Saturday, January 19, 2019

Ouch! That Hurt!

My trusty cane of support!


So once again, I am limping around my home. And grabbing walls on occasion.

On Thursday, I was headed to my weekly gal's afternoon happy hour. Got out of the car in my handicapped space and deliberately took my crappy knees and legs over to the corner where the little "graded" ramp that led to the sidewalk was. Maybe three steps and a few seconds later, there I was-lying on the ground, with no specific way to get up.

I honestly still don't know what happened-whether my foot caught on a sidewalk crack or my degenerating right leg simply gave out. I'd actually prefer to believe the former. I do know, and am thankful for the fact, that I saw it coming for a brief second. I dropped my bag and put out my hands. I ended up, unconsciously I suppose, slamming down my palms and doing an aborted and extremely painful version of the "twist" way of going to the ground-meaning I still ended up with a hurt tailbone and a damaged food and some funky bruises.

It's not like am falling or threatening to on a regular basis. My other fall was well over a year ago, although I've wavered and had to "grab on" a couple times. I do stop a moment when I stand up before moving, but much of that has to do with given all those degenerating bones in my leg a moment to adjust. When I was at my daughter's she was concerned about my balance, but hey, you saw all those little dogs in her living room! Anyone would have trouble keeping upright on occasion. But the fact of the matter is, I walk unevenly do to the fact I have degeneration in my lower leg, ankle and femur as well as my right knee. And even a teeny bit of unevenness can cause all kinds of things.

Two days later I have some moderate bumps and bruises. The entire outside of my left foot  from when I did the twist is swollen and tender. Yesterday It was snowing and so I didn't leave the house. Today?  Back to the bright sun and high forties that we had last week (actually it was fifty on Friday and Sunny). While I'm probably not leaving the house today, I've deliberately been walking on my food throughout the day. And tomorrow I'll be heading to church and the store before settling down for football.

While I am a homebody on many days, I refuse to be one of those people who won't go out or are afraid to go places. Not how I live my life. I mean I'm 67 and still take car trips alone! Fortunately, living in Denver the bad weather days are few times a year and otherwise, I am a goer and a doer (although I avoid stairs other than my own two step entrance and have stopped walking outside for exercise-moving to malls and the like). 

After talking to my kids and my lovely new Dr (more about her later), I am going to take my cane with me wherever I go. Even though at least half the time it feels like an unnecessary appendage. In fact, I may buy a second one to keep in my car. My quarterly exercise goals are more in the direction of strength, and as a Facebook commenter suggested, I am going to start Tai Chi.

Because I won't let it keep me down.

22 comments:

  1. Have you looked into getting a knee brace for your unstable leg? Or the gel shots that go in between your bone-on-bone on your bad knee? Falls are awful and seem to come out of nowhere, don't they. Taking a cane if good habit to get into. Feel better soon!

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    1. Jean, I have had the gel shots. HOwever it's not my knee. I have degeneration in the ankle, the thigh, and the lower bone (whatever it's called, I often feel like I have painful shinsplints). So at this point I dont get the gel and dont talk about knee replacements, because I would still have the ankle and the thigh, and......... I just really need to build up strength and balance and yes, grab that cane.

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  2. I'm glad you're feeling better - falling can be quite scary and quite literally a pain. I fell and shattered my kneecap 20 years ago, and still live in great fear of falling and damaging it again where I can no longer walk. My two most recent falls have truly been accidents, where I stepped on the edge of a walkway because I wasn't paying attention or on a less than stable cobblestone. Similar to what you did, I always fall to protect the knee and end up with weird bruises, and also broke a bone in my hand last year. Anyway, I refuse to stay indoors and "be quiet" - I will be out and about as much as I can for as long as I can! One more thing that was scary at the time but now is funny, I recently I had to use a squat toilet, which I know how to do, but when it came time to stand up my knee was locked and I could not stand! I was terrified for a moment, but eventually it unlocked and I was able to get up. I'm not sure what I would have done otherwise but something I'm taking note of now - the knee can and might lock up!

