This is for the ladies, so you guys keep your mitts off of this topic.

I have degenerative joint disease. Have it for a long long time. That means, when it's damp outside (or it's not 100 degrees and feels like the Sahara Desert), well I can't fasten my bra of pull anything over my head. I also have frozen shoulder problems. I got the shot in the shoulder and it helped.

I've had this for years, did the therapy, did the tens unit on m shoulder in the therapy place (with the hot pack over it). All that was great but right now I'm not in a position financially to do this 3 times a week. Dr. Fred knows this, so I do the climbing up the wall spider thing. Some days I can move my left arm better. Some days, when it rains, well, Alan has to help me get dressed and put on my bra. I hate this.

So I said to myself "don't they make a bra that fastens in the front?"

I googled it and sure enough, there are hundreds of front clasping bras out there, anywhere from $14.95 plus $6 shipping and handling, all the way to $99.00 (which was the one I liked but who the hell has $99.00 for a brassiere?)

So before I purchased the one from footsmart.com
here it is by the way:
http://www.footsmart.com/P-Front-Hoo...Bra-35021.aspx

I said to myself "there's a hosiery store a few blocks from where I live, why not go and try there? So I just did and bought it. It's almost the same thing that footsmart sells (a bit less lacy),and I paid $21.00. But it's a sports bra.

It's a very well made thing. Very durable. I actually wanted a light, soft comfortable thing that just fastens in the front. But this is not it. Believe me this is not it. And this was the only front closing thing he sold. All the rest, the sexy bras, with the fiberfill padding, well they close in the back.

Since I cant' do this (unless it's so hot outside a person melts, but that's the only time I have no pain and I can move my left arm), I have no choice but to buy the front closing one that he sold. At least for now.

So I get home and try it on (he let me just wrap it around my bust to see if it fit and it did. Now here's the strange thing. I wear a 40 C, if I get a cheap $2.99 bra (the regular kind).

The only size he had was 44C and when I put it on me as a test, I knew immediately it would fit me. He explained "these things are made in China and you have to get a bigger size." I said "no problem".

So I get home. Do you know how long it took me to put this stupid thing on??

It's easier with the other one (when my arms work that day, I mean.)

With this thing, you put the right arm through the strap, you put the left arm through the strap, you fasten the 5 button hook things down the front, then you have to lift each boob into each cup, then straighten the whole thing out. I mean, it looks great, (it's actually more of a harness than a bra) at least for me. I'm used to wearing these whispery soft sexy bra things (little bits of things). Now those things are not great support systems, but I'm not overly huge for a C cup. I'm just not. I actually expected to get exactly the whispery soft things with a front hook. This did not happen.

I looked at the back of this harness thing and sure enough, it's a sports bra thing that lifts me up, holds me in and I'm wearing it now. I finally figured how to put it on. It is easier on the arms but it is NOT defintely easier on the body.

Do you know what I'm contemplating doing?? I think I'll take one of my old whispery soft fiberfill bras, cut it in the front, and put two velcro things. I mean, it's got to work, it's comfortable, it's not a harness, I know this, but jeez. How do people wear these sports things all day long. I'm used to going around without a bra at all. Maybe that's my mistake. I never got used to this.

I have a friend who wears a long line harness and I have no idea how she does this. She's 300 lbs. and she's been doing this for 40 years. She gets up and after her shower, she powders herself, and lays down on the bed in the airconditioning and she puts this harness on. It holds her in like a tank.

I looked at her once and said "how on earth do you breath? and she said "oh, I've been doing this for 40 years". I cannot understand this.

Now here's my question. Do any of you know where I can get a light, whispery (no harness) looking bra that closes in the front. I went to all the arthritis bra places on the net and they all show the sports harness bra thing. I don't want that. I want a Victoria Secret type of bra that closes in the front.

Anybody know?. (and not you guys, lol).

I really need some bras. My arms make it very hard to do the back closing thing.

Melody

P.S. I didn't want to start another thread on this, so I'm putting this on this thread. Alan is now in a lot of pain with burning. He said "I wish they made an ijoy chair for the legs". I immediately went to this site: http://www.massage-tools.com/ijoy-ottoman-3.html
and I told him about it and he said "No, I tried this at Brookstone", it's like an air massager, it did nothing. Only when you bang on my calves and massage them, does the burning go away".
So my question is "is there a massager for the calves that duplicates my banging and deep tissue massage that I give Alan on his calves". Like, he would be sitting in his chair and slip his calves into it (just like the ijoy calf thing) but it would have the rolling action of the ijoy chair, only the rollers would go up and down his calves. Anybody know of such an item? Thanks