Archive for the ‘my posts,’ Category

Using a wheelchair takes some getting used to.  I have to admit that all the time I was walking I didn’t think much about using wheelchair.  In fact, I used to get angry because the wheelchair people had  special places.  Very thoughtless, huh! After my stroke in 2005 I could no longer walk.  So guess what … I was forced into using a wheelchair.  My life had changed and I was not happy.  Fortunately I was able to push myself around the convalescent hospital.  I saw others who were far less fortunate than I was, who couldn’t even move around by themselves.

I became determined to make the best of the situation.  Now one of the things that was hard for me was asking people to help me.  Like pushing me to where I needed  to go.  Once again my independence was  out the window.  Even my first time on the handicapped bus was a bit creepy as I was  used to taking myself where I want to go.  I won’t lie here, because mentaly it was very, very hard for me.
wheelchairs
It’s now 2009 and I am making progress.  The bus is really easy to do and I enjoy myself.  They help me on board, and I go for a ride.  In fact, our activities people take us to the movies and out to eat.  I enjoy it very much and am very thankful I am healthy enough to do it.

I  found myself in the hospital and  I remember thinking, well I should be out here soon, as I didn’t like hospitals.  N OT… well, things got worse and I could not move.  This was very frightening to me, since the worst injury I had suffered to date was a broken leg.  Yes going back on writing this is very hard.  I had to recall events that were very hard for me to go through.

The hospital checked me in and took me up to a room.  My whole right side was frozen as I could not move anything.  They had  me on my back, and I couldn’t even  rest.  I am a side sleep person and that was most uncomfortable.  My family came to see me and all felt so strange.  I just wanted to be out of there and was so angry at myself for having this damned   stroke.

My oldest daughter  came in and pushed me in a wheelchair around the facility.  It was good to get out there.  However, I felt useless.  Now remember, I have been self employed for years and have taken care of myself all that time.  Being confined to a wheelchair was awful.  Just the thought of it made me ill.

I was in the hospital for three days and then they decided to move me into a convalescent home.  Once again, I had no control over what was going on.  The place was nice but full full of old people.  I was told that I was going to get therapy there   so I could work on getting better.  Now, I was 67 years old, and  only about 40 in my mind.

Once again, I had to get used to being in the new place with people I didn’t know.  I was  a very private guy and found it very difficult to allow myself to fit in .  The physical therapy people were very kind and put up with my attitude.  My stroke was truly awful… and I needed help getting  in and out of bed, brushing my teeth, going to the bathroom, and just trying to get around in the wheelchair.  I became determined that I was going to lick this problem.

I just discovered something that I must pass on.  I have found a topical pain reliever that works quite well.  It is called BIOFREEZE.  This is how I found it.  I had a real bad charlie horse cramp.  These can be very painful, as you know .  I asked the nurses      and no one seemed to know anything about a topical pain reliever that really works.  I explained that I didn’t want to take medicine.  But wanted something for topical application.  Now, I don’t give up easily.

So I asked my physical therapist, if he knew of anything.  He said that he uses it on himself.  But he  was very careful to point out that you had to buy this on your own.  So I went to Google and typed in
biofreeze…. quite a few listings, and low and behold….  Amazon.com was one.  Now I am a regular shopper at Amazon so I trust them and I went there and found just what I needed.

I recently had a pneumonia shot, and my arm was a bit sore.  When I applied this product on my arm and neck I felt no pain all day.  This product comes in many different sizes, so you can try it and see if it works on you.  It really is a cheap way to fight pain.

choice

As I think about my life here in the convalescence home I am very grateful that I’m here.    Now I didn’t start out that way but as time went by I became more and more grateful because of the help I am receiving.  I’ve always been the type of person who liked to do everything themselves and rarely depends upon others.  I had a stroke on my right side and and was right handed  so it greatly effected me.   I determined that I was going to get better  So, I went to physical therapy regularly and work myself out.  I am a very determined person and that is determined to get better.  As time went by I did improve some but not as fast as I wanted to . I would be up and walking in a quick manner but it didn’t turn out that way.  I began to be very thankful for my nurses because they came in changed me when I needed  changing   and they helped me to accomplish as much as possible on my own …they call it, “getting independence back “.

Fortunately I was able to move to another convalescence home closer to where my daughter lives and she visits me offen   .  the people here are like family and they take care of me and have helped me so much that I am really getting much better much quicker.  I found that if I developed an attitude of gratitude it just seemed I was able to deal with more frustrating things  in a better way.

It’s now been four years since my stroke and I really am doing much better. I have learned to put more effort into what I can do on behalf of my  recovery.  We handicapped people have to put effort into getting better.   I got myself a computer and started learning how to use it effectively .  I also started visiting with the residences to learn more about how they got  handicapped.  I’ve also joined with more social events and participated in what was going on.  I am truly trying to do my part to get better.

I decided in my mind that I would be grateful and so each day  I choose to be grateful and it makes quite a difference in everything that I am involved with.  I’ve  discovered that how happy and comfortable you can  be when you’re in a  convalescence hospital.
tv’s digital hd
As you can see it’s really a choice you have to make.  When you become handicapped your life really changes and you have to look at life differently in order to survive.   You can give up or decide you’re  going to get better.