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Dear Group - As most of you know, my love was diagnosed with PD in 1997,
PSP in 1998 and CBGD in 1999.  He was over visiting last week, and was on
the sofa resting. .  He got up to go to the bathroom, which is only about
15 steps away.  I was in the kitchen fixing lunch, when I heard a noise.
Well, you don't just run into the bathroom with a person you don't live
with and after I got to the door it quietened down.  I went back to the
kitchen and heard the most gosh-awful thud.  This time, I didn't care
about privacy, I opened the
door and ran in.  He had fallen across the bathtub, and was leaning over
the edge of the tub between his naval and his pelvis.  Thank
goodness it wasn't lower, or he'd be singing soprano .  I have to make
jokes or I start crying again.   He had hit his head on the other edge
and apparently slid down, because his head was laying askance.  I called
his name 4 or 5 times before he finally opened his eyes.  I helped him
out of the tub into a sitting position on the floor where he could lean
on the tub.  I don't know how many of you have tried to help a 6'2", 170
lb.,  almost unconscious man out of a tub or not, but it wasn't easy.
He said he got dizzy (drop in blood pressure)   and fell against the
toilet tank, knocked the lid off the tank and  slid almost to the floor,
putting a burn on his back from the edge of the tank.  He got up again,
and got dizzy and reached for the shower curtain and missed.    He had
split his skin between the cheek bone and his lower eyelid and he was
bleeding pretty good.  I got a cold washcloth and pressed it to the split
to stop the bleeding.  He needed  to lay down, so I helped him to lay on
the bathroom rug.  After a few minutes he wanted to get up, so I did what
so many of you suggested, I got behind him, and put my fist under his
armpits and
helped him stand.    Then I moved around to the front so he could put his
hands on my shoulders for support until I could get him to the bed.   Now
I know and feel what so many of you have mentioned about your loved ones
falling.  I don't know about you, but it scared me so bad, I didn't have
to go to the bathroom for a week.  2 days later he had to go out of town,
and when he got back, he had a beautiful shiner.  The wound had already
healed.  We decided we didn't want a repeat performance, so now when he
gets up, I remind him to ease up,   so his blood pressure won't drop so
drastically.

This is the second time he has fallen, both times in my presence, but the
last time, he just crumbled, and didn't hurt himself, and didn't fully
lose consicousness.  So, we don't want anymore.

Just had to share that with you and get it off my chest.  Thanks for
listening.  Jo Ann.