Sling Time

I missed again while getting into bed last night. I started the transfer, made it halfway across to the bed, then did not get stable on the wheelchair wheel. My rear end slid sideways. I found myself with my upper body on my bed, my legs dangling, my butt sort of half and half. It's kind of a scary thing, although the worst that could happen would be I would fall all the way to the floor and then call someone for help.

It's an odd kind of position to be in, this halfway into bed. The first thing I tried to do was steady myself, using my wheelchair, wheels locked, as a stabilizing point. Then I worked slowly, once again using the wheelchair as a brace point, sliding and wiggling my rear end up onto the bed. It took about 20 minutes to get enough of me onto the bed that I could use my M-rail to pull myself into a sitting position.

All of this takes a lot more effort than you might expect. It's generates a bit of panic too. There is nothing to grip in this sort of position, other than the bed sheets. I'm midway between the headboard and the footboard, unable to reach my M-rail at the head, or the post at the foot. So the wiggling part requires small movements, small enough that I don't slide frontwards by accident. And all the while, my jeans are snagging and dragging against the sheet, pulling it out of alignment as I move. So I move carefully.

Of course I was exhausted by this time, so I just rested for a while, catching my breath, letting my heart rate come back to something resembling normal. Then, once steadied and safe, I disrobed for bed. What is usually a process of only a few minutes became a half hour struggle. I was exhausted. Fortunately I was in bed. I'm really going to have to start using that damned sling on a regular basis.