A bit more excitement yesterday evening. Too save typing it all out again single-handed, here's an edited version of my post on the Myeloma UK Support group:
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Last night, despite recently fitting a new grab bar, I failed to get off the shower stool properly and ended in a heap on the floor of the shower cabinet with my head stuck at a rather uncomfortable angle. Sue was in the downstairs bathroom which is the furthest part of the house where she might not have heard me. Fortunately I have a (waterproof) personal alarm round my neck and I used it to call for help. The operator phoned our landline just as Sue was getting out of her bath. The idea of a couple of paramedics in an ambulance was dismissed with expected waiting time of TWELVE HOURS -"they're very busy!". So we phoned a neighbour who helped us before when I had a fall on the evening of getting back from hospital a couple of weeks ago.
After a good deal of planning and preparation he and his wife got me back on my rather shaky feet again. With Sue's invaluable help, bless her, I then made it to bed so the usual post-shower jobs of facebook admissions and blogging didn't get done.
OK this morning apart from an even stiffer neck than usual. It could easily have been a broken leg or worse. I've ordered a new non-slip mat from Amazon and we're replacing the rather insecure shower stool with a chair that's been stored in an outbuilding since my Achilles tendon surgery back in 2014.
The moral of this story is in the value of personal emergency alarms. Mine definitely p[roved its worth last night.
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A new mini-rash has appeared on my right wrist - bigger than the recent ones at 4 or 5mm across. Interesting in view of the fact that I've been off both Dex and Len for close to three weeks now.. Does this point a finger at one of the "supportive" meds that I'm still taking?
No broken bones, that is indeed a blessing. In hind sight one might laugh, but at the time it is indeed a serious thing. Been there with my husband.
ReplyDeleteOnce is enough for me!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, my husband looked like an upside down turtle.
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