Hewitt
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2015
- Messages
- 53
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Country
- US
- State
- NC
- City
- Winston-Salem
My sister just had her 14th severe fall this weekend, and each time she falls with no warning and lands flat on her face. She has sustained bruises and lacerations previously, but this time she fell hard enough on her temple to make her woozy and disoriented (but not unconscious), so they took her by ambulance to the hospital, where she was x-rayed, stitched up and released.
Her husband is looking at soft helmets for her to wear for protection, but I'm beginning to wonder if any helmet is going to be sufficient to protect her against these sudden drops, especially when she lands on hard surfaces. She seems to have no awareness that this is going to happen, nor does she have any sensation of weakness preceding the fall. It just happens.
The local ALS chapter is coming to evaluate the house for safety today, and I'm glad they will see her swollen black eye and stitches, because they may be able to recommend better safety measures. I have read people here say that you should avoid falls because they can lead to a progression, and I wondered if anyone understands the mechanism behind this. Does the trauma sustained in the fall accelerate the progression, or does the fall itself represent some sort of underlying progression?
My sister has always been active and will not readily consent to limiting her walking, but I fear that the time for this may be imminent. I guess you have to weigh how much you are willing to give up to protect your safety. Is this sort of scenario typical of other ALS patients?
Her husband is looking at soft helmets for her to wear for protection, but I'm beginning to wonder if any helmet is going to be sufficient to protect her against these sudden drops, especially when she lands on hard surfaces. She seems to have no awareness that this is going to happen, nor does she have any sensation of weakness preceding the fall. It just happens.
The local ALS chapter is coming to evaluate the house for safety today, and I'm glad they will see her swollen black eye and stitches, because they may be able to recommend better safety measures. I have read people here say that you should avoid falls because they can lead to a progression, and I wondered if anyone understands the mechanism behind this. Does the trauma sustained in the fall accelerate the progression, or does the fall itself represent some sort of underlying progression?
My sister has always been active and will not readily consent to limiting her walking, but I fear that the time for this may be imminent. I guess you have to weigh how much you are willing to give up to protect your safety. Is this sort of scenario typical of other ALS patients?
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