Tuesday 3 June 2014

I Got Vertical This Morning!

I learned something new this morning, something good, something exciting. I learned a new way to get myself vertical. You will note I don't call it "standing up" although at the end of the process I am doing something approximating standing. My legs are vertical and they are bearing most of my weight. I still need my arms and hands to take up some of the weight and keep me balanced. But I am up, up there, at 6 feet tall!

It's interesting how we make changes and adapt as this disease progresses; not just me, but those around me and other PALS that I know. We all adjust and make changes. Sometimes as one change happens, I forget to look around at my alternatives, instead just giving in to another loss, another defeat in this terminal battle. I need to remember that there are victories too, like this morning. Right now I am celebrating that victory.

I have slowly been losing my ability to get myself vertical, my arms losing the strength needed to get me up there. The "old way" of doing this for getting dressed needed several steps. First I would move the feet of my wheelchair to the side or underneath the chair. This allowed me to get closer into the corner made by my dresser and the M-rail on my bed. Then I would carefully plant my feet close enough to the dresser that my legs could get vertical without banging into the dresser, as close as you would normally stand, or perhaps a bit closer. Then I would use my arms to lift myself part way. Once halfway up, I would "pop" my hand on the M-rail up and forward, ultimately transferring it to the dresser. With both hands even and on the dresser, holding all my body weight, I would push myself vertical. I was up!

As my arms have weakened I have had greater difficulty moving my hand forward and taking the weight as I transferred it from the M-rail to the dresser. I had pretty much lost it all, saying good bye to getting vertical. Then, this morning, I noticed that with the new low-profile box spring, the M-rail and the dresser were pretty much at the same height. I also noticed that if I got closer into the corner, I would have a near parallel balance across both rail and dresser.

So I tried it. I got in close in the corner, positioned my feet, and did a straight lift using the M-Rail and the dresser. It worked; I got vertical! All I had to do was use the M-rail and the dresser as my balance points instead of just the dresser. I didn't have to move my hands in the process. I carefully edged my pants up, balancing and carrying the weight with one arm and hand at a time.

It is a small victory; it a victory nonetheless. In a battle with mostly losses, I like winning the odd one now and then. It keeps me fighting.

4 comments:

  1. Good for you. :) I live with a disability and I find work-arounds are so.... helpful!

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. I did it again this morning; so exciting. I know it seems silly, but it really is nice to stand up.

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  2. I love ur blog. :) you write very good about everything

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    1. Thank you, Laura. It is so kind of you to say this. Writing is such a great joy for me and I will do it for as long as I can.

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