Physically Challenged Cooking

In article <[email hidden]>,

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

Are you in a wheelchair???
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add water
and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for me. I
can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain! DH for the
most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much as possible
to compensate for those days I can't cook.

I'm really sorry you are hurt. Can you get a wheeled cart with shelves
and a place to put it out of the way? Pick through your stuff in the
shelves you can reach in your kitchen and put less used stuff higher
and use the space for more used stuff within reach?

I did that myself, emptied out a cabinet, put that stuff (I hardly
used) somewhere else, and put other things in that space.
Annoys me to rely on someone to get everyday things for me
from a high shelf.

Good luck with that. nancy

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least.

Hi Patches,

I only have one tip, and it may or may not be helpful to you. I use a
pair of tongs when I'm accessing a shelf that's close, but not quite
close enough. I was inspired by my mom, who had terrible bursitis,
and who took boxes of cereal, etc. from the top shelf by snagging the
boxtop with a cooking fork and taking them down that way. That may be
helpful when you're navigating the lower cabinets, as well.

I hope I've helped, even just a little. I'll keep thinking. I can't
begin to imagine your frustration, especially with the power cooking
you do.

Peace,
Carol

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult.
I do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the
canning pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I
can add water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in
the butt for me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are
really a pain! DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook
in bulk as much as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

Sounds as though you are reasonably on top of your own problems. I could
tell you all about cooking with my particular physical functional
deficit ( much classier expression than "disability"😉, but a lot of the
fine details really aren't of general interest. I mean, as I usually
can't take the pot to the water I take the water to the pot by jug but
who needs to know that?

Ashby's First Law of Disability applies in the kitchen as much as
everywhere else - "Everything takes longer and costs more."

Be organised. Go for elegant simplicity - minimising effort doesn't mean
minimising flavour or nutrition, so consult Jill Dupleix or Nigel
Slater for inspiration.Do not try to do everything - if you can buy good
bread or chutney or pate, buy it without any feelings of guilt. Cook
ahead, a full quantity of casserole will do two people for two meals.
Don't even attempt potentially hazardous activities - you will know what
they are in your own particular case. Use labour saving devices and have
somebody around if you know there's going to be heavy lifting.

And have a dog on hand in case of food spills!

Christine

I have worked in the field of Rehab Engineering. If you expect these
difficulties to continue the best thing you can do is have a consultation
with a rehab engineer or occupational therapist who specializes in home
and/or workplace modification. There are many new products and methods being
developed that will allow you to continue your quality of life, and they
would be the best resource for accessing them.

Lefty
--
Life is for learning

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

Are you in a wheelchair???

Not yet but getting close some days ;( That's just not going to happen
if I can help it!

Nancy Young said:

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add water
and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for me. I
can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain! DH for the
most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much as possible
to compensate for those days I can't cook.

I'm really sorry you are hurt. Can you get a wheeled cart with shelves
and a place to put it out of the way? Pick through your stuff in the
shelves you can reach in your kitchen and put less used stuff higher
and use the space for more used stuff within reach?

My kitchen is set up as being very efficient but unfortunately there is
no room for a wheeled cart.

Quoted message said:

I did that myself, emptied out a cabinet, put that stuff (I hardly
used) somewhere else, and put other things in that space.
Annoys me to rely on someone to get everyday things for me
from a high shelf.

I'm using the step stool or DH. I should almost put the step stool on
wheels but that wouldn't be too safe LOL.

Quoted message said:

Good luck with that. nancy

Damsel in dis Dress said:

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least.

Hi Patches,

I only have one tip, and it may or may not be helpful to you. I use a
pair of tongs when I'm accessing a shelf that's close, but not quite
close enough. I was inspired by my mom, who had terrible bursitis,
and who took boxes of cereal, etc. from the top shelf by snagging the
boxtop with a cooking fork and taking them down that way. That may be
helpful when you're navigating the lower cabinets, as well.

I hope I've helped, even just a little. I'll keep thinking. I can't
begin to imagine your frustration, especially with the power cooking
you do.

Peace,
Carol

Thanks Dams and glad to see you back. I have strict orders not to raise
my arms beyond shoulder height, only as high as straigh horizontal no
further. No reaching and bending a problem as well as lifting.
Straight out in front of me work is fine. DH gets any of my big pots I
need down in the morning so can at least still cook. He reorganized my
lazy susan cupboard but the only way I can use that is to sit on the
floor. It's likely a pretty funny sight to say the least. You all know
how much canning I do so I'm pretty worried this is going to hinder
that. DH said he will help but dang it all this is my domain. I
appreciate his help but I want to do it all myself. This winter has
been really rough so hopefully things will improve. I have an
appointment with the doc shortly.

