I've been fairly quiet these past few days actually I've been very quiet sitting strapped to my wheelchair restricting my attempts to move a muscle. After having MS for so long I can assure you that I still have some muscle mass and honestly right now it hurts like hell.
My spouse had an evening on Monday to see an opera singer with her sister. While she was there I was at home doing what I do normally which really isn't much spend some time on the computer, watch a bit of TV, do a bit of reading and eating. It's the last part that got me into trouble, you know from my previous post that my cushion my favorite cushion is toast. Probably one of the first time I found something that duct tape simply won't stick to and even contact cement once dry is easily rolled off just by touching it with a finger.
Must get back to my story so anyways I was using another one of my cushions, a Roho high profile cushion. They are very comfortable and meant for people who spend a lot of time sitting and are prone to develop bed sores, the one thing about them is that they are not as stable as other cushions. You tend to roll on them when you're seated and boy did I roll, we had some chicken left over which just happened to be on the lowest possible shelf in our refrigerator. Usually not a problem but this time when I leaned forward air within the mattress was displaced to the rear of the mattress thus lowering the front to the point where my head hit the inside of the fridge door followed by my shoulder and for the next 45 minutes I tried to grab hold of something anything in order to lift myself back to the seating position.
As luck would have it and I didn't have any slowly I could feel myself sliding forward ever so slightly yet far enough that eventually I lost my grip and fell to the floor. There I was stretched out on the floor in front of a refrigerator with the door open, I must admit that at least being on the floor well it was certainly more comfortable than being in the chair bent over unable to move. Did not have a watch, could not reach my cell phone so I stayed there and waited. I'd say an hour and a half later my cell phone rang then the house phone it was my spouse she knew right away I was in trouble. She managed to slide me into the living room and at least provide a few blankets and a pillow. Now normally in these situations if I am not exhausted I have a modified electric bath chair and utilize it as a lift, it raises me high enough that I can safely transfer to my wheelchair. The bloody chair wouldn't work I still have to take it apart and see what's wrong yet at that moment we knew there was only one alternative and that was to call 911 to request ambulance assistance. There was no blood no trauma no urgency and the priority was set to we will go when there is nothing else which occurred approximately 1.5 to 2 hours after the initial call was placed.
When they arrived it took them less than one minute to lift me off the floor and deposit me onto my wheelchair, I went to bed before they left and the next morning I got up feeling as if I had played in the Super Bowl.
The good news is my dilemma with the cushion is resolved at least it will be shortly. My brother considered a snowbird purchased two of them and will be bringing them back in the spring in the meantime I will be extra careful with the choices I make. Probably a good time for me to start looking for a reliable lift with a sling you know those devices they normally utilize in old folks home. Don't you just love this stupid disease!
3 comments:
I just want to thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. If I ever have to deal with what you're dealing with, I won't feel so alone.
One thing you've got that I don't is a supportive partner, she sounds awesome.
Oh Mike, I'm so sorry. I am relieved to know you didn't sustain any severe injuries. Have you thought of getting signing up with a connect care service? You wear an "alarm" button wristband, and if you fall, you press the button and it connects you to the service. I copied this from the service in our city to give you an idea of how they work. "When the subscriber needs help, they push the button they are wearing and a signal is sent through the telephone lines to our Response Centre. Our highly trained operators then speak to the subscriber first, in order to determine what kind of assistance is required. The subscriber does not have to pick up the telephone as the communicator acts as a speaker. If no contact is made the operator calls the responders in the order requested by the subscriber. Responders are friends, relatives or neighbors who have agreed to go to the subscriber's home when contacted by ConnectCare. It is this element that makes ConnectCare a community-based program. If none of the responders can be reached, or the situation is deemed an emergency, an ambulance is sent to the scene."
It might be worth looking into.
Sorry to hear about your frustrating experience. Thank goodness mine is not as advanced as yours and taking my pants on or off is many times my biggest challenge. Aside from the times when I stumble and fall a couple of times a year.
Post a Comment