About the only decent thing that happened today was a Boxing Day tradition of devouring a box of Orange Matchmakers while watching The Wizard of Oz, that I’m afraid is as exciting as it gets. The start to my day was rather more dramatic and a start I could have done without.
Rough night number whatever (still don’t know why they have been so bad) and a latish start yet again. I had no intention of using my prosthetic leg yesterday and just had a nice easy day. I had decided my plans for the next couple of days regarding exercises an wearing the prosthetic leg. After my wash I got dressed and went straight into my lounge to put on my leg. I had decided to do this rather quietly so I would surprise Mum and Dad when I got out into the kitchen, it is at this point I remind you of the saying ‘best laid plans’. I managed to get the leg on successfully, It felt OK and I set off steadily for the kitchen. Now, when I was at physio I showed them the sticks that I wanted to use (Craghopper Travel Compact Pole) and they had a concern about the tiny feet at the bottom of them. I had managed to get some ferrules to put on the feet that are shaped the same as the feet on a set of crutches or a walking frame. There are a couple of reasons why I like these sticks a appose to the NHS wooden ones, they are extremely lightweight, they have comfy handles and I look slightly younger than an old aged pensioner. The physios had said for me to use my crutches but I figured that with the bigger ferrules on the sticks they would be OK about me using the sticks. As I got out of my lounge door I was looking into the mirror at the end of the corridor to see how I was walking, it didn’t look too bad at all. I watched my progress as I carried on up the corridor and then turned the corner to head for the kitchen. After maybe one or two steps I scuffed my prosthetic foot on the floor (which I do occasionally) and then I think I took another step. As I came through from this foot the prosthetic leg was not fully locked straight and as I stepped forward the leg gave way. At one point it was as if time stood still momentarily, say a couple of seconds, while I realised what was happening. There was no time to do anything about it and I don’t think there was anything I could have done in hindsight. I kept falling forward and probably if I had one I would have landed on my knee. As I don’t have a knee on the left side I came down on the prosthesis and hit the door with my shoulder I Think.
I was very lucky that I didn’t hit the door frame as I could have seriously damaged my shoulder. I was also please that I wasn’t using crutches as I would probably broken bones in my wrist or arms. My parents both came running to find me sprawled all over the floor and as I came down on the prosthetic leg it dug straight into my groin which was exceptionally painful. They went and got my wheelchair, I took off the leg and managed to get up from the floor and back into my wheelchair. It just happened so quickly again and there was nothing I could do to save myself. The stump and groin area have been painful all day but I have tried to play it down to Mum and Dad, Nan doesn’t know I fell over which is good as she would have worried about it. I am sure this will not be the last time I fall over but it seems I am now studying at the school of hard knocks, quite literally!