Lefty said:

I have worked in the field of Rehab Engineering. If you expect these
difficulties to continue the best thing you can do is have a consultation
with a rehab engineer or occupational therapist who specializes in home
and/or workplace modification. There are many new products and methods being
developed that will allow you to continue your quality of life, and they
would be the best resource for accessing them.

Lefty

Lefty, thanks. From what my gp said these problems are going to
continue for some time. I'm seeing a neurosurgeon the end of this
month. In the meantime, I have a rehab person coming in to offer
modification suggestions for all areas of my lifestyle on Tuesday. It
is a huge change for me. I have been in denial hoping it would just go
away but it hasn't. There's been a lot of other things going on and I
really just didn't want to deal with it. I'm determined this is not
going to interfer with my cooking but have conceded that some changes
will be necessary.

~patches~ said:

Thanks Dams and glad to see you back. I have strict orders not to raise
my arms beyond shoulder height, only as high as straigh horizontal no
further. No reaching and bending a problem as well as lifting.
Straight out in front of me work is fine. DH gets any of my big pots I
need down in the morning so can at least still cook. He reorganized my
lazy susan cupboard but the only way I can use that is to sit on the
floor. It's likely a pretty funny sight to say the least. You all know
how much canning I do so I'm pretty worried this is going to hinder
that. DH said he will help but dang it all this is my domain. I
appreciate his help but I want to do it all myself. This winter has
been really rough so hopefully things will improve. I have an
appointment with the doc shortly.

Oh man, this sounds terrible, Patches. :o(

I read in another post that you'll be consulting with a neurosurgeon.
If s/he is good, you'll feel so much better after surgery. I know
that I did, when mine repaired my lower back.

Take good care of yourself. We're here for you.

Gentle hugs,
Carol

~patches~ said:

Quoted message said:

I did that myself, emptied out a cabinet, put that stuff (I hardly
used) somewhere else, and put other things in that space.
Annoys me to rely on someone to get everyday things for me
from a high shelf.

I use an office step stool (in my kitchen) which is on wheels that
lock when you step on it. I've used it for at least 25 years and
have never had a problem with it.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very frustrated but
that's the way it is for now at least.

This may help http://arcoa.com/products-ezg.htm
http://reacher.com/store/productlist.asp?department=4 They even have one
with a light.

My wife uses a similar one that is probably 50 years old and was common in
grocery stores way back in the old days.

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 04:06:35 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very frustrated but
that's the way it is for now at least.

This may help http://arcoa.com/products-ezg.htm
http://reacher.com/store/productlist.asp?department=4 They even have one
with a light.

My wife uses a similar one that is probably 50 years old and was common in
grocery stores way back in the old days.

I have one that I got when I had my hip replacement surgery. I use it
all the time and it is invaluable. Don't have one with a light
though... Mine used to have a magnet at the end of it, so it could
pick up things like paper clips, etc., but somewhere along the way it
came off.

Christine

"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

This may help http://arcoa.com/products-ezg.htm
http://reacher.com/store/productlist.asp?department=4 They even have one
with a light.

My wife uses a similar one that is probably 50 years old and was common in
grocery stores way back in the old days.

I use tongs, I have long ones I got to use outside on the
grill ... they get stuff at least close enough to the edge so
I can just reach it with my fingertips, if it's something to
large to actually take down.

nancy

Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

Quoted message said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

For the stuff in the cabinets, have you considered one of the "grasping
sticks" (I am not sure of the correct name for them) ? It has 2 curved
metal clamps on one end (rubber lined for 'non slippage'😉 and a trigger
on the other end. Put the clamps around what you want, squeeze the
trigger and get it down. I think they also have them with "locks" so
you don't have to keep pressure on the trigger to keep the item grasped
(will let you use both hands/arms to get something down/up ). If I
remember correctly, these are about 2 1/2' - 3' long.

Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

Quoted message said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

I don't know the exact nature of your problem, however, from you saying
a neurosurgeon, I presume it concerns your back.

If you are not aware, there is a back surgery that is being done on a
"trial basis" for "ONE DISK ONLY" (gotta love the FDA and AMA). This
procedure has been used in Europe for over 15 years, for MULTIPLE disks
and has a 97%+ success rate. Basically, they separate the vertebra,
imbed a metal plate in each vertebra and the put a cushion between the
two plates. The "normal" back surgery here (fusing of the vertebra) has
the following rates: 25% are better, 50% are the same and 25% are
worse. While recovery time for back surgery done here is about 6
months, this procedure from Europe has an average recovery time of about
6 - 8 weeks.

