Another Fall, Another Recovery

I’m a couple of difficult weeks past my most recent and rather embarrassing fall — or series of falls, if I’m being honest with myself. And as there was a dinner party’s worth of guests to witness it, I might as well be honest.

In the aftermath of those falls, I’ve made a number of trips to hospital for appointments, scans, tests, injections, and follow-ups. I’m still awaiting results of some of the most recent scans and final decisions on the course we’ll take to get me to full recovery.

I Hit the Deck Hard

I must admit, this one hurt both my body and my pride.

Due to acute spasms of pain in my “good” hip, which lead to sudden and unsustainable burdens on my “not so good” leg, I’m finding the floor (or, on the good days, catching myself on the way to the deck) far more frequently than my care team sees as acceptable.

After the injuries caused by this latest fall, I realize this is getting dangerous.

Thankfully, my subconscious seems to have remembered how to fall — something all of us should study up on! (Harvard Health Publishing has some tips.)

Also, there happened to be a chartered physiotherapist as a guest on the night in question, so I had immediate (and excellent) care upon falling and, thanks to a few strings the physio pulled, was slotted in with an orthopedic surgeon the next morning. I couldn’t have asked for better … other than, you know, not falling in the first place.

Time for Some Changes in My Routine

Having fallen, however, and now in the midst of the recovery, I’m forced to focus on the fact that I’m going to have to make some changes in my life with multiple sclerosis (MS).

I don’t know what all these shifts will entail. Surely, I can no longer rely on wall walking and furniture supports around the house. After a fortnight of having to use two forearm crutches and looking like an AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) from The Empire Strikes Back, I’ll be using some form of assistive device, even inside the house.

We’ll also look at where handrails or other supports might be installed in the house to get me from point A to point B without a trip to point F(loor). Beyond that, we’re looking into having an occupational therapist assess the place to see what I have been overlooking or things with which I’ve simply been coping for over a decade now.

My insurance doesn’t cover such an assessment, but I can tell you that any out-of-pocket cost is going to hurt significantly less than another fall of like magnitude.

Finally, no more “No, I’ve got this” when someone asks if I need a hand getting something (or myself) from one place to the next. It’s easier for someone to carry a tray than it is to carry the chef to his bed in agony. …

I Can’t Count on Being Lucky

I’ve been lucky enough before. In truth, knowing what I know now, I was lucky this time, too (even if less lucky than previously). But I can no longer rely on good fortune in this game of MS falls roulette.

As I make my way through and past this one, I’ll keep you informed of what I’ve learned in the process. For now, I can only say that I don’t want to do that again … and neither do you!

Wishing you and your family the best of health.

Cheers,

Trevis