Thanks to everyone for the good wishes I've received by comment, e-mail and mail. It means a lot. Everyone has been very helpful, especially my hubby, who is doing everything right now. Coworkers are being very generous with fetching and carrying. Friends are amazing. Thank you all.I'm finally feeling like I may get better. Last week I felt it would never end, but I can feel improvement now.
I'd forgotten much about using crutches. Or maybe I'd never noticed some things. They're very noisy--you can't sneak up on anyone! They're especially noisy when they hit the bathroom floor in the middle of the night because you didn't prop them up carefully. Didn't know my hubby could move that fast.
They fall over all the time. And they're sneaky. At my brother's they'd been sitting quietly against the wall for about fifteen minutes before crashing over. I try hard to find corners to lodge them into, but it's not always easy. Where I need to be doesn't always have a corner and when I find a secure place, the crutches will be blocking the cupboard door or drawer that I need to get into.
Which leads to a serious point about using crutches. They are not stable--you provide the stability and balance. They are just an aide to take weight off of a limb. If you ever need to use crutches, you have to be sure of each step and of your balance at all times. Crutches won't catch you if you begin to fall.
The weight taken off your limb ends up on your hands, wrists and forearms. I'm finally getting used to it and don't ache as much. Another reason to keep up with that upper body strength. Walkers use the same muscles for support. They're more stable but less mobile, imho.
If you have cause to use crutches or are around someone who does, a couple of tips: pockets, belt bags, backpacks, (things that securely attach to your body) and bags with handles (that can be gripped along with the crutch handle) are your friends. They enable you to carry some things (a glass of water is impossible, but a sealed bottle of water can go into a pocket or bag). Not too much or too heavy, but I use them to get papers to the copier and my lunch to the microwave. Trying to carry a ream of paper back to my office was a bad idea. (I made it but it was touch and go.)
Throw rugs are your enemy. Think of them as walking on ice. Get rid of them for the duration.