The reason I know about this is that I have degenerative arthritus of
the spine. It is disolving my disks. At present I have 2 disks
completely gone (bone on bone) and 2 more with less than 10% of the disk
left. Fortunately, between the pain killers, a cane and gritting my
teeth, I can still get around somewhat (no wheel chair YET )

On Sat 18 Mar 2006 09:27:49p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Ted
Campanelli?

Quoted message said:

Ted shuffled out of his cave and grunted these great (and sometimes not
so great) words of knowledge:

Quoted message said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them. Here's mine - I need a step stool in
the kitchen. Reaching for anything is not an option. I get very
frustrated but that's the way it is for now at least. I need things
consistently in their right place otherwise it is just too difficult. I
do a lot of canning as everyone knows here. I get DH to put the canning
pots on the counter as I can't lift them at the moment but I can add
water and I can get jars out. Freezers are a royal pain in the butt for
me. I can get into the sbs but the chest freezers are really a pain!
DH for the most part has to get that stuff out. I cook in bulk as much
as possible to compensate for those days I can't cook.

For the stuff in the cabinets, have you considered one of the "grasping
sticks" (I am not sure of the correct name for them) ? It has 2 curved
metal clamps on one end (rubber lined for 'non slippage'😉 and a trigger
on the other end. Put the clamps around what you want, squeeze the
trigger and get it down. I think they also have them with "locks" so
you don't have to keep pressure on the trigger to keep the item grasped
(will let you use both hands/arms to get something down/up ). If I
remember correctly, these are about 2 1/2' - 3' long.

Those things are a godsend. I bought one when David was recovering from
quadruple bypass surgery and couldn't/shouldn't over-stretch to reach for
or pick up things. Now we use them mainly for picking up the dozens of cat
toys strewn all over the house before we vacuum. :-) I'm not tall, only
5'9", and I still use them for grabbing things off the top shelves in the
kitchen and pantry. Beats hauling out a stepstool any day.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

~patches~ said:

Lefty said:

I have worked in the field of Rehab Engineering. If you expect these
difficulties to continue the best thing you can do is have a
consultation
with a rehab engineer or occupational therapist who specializes in home
and/or workplace modification. There are many new products and
methods being
developed that will allow you to continue your quality of life, and they
would be the best resource for accessing them.

Lefty

Lefty, thanks. From what my gp said these problems are going to
continue for some time. I'm seeing a neurosurgeon the end of this
month. In the meantime, I have a rehab person coming in to offer
modification suggestions for all areas of my lifestyle on Tuesday. It
is a huge change for me. I have been in denial hoping it would just
go away but it hasn't. There's been a lot of other things going on
and I really just didn't want to deal with it. I'm determined this is
not going to interfer with my cooking but have conceded that some
changes will be necessary.

Oh my dear, I hadn't realised it was that bad. It sounds like you're
getting, or about to get, all the right professional help as far as
modifications go. Your real challenge is adjusting to your limitations.
Your cooking is going to be interfered with, but that doesn't mean you
stop doing it, it means you do some things differently. Nothing wrong
with that. It's a matter of identifying specific problems and working
around them.

Not wishing to knock the professionals, but if you can get on to other
people with similar problems to your own, you will find them a great
source of both moral support and practical suggestions.

It's not easy accepting that you just can't do some things that you used
to be able to. I know - been there, done that, got the souvenir mug.
It's like one of those computer games where you've got to solve all the
puzzles to get out of the dungeon, complete with maddening frustration
and a fair bit of futile struggle as you try solutions that don't work.

Best of luck, you'll be right in the end.

Christine

~patches~ said:

Ok I have eluded a couple of times to some of the problems I'm having
and without going into detail if anyone out there is dealing with
physical problems when cooking, would you please mind sharing them and
your ways of dealing with them.

My aunt Jean was legally blind (not totally blind) from the age of about 26
back in the early 1940's. She was an excellent cook. She knew where things
were in her kitchen and around the house by touch. She made wonderful meals
including a fantastic German chocolate cake with coconut pecan frosting.
She also refinished furniture and did pottery as a hobby. So no, you don't
have to tell me about physically challenged people. I know they can and
will do things, if they want to. Thing is, you have to want to.

Jill