Four Weeks

Four weeks since I broke my ankle. Hard to believe. I still have about 4 more weeks in a cast and then a removable boot support for who knows how long? but at least I should be able to walk by then (I hope).

It's been quite an adventure. This old dog has learned some serious new tricks. First, I had to rearrange my house and my life to accomodate. I was also put on blood pressure medication at the same time, which made it impossible for me to use crutches, so I had to be creative, or lay in bed all day.

I bought a used wheel chair, and if it wasn't for all the bumps between rooms, it would have been great. It would have been great to get me to the car to see the doctor, if it wasn't for all the snow and ice, but there it is. I've adapted an office chair as my major indoor mode of transportation. It rolls and it spins and I can change the height of it for different purposes. It's actually much handier than the wheel chair as long as you have one good leg to push it around with. You just have to be careful, because they can tip over.

I roll from, say my bedroom, to the first elevation, between the living and dining room. A 1 1/2 inch rise that the chair will not roll over. I grab on to the door frame, lift myself on to my good leg and set on a small stool, move the office chair over the bump and drop back down on the office chair. From there I have to take my stool with me, because that's not the last of the floor level changes.

There's a strip between the bathroom and the dining room, that I can roll over, but it's like hitting speed bumps, not good for the chair, so I transfer twice every time I have to go into the bathroom. The kitchen is bad too. It's a 5 inch drop into that room and a 6 inch rise to go into the laundry room off of the kitchen. It gets pretty exhausting.

So, because I'm spending most of the time in a rolling chair, I've had to move all the furniture out of
the way. I've also had to use the wall switch for the fan light in the living room, after I keep reminding the grandsons to use the pull chain. I can't reach it in the middle of the room. I will stand if there is a counter or wall next to me, but the chair is too rolly.

My cousin picked me up a nice swivel bar stool for the kitchen.
I can sit in it to wash dishes and cook food, AND I just found this great bath bench that just clips on the tub. No more sponge baths and leaning over the tub to wash my hair. Three weeks of that was enough. Wish I found this sooner. It was only $23 at walmart.com if you know anyone who could use it.

Sewing is tricky. I'm really supposed to keep my leg elevated as much as possible. That will keep it from swelling and turning that nice purple color you may seen. And yes, it does hurt less elevated, so I have learned to sew sideways with my leg on a footstool and twisted trunk to reach the machine.

I also cut fabric on a cutting board on my bed now. It's a good height for me.

I have a bag that I use like a backpack to haul things from room to room. I have a water bottle by my bed, a thermos for coffee, and a sealed container to transport food if I want to eat in another room. There are tables and benches by the thresholds, to transfer things in my hands when I transfer with chairs, and I now use a laundry bag, instead of my arms.

I have to sleep with my leg on a pile of pillows and on my back, which is my least favorite position, I have to tilt the blinds instead of opening them, because I cut the cords short for the grandbaby, I have to have someone get my mail and garbage, and I keep my phone on me at all times, in case I have another accident.

Also, I have to think ahead of time, when I need something. For instance I have food in a pantry in the laundry room, so when I go to do laundry, I have to look at the food and decide if there's anything I will need. I have to be much more deliberate in my every day actions, not just random.

Sometimes I get a little frustrated and weepy, but then I think of all the people who are out there, that live with some kind of disability every day. I will probably not be exactly the same as I was before the accident, but I know I will walk again someday, and I will be able to stand in the shower and easily get to the pantry. I'll probably still be able to take a long walk to town again eventually, and work in the garden. Everything new that happens is a new adventure, It's only a few months, I can handle that.