Chronic Pain - what would you do?

[AmandaKDT]

I have been dealing with chronic foot pain for the entire time I have been running my daycare - which is almost 2 years now. After my last pregnancy my arches totally fell and I have plantar fascitis on my left foot (so my heel hurts). I have been to a sports medicine doctor and a chiropractor and both said there is no easy fix and since my arches can't un-fall it is pretty much a long term chronic problem. I have custom insoles but they only partially help.

So I feel really conflicted about continuing doing daycare. It is something I was committed to until atleast my younger daughter started school, but that is 2 years from now. My feet haven't gotten one bit better, if anything it is worse.

Over the Christmas break I only had 1 or 2 daycare kids and had lots of days off to rest. My feet were feeling so much better. Now 2 weeks back into a full load of 6 kids I am limping by the end of the day.

I just really don't know what to do. If I take less kids to make my day more manageable I would need a second job in order to make enough money. Or if I just totally quit I would have to put my own kids into daycare and I really don't want to do that.

What would you do? I have spent so much time thinking about this. I really don't like quiting after I have started something but I am in pain...

[5 Little Monkeys]

I feel for you!! I have had daily back pain for 8-10 years and dealing with any sort of pain for a prolonged amount if time is draining....physical ly, emotionally, mentally!

For me, having my hdc has helped actually. At other jobs I felt like I needed to give 110% every day or I was letting my coworkers down. I pushed myself far too much and did more damage to my back!! Now, if it's a really bad pain day, I can take it easy and don't feel too guilty about slacking. I do miss paid sick days though!!! Lol

If you do quit hdc, have you thought about what kind of jobs you could apply for that wouldn't hurt your feet?

[Rachael]

Day care is hard on your body. Lugging children, pulling wagons, pushing strollers, lifting, carrying.

About 18 months ago I began having pain in my ankle and my hands. Eventually I got to see a rheumatologist who has confirmed early signs of psoriatic arthritis. It seem even those who get mild psoriasis (I get it on my scalp only) have a 40% chance of developing arthritis in the 4 or 5th decade.

Cloth diapers are really hard to manage now. As a parent, this would be an undertaking for a couple of years only but as a day care provider, it's never ending and multiple children. I have three children in cloth diapers now, so 4 snaps to undo and of course they have a damn vest on too so another 3 snaps = 7 snaps to undo and do up again per change. 21 snaps for all three children. 60+ snapping motions a day, every day for years and years. No wonder my hands suffer.

It is hard doing day care especially as you hit your 40's and 50's and beyond. I am 45 in a month and it doesn't get any easier.

If I had options, I would change career. For me, I came into this when I was suddenly single and I'd been a stay at home parent for a while. I needed income and fast and I had qualifications relevant to this field and experience with problem children in bad situations. I didn't want my kids to lose their home, community, move schools when they had fairly recently moved countries, lost their grandparents, community, friends, and then their Dad. I felt it was too much to move again. BUT, it's easy to be trapped by this. Not so much the income but the write offs because to earn this income outside the home, I'd need the equivalent of the write-offs too. Sure I can earn that but not from day one. It would take time to work my way up, prove myself and until then, financially earning less is a huge concern with two teens.

If you have a second income as a buffer, and if your body is already telling you this is too demanding, take the chance and get out. I love this job but if I could earn the same elsewhere, have adult interactions and potentially benefits like pension and health insurance, damn right I'd switch.

But with one child about to graduate early in a couple of weeks and so off to Community College and with a younger one with his eye on med school, I can't risk lowering my income even for a short couple of years.

Ultimately, it's going to have to be your decision. But please, listen to your body. It's all well and good being home for your kids when they are little, but if you in such pain that they are looking after you when they get in from school, you are being a burden and that's not your goal.

I promise the aches and pains are not going to just suddenly stop. You could try weight lifting/strength training to see if that helps. You can change your age group so you don't have to lift and carry. But if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you'be always got. i.e. You keep doing things without making changes somewhere, the pain is not going to magically disappear.

[mamaof4]

I have plantar faceitis as well. I did have surgery to correct the problem and it was a rough few weeks but it really helped

[Lee-Bee]

Can you get creative and find ways to give your feet a rest? Would sitting more help?

Get a couple office type chairs and try sitting for more of the day, and get a stool for the kitchen and sit during food prep and dishes.

How old are your kids? Are you carrying some still (stairs etc) can you make changes so they become more independent so you are not carrying extra weight more than needed?