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    1. I assume that is the equivalent of what my daughter had in france which she called a turkinsh toilet (she lived in the projects in college). there is no way I could get down there these days, it would make for an interesting life, lol.

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  3. Sorry to hear about the fall and glad to hear you are still moving around and not being deterred from going out. I also have an unreliable knee which will suddenly lock or give way - no damage done yet but it's freaky if it happens coming downstairs.
    Update on UK TV - the BBC are running an adaptation of Les Miserables - not a musical and back to the original text - we are enjoying it. Also on the Beeb is The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts - a group of artisans and artists are living, dressing and working in a house of the period. They are renovating and furnishing rooms with articles they have made using William Morris etc as their inspiration. The craftsmanship is superb and I thought you might enjoy it because it combines history with crafts such as textiles, embroidery etc.
    Hope the healing continues steadily.

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  4. Ouch, that is quite scary to fall like that. I am extremely careful with my footing and do I hope I don't have a fall. I hope you're on the mend. And my, you are a goer!!

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    1. I am on the mend. I do need to be much more careful with my footing and pay attention to my surroundings I think.

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  5. In the past few years, I've had several falls and concussions. Don't want any more if I can help it. I keep two canes in the house to use when the knees/hip go out of place. Also wondered if you might want to get a fold-up cane (Carex makes a really nice one) to keep in a tote bag or large purse. You could always have one available that way--especially when out of the house. One thing I know, it pays to be prepared. Hope you heal quickly!!

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    1. Fortunately my head has not been impacted yo date...more like my ankle and fleshy parts. I have a cane at home but except for getting out of a really soft chair dont need it yet. I do have a Walker by my bed to the two am runs.

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  6. Have you thought about going to the VA for further help? I know it is arthritis- but that is covered if the initial injury was service related (which you have indicated with the footwear required). Believe it or not- modality is something the VA is really working with. There is an entire group that works just with women these days. Consider contacting your local VFW people.
    Otherwise, consider a different type of cane. The "traditional cane" is not very stable. There are posture canes and stability canes that my mother has found much more helpful.
    Praying that you heal up from the bumps and bruises soon. As you know, it could be so much worse :(.

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    1. It's something to consider, but again it's not my knee it's the whole leg, and bones don't regenerate as such. I will see what I qualify for although not sure how causation is proven. Meanwhile, hello Tai Chi and leg strengthening.

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    2. My son in law had part of his bone removed and then regrown with his stem cells. They are doing some amazing things.

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    3. I need to research the stem sell thing much, much more.

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  7. I'm sorry to hear about your fall and hope your left foot is not too painful and that it heals quickly. I took Tai Chi classes years ago and am thinking of maybe trying it again as the "YMCA", where I attend Silver Sneaker classes offers it.

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  8. Sorry to hear about your fall. I hope you heal up quickly.

    God bless.

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  9. Glad you're on the mend. Yeah, those parking lots can be treacherous -- last time I took a header (last summer) was over the curb in front of a restaurant. Didn't stop me from eating; but man, it took weeks for my knee to heal. So ... be careful!

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    1. Careful is now my mode-along with signing up for both tai chi and chair yoga, lol.

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  10. Hi Barbara! So sorry to hear you've banged yourself up! Hopefully you are getting better and stronger every day. When we lived in Colorado years ago I KNOW how slippery even the most innocent looking stairs or walkways can be. But still at our age, I know how important it is for us to walk as much as possible. Thank goodness I live in Southern California! And Tai Chi is an excellent idea although my husband and I have taken up "gentle yoga" which is helping me with my balance in a very good way. The trick (at least for me) is finding the right teacher which I'm happy to say I have! Continue healing and watch your steps! ~Kathy

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    1. I'm experimenting with a weekly tai chi class as long as chair yoga here in the next week, hopefully it will be an improvment!

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  11. Please verify if you are still on sighting over sixty’s side bar!

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    1. Not sure what you're asking me here? I would not know the answer to that. If you cannot access through Tom's webpage, then I suggest you email subscribe or bookmark me?

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  12. I like your attitude of continuing to go out and about, and hope you are healing well. I am retired and go out most every day, though once a week I like to stay home and not drive anywhere.

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