Keep it simple stupid! (stupid me, not you)

[mare]

It's good to be prepared for down the road, but sometimes the short-term solution
is to keep it simple. Case in point- recommendation by PT to get a lift.
OK - don't want PALS to fall & don't want to hurt myself transfering him. But still.....:?:

Maybe a "fresh pair of eyes" for tips, tricks & other solutions. Also, better learn assisted transfers; so off to out-patient therapy. :arrow:
I'm 5'8" & Jim is 6', so not bad. (I'm not telling my weight, let's just say he does weigh more than me!) And while I'm not Superwoman, I'm no weakling either!
But darn, transfering him from w/c to "bed" or w/c to toilet is hard; no wonder caregivers suffer from back & neck pain. Hmmmm, the lift idea is looking better.:idea:

And then the PT pulls out the transfer board!:-o Eureka! Of course, I should have known this. (but then, shouldn't the other PT have reminded me of it?)
Since Jim has good arm strength, this is a perfect solution for now. I know I still have to do the lift (and am working on it), but for now I love the transfer board!

Last night, I pulled out the books from the MDA- the "manuals" for PALS & CALS. Right there in the beginning of the book was the discussion about transfer boards!
Sometimes we are taking in so much, we forget the stuff we learned "in the beginning".
Good reminder (for me at least) to look back over some of the info we have from the beginning; I might think I "know it all":razz:; I just can't recall it all!:shock:

 

[Whitsend]

Whenever we seem to be approaching a new milestone, I pull out the MDA books to see if they have any good suggestions. While the books are a good starting point, they don't usually provide a lot of depth.

 

[BarryG]

I think you are Superwoman!

 

[mare]

Thanks, Barry!;-) But I think it was the "stupid me" that caught your eye!:lol:

Whitsend- yes, they are a good starting point; I don't think they are meant to be in depth. That's for the dr, or PT or any of the other specialists.

 

[KeeKer]

I just think at the beginning you can get overloaded with all the information. It's easy to forget what you were told at the beginning when you are farther down the line. And you are definitely not "stupid"! What probably got Barry's eye is the same thing that caught my eye , Your name! ((((hugs))))

 

[LauraW]

Ah, yes, Mare. I feel your feelings of stupidity (I don't really think you are stupid). A hoyer lift has made my days so so so much less painful. Why didn't I get one earlier? I don't know...guess I forgot that people said I should. Way too much info in the beginning just overwhelmed me so that my brain shut down.....lol! That's my excuse and I'm stickin to it!

 

[brooksea]

I'm right there with ya! It's just so much to remember...and so much to do, not just physically, but emotionally and the rest.

You are a super woman to me and Superwoman, as well!

 

[KKay]

Have you looked at Beazy Boards? I'm not sure that is how to spell Beazy. But anyway, the seat slides so it is easier to move a larger person on the board. I have not had to use it as of yet so I can't comment on it other than to say it looked like a good idea to me.

 

[penny1]

Mare, if you think a transfer board is great, you are gonna love this. I weight 105 and my husband weighed 230. I was sole caregiver. I found a piece of fabric about 18" wide and 4 or 5 ft long. Fabric should be kinda slippery and not stretchy. Get the fabric under him with extra fabric hanging out each side. Stand along side of the chair you are going to move him into, grab the fabric close to the leg and grab the other end over his thigh. With a slow steady pull he will slide right over the transfer board to the chair. Bonus his pants won't be all bunched up. This can be used as his arms become weaker, just be careful. Penny1 (penny for your thoughts) aka Sherri

 

[LauraW]

Sherri...that's awesome!

 

[mare]

I have seen the Beasy Board, KKay. But they are over $200, while the transfer board starts around $50 $ up. I'd rather put that money towards a better lift. However, penny's tip seems like the "manual" way to do a beasy board- so agree with Laura, awesome!

Now, don't worry- I don't really think I'm stupid. :lol:! I have a healthy amount of self-esteem; I sometimes think I will break my arm patting myself on the back.:razz:
(I am lucky to have a husband that thanks me everyday, and frequently asks, "what would I do without you?" To which I reply, "you'll never have to find out!"

When I said I'm not Superwoman, I meant in strength. But I suggest we all become "Superwoman"- I think we can pull it off at least until Halloween is over!:razz:
I tried to change my avatar to "Superwoman"; but since I had so much computer trouble last year, I now have more security around my computer than President Obama!
(not giving up though, will see if Jim can help me!)

So, let's see how many Superwomen we really have. CALS unite! (sorry guys, this is for ladies only!) Change your avatar to superwoman (for a month); let's see how many different images we can have! (there were lots of x-rated images- better keep it clean, ladies. Don't want to cause a moderation log-jam! :shock: Somebody's heart just skipped a beat - was it Richard, Al or David?)

 

[mare]

Hmmmm..... 42 likes for stupid me.:-?
Are you all trying to tell me something? :lol::lol::lol: