The devil and the deep blue sea
The only time we do not use a lift is bath time, there is no lift in the bathroom. All I need to do is pick Pearlsky up from her wheelchair, turn around and put her on her bath seat … then after the bath, vice versa.
This time, wet, clean and in my arms, she decided to seize. Okay, not decided …
The choices were to drop her on the ceramic floor, or to twist bizarrely into a position where I can go down to the floor with her. Her seizing made it impossible to put her in her chair or back on the bath seat as she was wet, slippery, seizing … and so we went down.
She is fine. I am on oxycodone and my umpteenth ice pack. The local spine center says I will survive; I guess that’s good.
Yes, we got the new wheelchair, again. Yes, it now wheels, you push it and it moves! Who would have thunk?
If it originally came in the condition it is in now, I would have been happy. Seeing that they knew they needed to get it 100% this time, well, it is about 95% … but we are happy. What’s a bit of touch up paint between friends?
More when the pain subsides …
I’m so sorry to hear about the seizure. I know all too well how that scene looked. I hope your back is better soon, too.
Oh man, that sounds scary! Glad to hear you’re both fine. Has Pearlsky always had seizures, or did they start when she got older? Monkey Boy hasn’t had one (to our knowledge, since the EEG’s don’t show any seizure activity), but he’s at very high risk for them due to his stroke. It’s one of my biggest fears, to be honest.
I hope you’re feeling better soon, and that Pearlsky doesn’t have another seizure in the near future.
Ouch. All I can say is “track lift”…(yeah, I know, KACHING!)
So sorry you hurt your back, SD. I find ice an effective pain killer, too. This isn’t the first time, is it?
Touch-up paint would really rub my Hubby the wrong way. Overlooking 5% shows your maturity. 😉
Oh, man. I hope you feel better soon. I’m in no position to give advice (obviously), but I’ve read they train dogs (and I think other animals) to indicate when a seizure is coming on, so the seizure-prone person can take preventative medication. Of course you’d just have to take care of it, so I don’t know that that would actually make your life easier.
Oh man, I hope you feel better soon. Try to take it easy on the ol’ back if possible.
Thank you all for the good words. It appears her seizure was due to a PMS cramp (in hindsight).
Jo (MM): I will be writing about seizure’s soon. Put them lower on your “biggest fears” list if they are occasional.
The Misfit: They are fantastic service animals, they will even position themselves so the person will fall on the animal, not the floor. Not appropriate for us, and as you say, another responsibility.
Barbara: No, not the first time, but definitely the worst. As for the 5%, well, things got worse once we actually started using it. Thanks for the good words!
My back is slowly getting better. Actually, I learned something from the experience. Did you know that if you turn a bathroom mat over, you can put your daughter on it and it will slide down the hallway to the nearest lift without using your back? An hour on a cold wet floor is the true “mother of invention” …
Eek! I’m glad you’re both more or less okay
I’m using a ‘temporary’ track hoist at the moment – one of these – and have just had government funding confirmed for a proper installed system covering my bedroom and bathroom. Let’s hear it for the poor beleaguered NHS.
Where was I? Ah, yes… the semi-portable gantry system is much, much cheaper than a permanent setup, and it might help you both be a bit safer. Especially combined with something like this for getting dry and dressed after a bath, seizure safety and pad changing/bowel care and such. I have a friend with one, and am getting a similar one for showers along with my shiny new hoist.
Really hope your back feels better soon.
Oh man, that sucks! I hope you feel better soon. Bath seizures are so scary. I remember when my daughter seized at age 10 in the bathtub and she was so slippery and convulsing around that i couldnt keep her head above water so i had to jump in with her… and then she was so slippery afterward and post-ictal I couldnt lift her out. of course I was by myself with a 7 month old infant at the time. Thank goodness i didnt hurt myself though – she was still so tiny at age 10. Nowadays, I couldnt lift her if I tried!!!
Im glad the wheelchair is getting situated too… though what you’ve had to go through is damn near insanity!
good to catch up here 🙂 !!!