First Janet sorry it's taken me so long to reply to your
post....I'm a lil behind as usual...and I hear you have
a slightly bruised one, eh?
janet wrote " i fell the other day ..."
... i was a tad dyskinetic
a bit more than just twitchy
and i was bending over the bathtub
to brush my hair up into the usual topknot
as i straightened up holding my ponytail in one hand
i lost my balance and toppled
rolled down and backwards
couldn't find anything to grip on the way down
although there was a wall mounted grab bar close by
all i remember is my hands reaching for the side of the tub
but there was nothing to grab
first kapow tail bone on vinyl-tile-over-concrete floor
then kabam upper back and shoulder blades against the wood door
whew
hurting laying still to absorb the news
then scrabbling on the slippery floor to regain verticality
then off to my bed to assess the damage
and catch my breath
three days later
bruises on my upper arms and right buttock
are turning yellow and green
the stiffness was at its worst yesterday
it could have been so much worse
i've been given a wakeup call
dyskinesia is more than
an inconvenience or
an annoyance
what to do?
how to prevent recurrence?
new and seated hair grooming routine?
wall to wall carpet on floor?
grab bars everywhere?
padded walls?
========
Janet,
Balance is and will continue to be a big problem.
Leaning over , bending, reaching, squatting all
change your center of balance and will be risky.
... ...so build in safe guards where possible.
Living alone can be a challenge for anyone but
for PD as well as MS and sometimes extra precautions
are a good idea.
Yes more grab bars in the bathroom are a good idea,
even in the hallways I think it's wise [not only can prevent
a fall but can break a fall and help you to get back up].
A portable phone on your belt, a call to a friend before
getting into the shower, joining a phone tree to get
checked on daily is a smart move too.
Do whatever is needed to solve any problems that you
experience.
I like to browse medical supplies / medical aides catalogues
to get ideas about what's already available out there. Most
of them you can get free by calling their 1-800 numbers.
Sometimes some great energy savers or solutions exist to
problems that you can relate to.
Occupational Therapists are trained to give home visits,
evaluate your limitations and your home and recommend
safety tips and adaptive devices. Would that be available
in Almonte?
PS. An ice bag on a bruise can decrease pain & swelling.
Keep a bag of frozen peas to use for an ice bag.
PSS Did you phone anyone to let them know you had fallen?
Gail
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