Jewel, you are not useless! While your mobility and ability to help with chores may be lower than it was before; that is not the measure of a human's true usefulness. That lies in friendship, love, community, family. Please remember that! Please remember that. My kids (adults) remind me constantly, so I wanted to pass along their thoughts. Hoping today turns into a better day for you.

Have you heard of the spoon theory. It keeps my energy to chore ratio understandable.

You sound like me Jewel. I swear by my hot water bottle really hot, and an ice pack. I’m avoiding replacement knees at the moment, frightened I’m going to be one of the minority who wish they had not had the operation. So many people say it’s a life changer. Take care.

Thanks Arleen. At the moment although with ease and on a soft cushion I can kneel, and also climb my loft ladder, I don’t want to lose these skills. Also worry I will be the unlucky one. Laura you are bang on. Take care every body.

Peter I would avoid the knee operation too. Because I know a lady that had the knee replacement and she wound up worse she could bend her knee before the surgery after the surgery she could not .it's been years since she could bend her knee. She has to to fall into a chair to sit because she cannot bend her knee. With my luck I would wind up in her situation and I wouldn't want to chance that.