Hi! Missed yesterday's posting because I spent the day being depressed and bitching at everyone. I am stuck in the regret stage...."if only I had".....you know the drill. I hate being dependent on anyone and asking for help. When my husband signed up for "better or worse" I can't imagine that he thought about this scenario. My neck is also quite painful with a headache and I have been using hot and cold packs with little relief. I discussed this with my pain management MD who said that she could do a steroid injection once I am off Coumadin. An alternative is to go on another anti-coagulant, Lovinox temporarily and then do the steroid injection. I am going to email her and suggest the later because I cannot wait to have the injection in December.
Tableone: best posting to catchup are 8/23 and 8/29. My story sounds like a soap opera. I have had 3 ambulance rides, been in 2 hospital (one twice), and a skilled nursing facility ;+{. All of this happened from 8/7 to 9/30. I went from being completely independent ambulatory to totally paraplegic to walking with leg braces (IFOs) with a walker and spotter for 75 feet. In between all of that was many tears and frustration/anger/depression and an emergency surgical revision that had a 10-15% chance of total paralysis.....and then, how could i forget it.....a pulmonary embolism.
Jackie: my walking is improving. I still have major sensory loss below my breasts, so I am not quite sure where my legs are when I put them down. Dr. Hu has praised me for all of my efforts to improve. According to my read of the literature, PJF is not rare, but for many people it does not produce symptoms.
Ed: no need for a lift, but thanks for thinking about me. I used a lift in the hospital that was built into the ceiling, so I could travel all around the room in the sling. My grand kids thought that it was awesome. There were 2 slings: one for bare ass on the way to the potty and another to move around clothed. Right now, I am good on transfers. I practiced that every day for 5 weeks in rehab.
Gayle: I appreciate your support.
I have in-home OT, PT, Home health aide for bathing, and a CNA once or twice a week to give my husband respite. I use a bedside commode at night. I have occasional incontinence due to neurogenic bladder issues
So I wear Depends sometimes, especially when I go out. Handicapped bathrooms were clearly not designed by disabled people in wheelchairs. Stairs are a REAL challenge as my quads are not as strong as they need to be. My abductors and adductors are almost non-existent, so side moving is a big challenge. My attitude varies from enthusiastic/optimistic to depressive/pessimistic and usually somewhere in between. I am still angry about how my original hospitalization evolved and the possible implications that the delay in proper diagnosis might have on my eventual recovery. Guess that I will go back to counseling. I canceled my trip to Cambodia in January, but will be going to Mexico in December for sun and pool time. The rest of my life is uncertain as I am not clear on how able-bodied I will be to work in International Health.
Some days peanuts, some days shells.
Susan
Tableone: best posting to catchup are 8/23 and 8/29. My story sounds like a soap opera. I have had 3 ambulance rides, been in 2 hospital (one twice), and a skilled nursing facility ;+{. All of this happened from 8/7 to 9/30. I went from being completely independent ambulatory to totally paraplegic to walking with leg braces (IFOs) with a walker and spotter for 75 feet. In between all of that was many tears and frustration/anger/depression and an emergency surgical revision that had a 10-15% chance of total paralysis.....and then, how could i forget it.....a pulmonary embolism.
Jackie: my walking is improving. I still have major sensory loss below my breasts, so I am not quite sure where my legs are when I put them down. Dr. Hu has praised me for all of my efforts to improve. According to my read of the literature, PJF is not rare, but for many people it does not produce symptoms.
Ed: no need for a lift, but thanks for thinking about me. I used a lift in the hospital that was built into the ceiling, so I could travel all around the room in the sling. My grand kids thought that it was awesome. There were 2 slings: one for bare ass on the way to the potty and another to move around clothed. Right now, I am good on transfers. I practiced that every day for 5 weeks in rehab.
Gayle: I appreciate your support.
I have in-home OT, PT, Home health aide for bathing, and a CNA once or twice a week to give my husband respite. I use a bedside commode at night. I have occasional incontinence due to neurogenic bladder issues
So I wear Depends sometimes, especially when I go out. Handicapped bathrooms were clearly not designed by disabled people in wheelchairs. Stairs are a REAL challenge as my quads are not as strong as they need to be. My abductors and adductors are almost non-existent, so side moving is a big challenge. My attitude varies from enthusiastic/optimistic to depressive/pessimistic and usually somewhere in between. I am still angry about how my original hospitalization evolved and the possible implications that the delay in proper diagnosis might have on my eventual recovery. Guess that I will go back to counseling. I canceled my trip to Cambodia in January, but will be going to Mexico in December for sun and pool time. The rest of my life is uncertain as I am not clear on how able-bodied I will be to work in International Health.
Some days peanuts, some days shells.
Susan
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