u/alt_isopod

Hello! 37F I have fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, an old hip injury and possibly arthritis. I take gabapentin and maximum strength Tylenol as needed but can't take other meds for fibromyalgia due to medical conditions. I'm fortunate that since last fall I have much less fatigue than I used to, and I'm newly in a more active lifestyle out of necessity (back in the city, no car.) some friends and I were planning a walk through downtown for my first time since returning to the city and I was afraid of the pain, especially because my old hip injury has been flaring up since winter. I was gifted a pretty copper cane yesterday, it's an offset aluminum Lumex cane.

The cane helped a lot! I only needed it when standing still and getting up from sitting (Tylenol helped with walking.) I walked over a mile and a half! My brother is an md and has told me that if people want to keep their bodies from physically deteriorating to the point of needinga wheelchair etc it is important to push to be as active as I am able. I have been very sedentary for many years, only partly due to pain, and I think long-term it may have made things worse. I am hoping to be able to increase physical activity gradually. I'm very grateful to have been gifted this, especially because it is such a pretty cane and matches my look.

tl;dr: I finally acquired a pretty cane and it helped tremendously with waking over a mile and a half yesterday. if anyone has been considering trying a cane, I highly suggest it! I would have not been able to get through this trip yesterday without it. if you're self conscious, get a pretty cane and don't worry what people think.