Tis the season to be tipsy...

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LouLou

Active member
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
91
Reason
DX UMND/PLS
Diagnosis
06/2011
Country
US
State
Washington
City
Woodinville
And not from too many drinks! Darn! I have fallen twice in the last few weeks. First at work while just stepping back from someone's desk. Fell right into a table. Then a week later, stepped backwards while decorating the tree, and down to the floor I went. My left leg just isn't stable and I forget about it. I've been carrying it around with me for 53 years so I am kind of used to it working! I had my husband get all the decorations out and proceeded to hang and display things here and there, but found it to be so much work this year. Hanging garland is not an easy task when you can't get on a step ladder and I did not want it on the railings of the stairs as I need those railings to keep my balance. I looked around at the many boxes of decorations and sighed. Then alot of it went back into storage. We learn to know what we can and cannot do, right? A few days ago I had my hair done after work, and walking out afterwards I had to walk down a slight slope that was covered with small pebbles -- and there were no hand rails. I made it down okay, but shuffled my feet as if I were on ice. I just take deep breaths alot and count my blessings for what I have. Guess it's the reality that I cannot do the things I used to that is so unsettling. Many blessings to all my friends out there. I am going to take next week off and bake, bake, bake and get some rest too!
 
LouLou, do you have a brace for your leg? If not, please get one. It will make a world of difference and you'll be so much safer.
 
lou lou...yr slipping up cos u fall down on the basics....if yr gonna do a triple solka on to the concrete, have a belly full of the hard stuff...then u dont feel the pain till next morning.....and cos yr head is bursting from the booze yous dont give a monkeys anyway..... logic init........johnny....
 
oh boy,i remember the falls in the early years............some embarrasing.
sorry your having a bad time with this lou lou,please take extra care...........or take johnnys advice lol.
 
Thanks folks! I do remember falling down from too many toddies a few times! Then it was kinda funny. I have given up on the stuff as of a few years ago. I will check with my doctor next month about a brace. I always try to be as careful as I can, but these things just happen.
 
Loulou, in the meantime, if the primary weakness is your ankle, then check out the Dorso X-Strap online, I think it cost me $40 or so... I still use it instead of my brace at times, it stabilizes my ankle. Actually haven't used my brace very much at all lately, since I'm using the scooter more and more. But keep walking as long as you can, and if you wear a brace, keep moving your legs and using those muscles.

Also, the custom braces can take a long time to get, so you should call your doc, get a referral and call the orthotic company for an appointment sooner than later. No need to wait for a visit.
 
Helen, thank you for this helpful info. I will check into this. Not sure if my falling is caused by weak ankles or just a weak leg. I am keeping my muscles working by riding my recumbent bike almost every day. I look forward to it actually and know that I am doing myself a tremendous amount of good!

God bless you!
 
Loulou,
Do a search on the forum for AFO's (Ankle foot orthotic). You'll find some discussion among other members who have used them as well as a few photos. (Rose, Barry and Ms Pie) My tripping over the grout lines in the tile was caused by footdrop on the right side. I was very fortunate that I didn't do any major damage in the 9 falls I had before diagnosis. This problem also contributes to increased fatigue and the AFO will help to alleviate some of it. This weakness that you're experiencing is very common and there's no reason for you to continue to fall when there are devices out there that will help to prevent it. The AFO will also buy you some time before you would need to progress to a walker. Your physician can write a prescription for the device and insurance should cover it.
 
Fell out of bed the other morning. Boy, did I feel stupid! No serious harm done, just a couple of minor bruises. I think I forgot that I can't just hop out of bed and take off anymore. We have to think about what we are doing before we do it, because nothing is automatic anymore.
 
Loulou, in the meantime, if the primary weakness is your ankle, then check out the Dorso X-Strap online, I think it cost me $40 or so... I still use it instead of my brace at times, it stabilizes my ankle. Actually haven't used my brace very much at all lately, since I'm using the scooter more and more. But keep walking as long as you can, and if you wear a brace, keep moving your legs and using those muscles.

Also, the custom braces can take a long time to get, so you should call your doc, get a referral and call the orthotic company for an appointment sooner than later. No need to wait for a visit.

I to use a Dorso X-Strap that was given to me by the ALS clinic (they were donated) that one was Black. So after a while I wanted a White one for wearing with sneakers, so I ordered it online. Not that it was expensive, but I wanted to try something, so I got a script from neuro and submitted it to insurance with the invoice (they even paid for it, minus the shipping). It just surprised me that they covered something so small, but it was a good test of my coverage.
Anyway, the tipping and falling...It happens to me also when my brain seems to move quicker than my legs. I will also turn to move, my upper body goes, but my feet and legs must not have been ready (I just have to remember to slow my movement and think first). Also, not to be long winded but I notice a "big" difference between my summer sneakers (flat at the back heel area), and the shoes I wear with pants (they have more of a roll to the rubber in the back). Something I will have to look at when buying another pair. I use a cane when walking, but it can be something as easy as getting ready in the morning, like shaving or brushing my teeth, just that quick twisting and turning of getting things is enough to throw us off balance and our feet and legs can't catch-up.
 
Yes indeed we have to scale down because of limitations. I went from a full blown decorations inside and out plus a 12 foot tree, to a 3 ft table top tree that has lights attached permenately and maybe some garland draping down off the banister (I rarely do stairs anymore but the banister railing does not get wrapped, rather we twist tie it everyso often on a balaster). My 12 old daughter and her friend have done all the decorating these past 2 Christmases and the clean up too!

I use an AFO on both feet when I leave the house, along with fore arm crutches to keep me steady. In our house I walk like I am drunk. I am known to hold a static charge because I shuffle everywhere, and I use walls, chairs and tables as my steady guides when I start to go over. I started falling almost daily in 2005 and even broke my hip but continued to walk on it. (Yes I have a high pain tollerance). But through the years I have learned that when I am up an walking, I am always expecting to fall. Thus I keep my eyes to the ground when I walk outside the house. And I take forever to get from point A to point B. But I have not fallen in 2 years now (that I can remember).

At the beginning of all the falling, there was a pride that got bruised. And each 'device' (ie...cane to double canes to crutches to pwc) that I had to use made me more and more humbler.
 
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