How to do things when legs quit working

[CBowman]

When you completly lose your legs, how do you do things like go to the bathroom and get into bed. My left leg is pretty bad and it (als) is working on my right leg now. I need to start thinking ahead. I am having difficulty now getting up from the toilet and low chairs. I can still use a walker but can't go far. Any advice is welcome.

Thanks :mrgreen:
Chad

[Marianne]

Stan's conditions are a little worse than yours. He is much weaker now and needs assistance when moving from chair to bed or cammode. Up to now he has a walker in front of him for helping him to pull himself up. I leaverage under his arm (arm pit with my arm and assist with pulling him up . I have also used a safety belt to assist with and secure him from falling. He then swivels to the location and is assisted with lowering. He now always uses a motorized recliner chair, hospital bed in a high position, raised toilet seat so that he does not have to work so hard to stand up and go down too far. I have just ordered a transfer board that can be used a bridge between the two seats. He then can shimmy over the board rather than pull himself up as he weakens more.

We also have purchased a sling lift. In the earlier days when he would fall I was too weak to pull 235 pounds 6 ft. man to his feet. So we would use this lift to pull him up to his feet. We will need to use this in the future to move him from one location to another when he does not have the leg and arm strength to assist.

I aslo installed a sit-n-lift for our GMC Montana van so he can shimmy from the wheel chair over to the car seat and then lifted into the van sitting. It works very well!!

Marianne

[AlmasDaddy]

http://www.alsa.org/resources/manuals.cfm
The manuals provided by the ALS Association are good resource to have for you and your family as the disease progresses, it will give you a step-by-step idea of what to be ready for.
You might want to also look up, support groups, through the ALS Association and find out which ones are in your area. Michael

[CBowman]

Thanks for the advice you two,

I am still ok now, but trying to prep for the future of this runaway ALS train. :mrgreen:

[19PAMELAVGIRARD56]

I have an appointment for a leg brace. Have you considered that?

[CBowman]

What kind of a leg brace? I have a foot drop brace, but my hambstring, quad, and hip are pretty weak on my left leg. My right leg is still Ok but has some weakness.

I was born in Michigan (St. Clair Shores). Where are you from in the UP?