I can understand this so much. The arthritis in my husband's spine and knees has brought our life to a near standstill. He can't even get in and out of the bath alone, it's awful xx

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    1. It is so disabling. On very bad days my husband can't put on socks, he absolutely hates being dependant but what can you do? We are lucky we have a walk in shower as he would never get out of a bath if he managed to get in.

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  4. Lots of my family have it and it's awful. And what upsets me is that the doctors often blame any other problem they have with arthritis. They told my mother it was that when her leg was in agony, but it was a ruptured tendon! Thank you for talking about the charity, because I had no idea about it and I'll make sure to bring it up to family.

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    1. Thank you and hope your mother has recovered now

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  5. I can't imagine the stress and pain that come with arthritis. This sounds like a great campaign x

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    1. Thank you, I think its the constant pain that gets people down, no real relief from it

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  6. I'd hate to have arthritis, it's awful. Thanks for sharing x

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  7. It can be so debilitating to someone's life. Thankfully none of my family have had it (yet)How great that premier bathrooms are trying to help. X

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  8. My mum and dad both suffer from arthritis so raising awareness is just so fantastic.
    Such a great post
    Charlotte x

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  9. It does really effect peoples lives so much - great campaign and great that you are spreading the word!

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