Now I need to tell about a cautionary tale! Well it started as a normal day for us. I am disabled. I have lymphedema and use a cane with the 4 pronged foot to walk in the house or clutch walls to navigate our house. My lymphedema has progressive worsened and I need to get back to my massages and add acupunture & my routine with hot tub. Now with that explained. Mr B went off to work. I laid down on the sofa and fell asleep but woke very chilled and shaking. Me decides I need to go upstairs and crawl into bed to get warm. That was an excellent idea.
I wnet up and crawled under the down comforter and fell asleep. Then it all went very very wrong. I am only 4'11" tall. We have a high bed that I simply cannot get into easily esp being mobility challenged. My husband bought two stools with 2 heavy panks between them to create a safe way to get up and down. OK. Got the whole picture?
So doing what I do all the time is to stand on the panks and use the closet to balance and then step off onto the floor. Same process for well over a year. Not a problem. HOWEVER, this time the plank slipped and all of a sudden I was on my amble toush sitting on the plank! EGADS this was not how it was supposed to go. Now as long as I am upright I have no problem navigating by walls or using my cane. BUT, this was an abrupt jar to my body.
I sit there. Getting sore and realizing I cannot sit here much longer. 7p hmmmm so I decided to get myself on the floor. Ouch! tried to slip to the floor as easy as I could. OMG ouch. My legs do not cooperate with my body.
Now I shall regress back about 4 years ago or more when we lived in Barrhead. Walking down the stairs from upstairs (this is before my lymphedema was really bad) my shoe caught on the second stair and my hand slipped from the railing and down I went head first! I should add I do have a fused back and had nuts & bolts plus "cages" to expand my spine. Once I sort of assessed my condition I got myself over to the landing and near the stairs to the living room. And there I sat waiting for Mr B to come home. I did not break anything other then a bruised ego.
So back to Wednesday night. This was NOT the way I wanted to spend my day. No way. So down on the floor. I was getting cold. Pulled down the comforter plus the two throws we have on the bed. I was able to fall asleep. Then realized I needed to try to move myself into a better position. And maybe . . . maybe get myself upright. ha ha
I hear my cell phone right. sigh that meant Mr B was on his way home. OK now to calm him. 15 minutes later the door opens. I calmy say Don please come upstairs immediately AND do not be alarmed when you see me. I am ok. Footnote: I had taken off my slacks downstairs so yes I was cold and the comforter did help me warm up.
He walked into the bedroom and saw me on the floor.
One thing I am very aware of is that I do not panic. Let me repeat I DO NO PANIC. I fell after my back surgery but I fell the right way - on all 4s. Nothing was jarred.
I always keep a cool head and stay calm. NO MATTER what.
Told him the story of what happened. AND then we tried him pulling me on the comfortor, NOPE sso got me close to the door and then the plan - the perfect plan to get me upright! I pulled myself well wiggled my way on my stomach using my shifting of the dead parts of my lower body and kept wiggling to the stair case. Sat on the top 2nd level - put my feet/legs on the second step down and raised myself using the railing! I was standing. AND at 1:20a I was amble once more!
A skinned right elbow . . . tired . . . exhauseted . . . sore body . . . etc etc etc
I have been thru earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, extreme heat and I have always maintained my calm. I AM a survior or as I prefer to say - one ol' tough broad!
Always have a plan - the what if's! Always have your cell phone with you and handy.
is this where I sing I am woman hear me roar . . .?
It could have worked out very differently. But a lesson learned. And I have to acknowledge the history that made me as I am . . . being able to think calmly and have a plan.
As for the planks that slipped. NON-skid contract paper. NO more slipping.
You are in the Studio with Mrs B
8-26-22
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