The past couple of weeks have created a new normal at my house. Early on the morning of January 14th, my husband, John, was riding his bike to the prayer breakfast at our church.
The streets were not slick but as he approached the church and hopped up on the sidewalk his bike hit black ice and he landed hard on his left side. He realized immediately that he was not able to pull himself up or crawl to a door, so he started shaking a sign to try to get someones’ attention.
Finally, nearly 40 minutes after he had left home, a good Samaritan, Jake and his wife, came to John’s rescue. They called 911, covered him with a blanket and gave me a call.
An ambulance ride to the hospital and X-rays taken in the ER confirmed what John already knew; he had fractured his left hip. Surgery was set for that evening and thankfully everything went well. I had around 48 hours to round up the items that we would need to make our house somewhat handicap accessible before bringing John home. We are not big fans of recliners; after all, we would rather be out riding on the back of our tandem bike. But for the next few weeks John is resting pretty well in his new lift chair. Other items that make our bathroom handicap accessible include a transfer bench for the shower and handrails added to the stool. A wheel chair and ramp will also make visits to the doctor possible.
A few years ago, Extension specialists wrote a fact sheet titled, Fashion an Easier Lifestyle with Assistive Technology. Whether you are dealing with a sudden and temporary need for assistive devices or a chronic condition which contributes to a disability, assistive technology may help you with your daily activities. Assistive technology can help a person be more independent and able to live in their home safely. It can also make caregiving tasks easier.
Another fact sheet titled, Age Sense: The Caregiving Journey, really spoke to me as our normal routine has been turned upside down. While nearly everyone will find themselves in a caregiving role during their lifetime, it can be a stressful experience. I am so fortunate that John has a positive attitude. One of the first nights that I moved from sleeping on the sofa to the bed, we decided John would call me on his cell phone if he needed anything. In the middle of the night I heard John yelling for me and jumped up and asked him why he didn’t use the phone. Well, he had dropped it into the mechanism of the lift chair. A few minutes later, I was able to retrieve it and we just decided to laugh about the experience. After sharing the experience with a class I was teaching the next day, a friend brought me a cow bell for John to use to get my attention!
We are so fortunate to live in a community with an excellent health care facility. Our family and friends have provided just what we needed when we needed it during the time since the accident. Now, we just need to focus on the positive during the coming weeks, so that healing can continue.
While your life as you know it may change in an instant, your positive attitude will help you through the crises. Feel free to give me a call if you would like a copy of either of the fact sheets I mentioned above. I am happy to share!
Donna Krug is the District Director and Family & Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or [email protected]. K-State Research & Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.