Pugwash's peg-leg

Hello, playmates.

Finally(?) returned home yesterday!

The strapping down of me in the wheelchair in the ambulance damaged the chair, but the FREE servicing on that meant a very nice chappy arrived first thing this morning to fix it.

Delighted to report I slept like a baby in my FREE hospital super electronically positioned bed, in my own home.

Every minute illustrates how radically my life has changed.
All movements require planning so effort isn't wasted and everything takes forever.

I feel well and up for the challenges to come and pray for good health.
 
pugwash said:
Hello, playmates.

Finally(?) returned home yesterday!

The strapping down of me in the wheelchair in the ambulance damaged the chair, but the FREE servicing on that meant a very nice chappy arrived first thing this morning to fix it.

Delighted to report I slept like a baby in my FREE hospital super electronically positioned bed, in my own home.

Every minute illustrates how radically my life has changed.
All movements require planning so effort isn't wasted and everything takes forever.

I feel well and up for the challenges to come and pray for good health.
Click to expand...
That’s a nicer turn in the positieve direction. Good to here this from you.
Regards, Peter
 
I hope (and pray) that the new challenges as they are layered on all add up to a newly positive and constructive layer cake of good life for you!
 
Once again, thank you for your support, guy's; it helps a lot.

I've been a subscriber to quite a few forums; with the exception of Rowan's 'Velocipedian' on youtube this is the only one where the members cared. It's a credit to you all.

My next objective is to wean myself off the Morphine the hospitals have been stuffing into me since January.

Is there anyone out there who lost a leg?
The reason I'm asking is a blanket UK policy, where if you are being offered the prospect of a prosthetic, crutches are BANNED !
From what I figure, the only practical reason for that is a heightened risk of falls?

Yet, searching the web, the USA attitude to crutches is entirely positive, in fact several seemingly sound professional sources put obtaining a pair of crutches at the top of the list of essentials!

I hope there's at least one of you out there in my position, who can share experiences.
Please 'step up' and contact me, by PM if you have no wish to go 'public' with your own experience and advice.
 
I would have thought that early in the process those would be essential for balance and stability, but perhaps the idea is to prevent someone from getting too used to the crutches and not learning to trust the prosthetic. Would a cane serve the same purpose, I wonder?

My only experience is with a compound fracture. The crutches were needed to gradually increase the amount of weight I could put on my gammy leg. No similarity to your situation, so my experience has no relevance really.
 
Namabiiru said:
I would have thought that early in the process those would be essential for balance and stability, but perhaps the idea is to prevent someone from getting too used to the crutches and not learning to trust the prosthetic. Would a cane serve the same purpose, I wonder?

My only experience is with a compound fracture. The crutches were needed to gradually increase the amount of weight I could put on my gammy leg. No similarity to your situation, so my experience has no relevance really.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

A cane would be of no use whatsoever in my opinion.

My pal returned my shoulder crutches this evening and I had a brief try, I was a bit wobbly but exhilarated.

Before I lost the leg I remember practicing successfully. Then, the other leg helped lower the center of gravity and aided with balance; those two functions are now absent.
So it's learn to carefully adapt and practice.

Remember, for three months I've known nothing but bed and the chair and stood on my remaining for short periods only....so being vertical again seems strange.

Yet another challenge; one I must master as mobility with crutches is a big step up from being wheelchair bound.

As so often....watch this space!
 
My friend, there is no doubt that you have some challenges ahead - it's a process - but you CAN get through it. I was off work for 5 months after my hand injury, and it took the better part of a year before I could manage the nerve sensitivity, regain any strength and do much of anything meaningful with it. And that was just a few fingers! It's only been 3-1/2 months since your accident. I'm sure it seems like a lifetime ago, believe me, I know, but baby steps, Mate, baby steps. You can do this. And when you're feeling down, you have plenty of friends here to give you a little kick in the a$$ to help you out of it. :D Stay strong!
 
I don’t understand their logic but then I don’t know anything about prosthetics. I assume that you take it off when you go to sleep. I would think that crutches would be necessary when you get out of bed.

Anyhow! Welcome home!

Roger
 
Peter Gutterman said:
This is the most compelling "build log" I've found yet on this site! I'm signed on for the duration!

Pete
Click to expand...
Peter, hi my friend.

The 'build log' analogy is rather apt.
This long ordeal has revealed to me and others how deep my character is.
That's a bit like 'blowing my own trumpet', a trait unfamiliar to me all these years, but I'm now proud to display my soul, which I believe is honest.

Expecting a bunch of visitors in a mo...not sure how that will play out.
My neighbor. Lynn has promised a Sunday Roast later.
I find accepting others generosity embarrassing.

My 'build log' will be one plank at a time.

EDIT
The visit from 3 friends turned out to be successful (I'd been very anxious how I'd cope). It couldn't have been better and we laughed for nearly 3 hours.

Before my accident my attached neighbor petty fell out ('you're dead to me')....
well, she turned up with a big plateful Sunday Roast.
Nothing said, but got the impression I'm forgiven.

More reasons to be happy.
 
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My wife and I have been very self-reliant over the 40 years we've been together; however, now that she is in Hospice care, our neighbors have been reaching out for support. At first, I found this a little off-putting and as you say embarrassing, but this feeling quickly evaporated as their support not only helped lift the burden from my shoulders, but brought my wife and I closer in relationship to our neighbors and friends. I now readily accept their help knowing that at some time I will be able to pass it forward to others.
And in time, you, too, will find opportunities to do the same.
Be Well Pugs...

...henry
 
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