Baltimore Transfer
But no one told me how scary it would be. My occupational therapist and I did my first transfer. She put a therapy table at the height of my wheel chair and I slid right over, steadying myself with my hands. It was an amazing feeling!
But unfortunately, the living room sofa is not height adjustable. Nor is the TV room sofa, but I tried anyway. The wheelchair was not locked and I ended up on the floor on my behind. Not a good look. Fortunately, it was a short way down so I didn't hurt myself, but poor Jerry had to haul me off the floor.
And then, of course, is the issue of two arms that have lifted nothing heavier than a coffee cup in four months. Whatever muscles I had are gone, and the muscles in my upper right arm are still quite painful. So the images I had of me floating from wheelchair to sofa and to the all important commode are a ways off. But I will get there.
But with the help of Amazon and an engineer husband, I can now pee all by myself in bed without having to wake up Jerry at 3 am. Any more description would be TMI so we will just leave it at that.
But it is giving me some freedom. And to that end, Jerry has been invited to teach at a flight seminar in Redding PA next weekend, and I have encouraged him to go. Our neighbors down the street will be available in the event of an emergency, and I can sit up and dangle my legs over the edge of the bed. Of course it would be better to have someone here, but the friends who have stuck with me through this have lives. And dogs. And cats. So we will pack up a cooler to sustain me and I will have books to read and movies to watch, and Jerry will get to do something he loves. I'm not ready for him to go away for more than one night, but I think this will work.
In a couple weeks time I will start physical therapy, and I also will meet with the prostheticist to talk about a leg.
I atill have significant work to do, but the progress is coming quickly. Exciting.
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