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How can I motivate lethargic hubby?

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One thing that helps me to walk when I otherwise might not is photgoraphy. If you can stretch to getting a digital camera, there are many good forums and websites he could visit to inspire and get out taking photos.

If you have any nice nature reserves or just a bit of countryside, it's amazing how the perfect shot can evade time after time but it spurs you on to go out in search of it ! 🙂

As far as a life=threatening illness goes, its only life-threatening if he refuses to acknowledge it or do anything to tackle it. It's perfectly possible to get it under control but it takes a lot emotional, mental and physical effort to get there. Once the effort is made, it can be a nuisance more than anything but at least you can both enjoy your retirement rather than just seeing it as the end of a useful life.

I hoep you can have a good talk about how you want to share your life together for a long time to come. Every man can sulk and feel sorry for himself but he's lucky to have someone who cares enough to help him to help himself. I'm sure he'll come good.🙂

Rob
 
Have you tried swimming? both of you could benefit from that, it gentle and you don't have to do too much. a little each day. it might help?
 
Agree with Robster about photography as a spur to get out and about - hadn't thought to mention it, as it's so natural to me! In fact will be cycling 15km tonight to reach an earthwork structure, then running a few km, then cycling 15km home - with photos along the way.
 
One of my friends would never go out if he didn't hve a digital camera. He then shares the photgraphs with friends, some of whom are poets. he now has an amazing collection of photgraphs, poetry and short stories which inspire him to do even more photography, even if he only walks round the local to him area he lives in
 
C*5_Dodger said:
Dear cakemaker,

I just caught up with this thread, welcome to the forum. Previous posters have given you lots of ideas - so here's mine. Firstly, this is a job for your husbands doctor, the obvious solution of getting him to exercise more will not work until the underlying problem has been corrected. Your husband feels depressed and lacking in energy so asking to expend more (ie exercise) when he feels has hasn't got any doesn't seem like a viable way forward. The one thing that I feel warrants futher attention is the question of high blood sugar. If he hasn't got a meter, he needs to get one and then adopt a protocol for getting his blood sugars as close to normal as possible. Here's one way of doing it, left click here.


Regards Dodger
Click to expand...

I have just told my husband about what you said about getting a meter. He thinks that perhaps it's a good idea and will discuss it with the doctor when he next goes.
It does seem that some days he feels more tired and hungry than others. I don't know if it's the diabetes, depression, boredom, the weather or what? I suppose if he has a meter we can at least say whether it is Diabetes or the food he's eaten that day.
Thanks
cakemaker
 
I feel that I want to reply to you all personally as you've given me quite a few ideas.

We live in a very beautiful area in the country and near the sea so we have the best of both. My husband is a great snapper of photos but we always forget the camera but he takes pics with his phone. He mostly puts them on Facebook.

The trouble with him is that he enjoys going out but his idea of a walk is to park up as near to the beach, river etc. and take a leisurely stroll for 15-30 mins or so, walk back and have a coffe somewhere; hardly what I call exercise. We had a lovely walk along the cliff walk a couple of weeks ago. We got to a pretty little cove that had steps up to the town. I said lets climb these and walk back through the town but he wanted to turn back because he couldn't face the climb.

We have talked about cycling. There is a realy pretty tow path along the river near us but it's my fault we don't. I had a hip replacement 3yrs ago. My leg was left longer than the other and has caused me back problems; although I don't allow it to stop me doing most things I don't feel confident about stopping on a bike and jarring my joints.

I swim very poorly but love splashing about in the sea but my husband doesn't like water at all. I'm lucky to get him in as far as his knees.

We have so many beautiful places nearby and don't take advantage of them. We enjoy just sitting and looking at the views but I want him to realy go for it and get moving.
He says that I don't understand how horrible he feels and pushing him will only make him worse. How far should I push him? I said that he probably aches because he's not using his legs enough.
We are looking forward to our holiday and to be fair he does walk then but again it's realy a stroll with lots of pauses to take in the views and the odd stop for a beer (probably not a good idea now) or coffee.
I think he thinks that if he pushes himself too far he'll have a heart attack or something. I think it will take more than a brisk walk to kill him.
I have shown him some of your answers and although he hasn't made a lot of comments I think he has taken them on board. After all you are the 'experts' on living with Diabetes so he can't say you don't know what you're talking about. So if these suggestions work for you all then they could work for him.

Many thanks you all for taking the time to answer.
 
Cakemaker - glad to hear the comments on this thread might help your husband.

Something to help you now - cycling with one leg longer than the other is possible, but needs a bit of adaption, such as an extra crank on the pedal on the shorter leg size. Cycling with a back problem can be more comfortable / less uncomfortable with the right dimensions of frame, appropriately padded saddle, shorts, handlebars and gloves etc, and with appropriately adjusted brake cables, any stop is less likely to be so abrupt. A bit difficult to explain, but I'm sure your local cycling campaign would be able to recommend a shop which could carry out the adaptions and recommend some kit to improve your comfort. I know that wearing padded fingerless gloves made my cycling much more comfortable during my recovery from a gash in my upper arm. Hope that cycling alongside a canal doesn't combine with your love of splashing about in water. 🙂
 
Good ideas Copepod.
I think I might give cycling a try.
I used to be so brave but breaking my leg started all my problems years later and now I feel a little vulnerable but I must overcome it to help my husband.
I'll let you know how we get on
 
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