I'm beginning to get back to normal. Not that I mean I will be jogging down the street and digging up the garden soil anytime real soon, or walk down the stairs carrying an awkward load. I still feel the stiffness in my hips and the separation of the clavicle from the scapula will probably always be slightly annoying.
The difference is that I can free-walk in a relatively straight fashion rather than waddling a bit side-to-side now. I CAN carry things even down the stairs (keeping it light). I can go up and down the stairs when I feel like it rather than carefully planning 1 or 2 trips a day.
I went outside the other day to fill the 3 birdfeeders (1 of which involves using a 6' stepladder which I was VERY careful on). I dragged the trash bin to the street even with snow on the driveway (I'm going to let it just melt - no WAY I'm shoveling even 3" of snow).
I had been just filling a large bowl with kibble for The Mews, but I am getting them more canned foods the past 2 weeks. We were running short anyway, so I ordered more last week and Deb brought the large box in for me. I got it opened and sorted out into the pantry yesterday. Ayla really appreciated it; kibble is not her favorite food. Marley likes both. Laz grew up on kibble, so that is fine with him. But I prefer feeding them canned.
I can get down on hands and knees to clean the litter boxes myself. I can do laundry normally, but I am transporting it downstairs using a tall (unused) rigid kitchen wastebasket as a support on the stairs (I go down backwards and up forwards. I watered the basement lettuce etc trays myself and that took some walking back and forth from the laundry tub and the lighted plant rack.
Driving the car is easy. It is nice to just go out and get what I need when I want it.
I guess my biggest question now is how much and how fast I will finish healing. It has been going well after the first couple weeks, and I feel better every day in general. But I COULD hit a wall at some point. It is POSSIBLE my hips will always feel stiff after this. Or that, when I get more active outdoors, my shoulder will always feel "loose and weak".
The orthopedic surgeon said I "probably" will never need surgery. My primary Dr (internist) has the same separation I do (he let me feel the lump on his shoulder) and says it doesn't bother him after several years. But they may not understand quite how physically-active I was around the yard. Since I live alone and have no family or friends nearby, I push myself pretty hard sometimes by necessity.
So I worry about it. My life may or may not change permanently. On the other hand, while I seem to be aging slower than average, I AM aging regardless. At some point, things I could easily do be before would be becoming more difficult regardless of falling off the ladder.
I certainly can tell the difference between what I could a few months ago (pre-fall) and what I could do at 50 or 30. It is part of the natural course of life. If I need to move a large rock, I just need a bigger lever. If I need to do something too difficult and awkward after this, I'll need to call a "handyman". LOL!
If I am seeming to make light of all this, it is because I'm accustomed to do that about personal difficulties. Trust me, a part of my brain is "yelling and screaming" about being injured and getting older. But since I am injured and getting older and that can't be avoided, I shout that part down and decide how to get on with things.
A LOT of people have it much worse that I. And it could have been much worse. I remind myself I could have landed on my head and died or landed in such a way to cause some various degree of paralysis. I wouldn't handle that last very well. I'm not sure I could deal with that!
But let's be cautiously cheerful. If I was stuck as I am today, I could deal with it. And I DO expect to heal more, after all. A couple months from now, when gardening season REALLY starts, I may not even notice a difference.
We'll see.
Thank you all again for the continued good recovery wishes and advice. They have made a difference. It is good to have friends...
9 comments:
We need peeps like you in our rehab area of the health center (aka: Nursing home),I work at!!
To 'preach' positivity...to show how to overcome circumstances and so on!! Bravo to you and your spirited demeanor!
Not to the staff, but to some of the residents there:)
I do know what you mean about how you feel different in your 60's or early 70's...I am in my late 60's and sometimes I feel like 160, after a heavy shift...but the work there keeps me agile and sort of youngish. But I did notice over time, that I am fitter now than almost ten years ago when I started working there, I can shovel the whole driveway if need be...and I have, with hubby still in his recovery from his spinal fusion.
Keep on trucking, Mr Mark! You are a trooper and we admire you and your ways of dealing with your present situation.
( I about wanted to chide you for getting on any ladder, LOL!
Could you rig up a pulley & rope/chain system to raise and lower that feeder so ladders would not need to be used??)
It is still early days since your serious accident and you have done remarkably well. Your determination and being used to doing things for yourself have helped you hugely. I am sure you will recover more, but please, keep away from ladders! The steps may have only been 6' but that is a long way when you are still recovering if you had slipped.
I should set up a new layout that allows for easy replies! Suggestion invited...
But for now:
Both Meezer Mews and Memories of Eric and Flynn (I'll stick with blog names) chided me (quite properly) for getting up on a stepladder to fill the 1 birdfeeder. Yes, that could seem dangerous. But I have mentioned I am usually quite careful about things I I was then as well.
Firsat, I searched for a raisable-lowerrable birdfeeder pole that was also squirrel-proof. Ive never found one. I bought a pole-hinge once, but it was meant for a light boat shade and wasn't up the weight of the birdfeeder or the wind blowing on it.
HOWEVER, what I did do was attach a 6" board on the back of a piece of 4x4 post and drill holes in the ends through which I hammered 2' long rebar rods. The 4x4 makes the front of the stepladder level, the 6" board makes sure the ladder can't slip off it, and the 2' rebars make sure the leveling support can't move. The leveling support is even placed so that the far side of the stepladder can't land on any of the tulips/daffodils growing around the birdfeeder. LOL!
I LOVE it when a good plan comes together.
But be assured, I went up and down it with extreme caution and your concerns were well-received! I did only a half-fill at a time (instead of the usual "big bucketful") and had my cordless phone and Deb's phone number on me "just in case".
Thank you both!
I am so glad you healed up so quickly and hopefully the rest will be easy from here on out.
I am glad you are doing better. Kuddos to you for getting on the step ladder to fill bird feeders. After what you went through, I would not want to ever step on any ladder.
We're so glad you're feeling better ! As Eric and Flynn said, "your determination and being used to doing things for yourself have helped you hugely", and we're sure too that you will still recover more. Purrs
Mark - about the litter trays: have you though about buying a long-handled litter scooper? That would mean not having to bend down or get down on your knees. They're available on Amazon. I looked because I figured that there must be lots of people who would struggle to reach down to floor level to clean out litter trays - and yep, there are and some businesses are responding to the need!
I'm sure that your positive and determined attitude has helped in your recovery to date. Keep it up! And don't 'put up with stuff' - physiotherapists can help enormously with aches and pains and ensure that you can remain active around the house and garden for many years to come.
Megan
Sydney, Australia
You DO have stair rails on all your stairs don't you ? They were added here for my Mom and I certainly had no intention of removing them, but sometimes if they aren't already there it's easy to overlook the help they are (especially if you live alone. I know from experience that, sympathetic and helpful as they may be, cats cannot call 9-1-1.)
The wonders of getting older and with a big unexpected turn are something. When I was first handicapped I could do just about anything and even a few years ago I helped quite a bit with the renovation of the bottom floor of our home. (I lived in a small 2nd floor apartment and my sister lived downstairs in the house proper until she passed.) There was LOTS to do and luckily I have a great helper/friend who, even though he did not know carpentry etc., could follow direction. Now I am stuck due to the snow as I do not want to fall or get the car stuck. We all wish you Healing to your best and we know you will be careful. Purrs and Prayers Mark!
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