Put a stool next to the change table and have the kids climb on the stool then help them transfer over, or better yet set up a floor changing area and sit and make the kids come to you and lie them on the floor, depending on how many kids you have you can get a good break there!

Maybe by breaking down your day and finding ways to help your feet rest you can make it easier on yourself. This would allow you to continue home daycare while still giving your body the break it needs.

What about a hand massager? Give yourself mini foot rubs throughout the day when the children are settled. During nap lie down and put your feet up for a bit.

Find ways to "slack off" while still doing your job!

[bright sparks]

I have been dealing with chronic foot pain for the entire time I have been running my daycare - which is almost 2 years now. After my last pregnancy my arches totally fell and I have plantar fascitis on my left foot (so my heel hurts). I have been to a sports medicine doctor and a chiropractor and both said there is no easy fix and since my arches can't un-fall it is pretty much a long term chronic problem. I have custom insoles but they only partially help.

So I feel really conflicted about continuing doing daycare. It is something I was committed to until atleast my younger daughter started school, but that is 2 years from now. My feet haven't gotten one bit better, if anything it is worse.

Over the Christmas break I only had 1 or 2 daycare kids and had lots of days off to rest. My feet were feeling so much better. Now 2 weeks back into a full load of 6 kids I am limping by the end of the day.

I just really don't know what to do. If I take less kids to make my day more manageable I would need a second job in order to make enough money. Or if I just totally quit I would have to put my own kids into daycare and I really don't want to do that.

What would you do? I have spent so much time thinking about this. I really don't like quiting after I have started something but I am in pain...

I have flare ups of this too and found that great improvement was found after getting custom orthotics. I have to wear shoes almost constantly when I'm on my feet. In the summer it is brutal. Flip flops are a killer and then if im barefoot it only makes things worse. Hopefully you have a partner at home who has benefits that cover custom orthotics because your orthotic would be made with an arch lift to counter this issue and boy does that make a huge difference in the pain department. If no coverage, look for an orthotic called "super feet" (they are sold in sportchek in ON) they are an affordable alternative. I also use a golf ball for relief when I'm watching tv. I place the arch of my foot on the ball and roll it back and forth while pressing it against the floor. Best done on carpet or an area rug. The first couple of times it will be uncomfortable, even painful but the relief is fantastic. You can buy a cream called "traumeel" which you can apply beforehand for some pain relief and then just massage into the foot as needed too. Maybe seek out a chiropractor who offers "Graston technique" this will bring a lot of benefits to the condition and if received on a regular basis along with the orthotics should make living with it a whole lot easier. I hope this helps and you get some relief.

[ebhappydc]

For me I find I have to always watch my sugar intake or I get sore and stiff especially my knuckles. I'm probably at the beginning of some type of arthritis but that for me is a real trigger in causing inflammation. Over Xmas I indulged and came back hardly being able to diaper the babies. I've got one in cloth too so do all the snaps plus mom sometimes dresses him in 3 onsies! I leave two of the onsies unsnapped... I haven't started the foot pain yet. I do miss my office job at times.

[AmandaKDT]

Thank you everyone for your input, advice and support. I have custom orthotics and have used gel type insoles in the past and thry haven't fixed the problem at all. I am going to try acupuncture, as it is worked for other problems I have had. I am also trying to change things around so that I have 4 school age kids and only 2 full day daycare kids - making my work load lighter for a majority of the day. I truly try to take it easy, but just doing the day to day stuff (cleaning up and serving food, potty time and diaper changes) causes me pain by half way through the morning. My kids are really good at free play.

hopefully my plan will work out!

[MsBell]

I thought I would just add, this job is way more physical than most ( even myself) think. For Christmas my boyfriend gave me a Polar loop, its like a fitbit, keeps track of steps, calories sleep etc I love it. but what amazes me most is that an average, my work days I take more then 10,000 steps before 530pm!! I imagine in the spring and summer when I spend most of the day outside with the kids, that number will be even higher.
I agree with the other comments, if you can , try to get out and find something less demanding on your body, but if you cant, then try to take it easy (although I have no idea how to do that?!)

[Rachael]

For me I find I have to always watch my sugar intake or I get sore and stiff especially my knuckles.
That's interesting. My knuckles and wrist have been bad since Christmas and I attributed to the cold weather and the arthritis. I hadn't considered that the Christmas sugar which continues into Jan here because of the chocolates etc still in the house, might be contributing.