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WITH A BANG AND A WHIMPER

6 August 2018

Age doesn't creep up on you slowly.  Sometimes it just hits you over the head and BAM you're old.

Last night I fell again.

Oh it was lovely.  Maybe not as dramatic as the last two falls but it had a better audience.

We were leaving the Woodland Opera House after seeing a fantastic production of Shrek.  I was pleased that I was able to get to my feet after the show with minimal difficulty (Walt pointed out it was much easier when my pants weren't falling down!)

To leave the opera house, you either climb up all the kinda small stairs from the orchestra to get to the elevator or you climb up 3-4 bigger stairs to get to outside and then downstairs with a nice hand railing.  Down stairs is not a problem.

I waited until the theater was almost empty and then headed up the 3-4 stairs.  I had my cane in one hand, a nice banister in the other, and Walt behind me.  I made it up the first two or three steps and then my foot wouldn't go high enough to go up the last step and there I was falling in slow motion, surrounded by other members of the audience trying to get out, and all grabbing at me, breaking my fall.

At least they could have given me a round of applause.

It only took 2 or 3 people to get me up this time, compared to the 4 it has taken before (I forgot to mention that at Red Lobster, I hadn't fallen, but I needed the assistance of a waiter to get out of the booth we were sitting in).

No harm, no foul, and going back to the car was easy -- it was even easy getting into the car, since the door was at the curb level so that I only had to step down and not up.  I was aware that I was very shaky though, and remained shaky for an hour or so after we got home.

In the morning, I woke up, got up out of the recliner and took a step toward the hall, holding onto my cane, and my other knee nearly gave out.  It was just like after the first fall I took.  I must have twisted the knee in the fall.  I wasn't sure I could make it down the hall and fortunately, as I passed the kitchen, my old cane was there and with the help of two canes and lots of wincing, I made it to the bathroom.

I was afraid I would not be able to get off of the toilet, and it was more difficult than usual, but I was able to do it.

In my slow progression back to the recliner, I made the decision that the time has come to get a medical alert button.  If I'm here with Walt, that's OK.  If I am alone, and I fall, there is no way I can get back up again.

Thanks to the wonderful people on Facebook, I had suggestions that ranged from getting a knee replacement to getting Amazon's Alexa that would call 911 for me, to a bunch of other things that wouldn't work for my situation, but I did get a couple of workable suggestions which I will check out tomorrow.

I also have suggestions for walkers, because I agree it's time for a walker.

Just a few weeks ago I was fairly mobile and now it's weekly blood tests, legs that won't work, medic alert, walker, stool to sit on when I cook, and lord knows what else.  I'm suddenly old, guys!  My appetite has also decreased so much that I am afraid I am not getting enough nutrients and have started drinking Boost once a day.

I don't think I've seen my mother in 3 weeks and I can't even think of walking the hall to see her right now.  I'm grateful just to make it to the bathroom.  Which is another issue.  Depending on whether this new knee thing is temporary or not, I may have to consider a raised bathroom seat, which I hate the idea of, but if it's that or sitting on the toilet until Walt passes by, that may be a necessity.

And then there is Walt who still has his catheter in.  I feel like we have become our own private medical center.  His brother is coming to visit tomorrow -- which he has never done on his own, I don't believe!  I feel like he's making a hospital visit.  Maybe he'll bring chocolate.

I think all these falls are also affecting me mentally.  I sat here at the computer for half an hour very frustrated because Berklee was supposed to broadcast Jeri's annual concert at 5 p.m. our time and it wasn't coming on.  I didn't know why but was very disappointed that I would miss it.  It wasn't until Walt came downstairs to show me what the screen I was looking at was saying that I realized the concert is MONDAY and today is SUNDAY.

I think I'll go back to sleep now.
 

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Jackson Browne concert
 

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