As you may remember from
my backwards updates the wonderful icing on my birthday cake was to learn my youngest daughter and her youngest son had been in a car accident. A serious one for her but no permanent injuries for her son. After four surgical procedures and a full week in the hospital they sent her "home" to us.
It does change your perspective. We've never thought of handicapped as a problem. We now know it will be because of the problems we've had in caring for Maria. We know for sure now Handicapped is not just a blue sign or a place we can't park...yet.
In my guest room I have a very high antique bed, had to make it lower so she could sit and then position herself. She sleeps with her head at the foot of the bed so Zander won't kick her leg during the night.
Three hops to the bathroom, six hops to the sitting room. She has a walker but must hop on her good foot. She can't use crutches due to her chest injury which they have not named yet. For her to reach things while in bed I had to take a shelf off my newly constructed "kitchen raft". The old radio I had used for a night stand did not meet her needs.
We prop her in a wing back chair with phone, computer, tv remotes and drinks in hand's reach. All her meals are eaten there since her ankle must be elevated most of the time propped on another chair in front of her with pillows, towels and ice packs and walker in reach.
It is a major deal to arrive at the shower. She "walks" to the lodge door which has one step down, she turns her back to us as we brace an office chair. She sits. We wheel her through the tv room to the kitchen threshold where this move is repeated. Roll through the dining room into the hall and hop into the bathroom. We finally emptied the bathroom and got the shower chair in there so she can shower. We just don't think in handicap terms!
Our house is upside down. Rugs rolled up every where because the walker will hang and the chair won't roll. My craft/guest room/sitting area is her abode. Shelves and decorative items for the bathroom have moved to the dining room.
That gently slopping yard to our lowest entry point even presented a problem but it was far better than the other entries which have three to seven steps.
I have a new found respect for the handicapped people in the world and especially for those people who live alone. There is no way Maria could have gone home alone.
I also know, for sure, things can change in a instant. I knew because of Hubby's health issues and my sister's health issues. I never really thought how quickly it can change. I am more grateful than I was. She had a job, a car, and in one instant, despite all she did, both was lost from the foolishness of another driver. We are blessed, it could have been worse.
Today she returned to the doctor after almost falling on her foot and screaming so loud I heard her from outside.
They removed the cast and the dressing. Let me just say a pretty turned ankle does not have black oozing green...and that is how it looks! The doctor asked if she took her antibiotics. The releasing doctor did not write a script. Fortunately her earlier mishap did not harm the bone, still pinned and screwed. The wound is open but the doctor today did not know if the doctor before had left it open or if the fall had opened it. Conclusion: None. Given antibiotics and sufficient pain pills. Come back Monday and the doctor who did the surgery will look at it and decide if skin grafts are necessary.
Please continue to hold her in your prayers. I'm losing faith in doctors!
