Debilitated and alone - -A cautionary tale........

saluki

I was reminded of how I've come to be in my current state, which resulted from brittle bones from chemo (according to the orthopedists).
I have a myriad of difficult to treat medical conditions all resulting from a bad fall I took after chemo and a week after finishing rads.

If you live alone and are going through treatment and find you are very debilitated and fatigued----do yourself a big favor.

Get yourself a cell phone whether temporary or not--Get an emergency cell phone plan if needed. This is not a phone to gab on-----This is a lifeline!

Take the phone and keep it always charged.

Either wear it around your neck or find an elastic belt
and wear it around your waist all the time! ---whether you are taking out the trash; watering your plants, or letting your dog into your yard.

If you are in the shower bring it in their as well, or just in the kitchen cooking have it around your waist.

It only takes one missed step to become completely helpless.

In my case I was minding my sister's dog unaware that the grass cutter had been to the house. He had left and unknown to me had forgotten to close the gate.

Well it was time to let the dogs out and out the corner of my eye after I'd opened my back door and let them out I noticed it was wide open and I tried to get to it falling
and doing am amazing amount of damage to my shoulder and changing my life forever.

I was hours laying on the ground in the back yard in excruciating pain and unable to move. I was also unable to be seen.

When my neighbor arrived home he saw me laying on the ground
and yet he couldn't come near me.
Me little bichons were protecting me! Well, my sister meandered on by a few minutes later. After, a very long hospitalization and rehabilitation, including a new shoulder, and permanent ongoing nerve damage I was again ready to return home on my own.

But my sister insisted I get a cell phone, she put it on her plan so I only pay the additional phone charge and all calls to family members are free.

I had been working as a medical office manager and medical biller for an inner city practice; But since my BC diagnosis they linked the billing computer to my house, so I could continue. A whole year of physical therapy and I attempted to go into the office to get a few things I needed.

I pulled into the alley mind you a dangerous alley where the cars are in their own individual cages and where drug dealing is a constant and crack vials abound.

I park--get out of the car, and walk towards the back door
when you guessed it. My ankle turned in a broken up driveway and down I went like a ton of bricks. Not being able to put my arm out like a normal person and break my fall I went right down on my elbow of the already damaged
arm.

I'm laying there scared out of my mind that the wrong people will see me. But this time I had a cell phone, so I was able to let the staff know I was laying on the ground in the alley. The Doctors came flying out the door to my relief.

Break was just as bad but at least this time I was able to get help and get out of a potentially very dangerous situation.

Its been a few years; but due to all the neuropathic damage this has caused, and all side effects of the medications to control the condition my life will never be the same.

Never mind The AI debilitation, and the pain
and fatigue from that. Never mind whatever the ongoing cognitive deficits remain from the A/C.

The fact is if you live alone and are debilitated you have to take precautions. So consider this a cautionary tale.

Something that you may think is a frivolous or unneeded expense may be your lifeline. It was and continues to be mine.

Susie

Shirlann

Susie, dear, please accept my sincere sorrow for all that you have suffered, just seems like too much.

But thank you for the wonderful, kind, thoughtful advice.

I think we all feel sorta invincible. But at 72, I have had a few things (other than breast cancer) that made me also realize that in an instant, you are helpless, completely helpless.

I also saw on TV a man who was driving his truck right in the middle of a Los Angeles freeway, with thousands upon thousands of cars driving past the spot where his wheel came off and he ended up in a ditch, neatly and completely covered with branches. He finally had to cut off his arm to get out.

Day after day, he sat there, but with no phone or any other way to let anyone know, he was helpless. Oh, his family spent hours driving by looking for him, as they all knew his route.

Sighhh, again, I am so sorry for all your physical misery. But you sound like the sort of person who can and will make the best of everything.

Gentle hugs, SHirlann

cbl

I am sorry to hear about all the physical problems you have had. I do not live alone and I am not as cautious as I should be but I do try to make sure I take (and charge) my cell phone when I leave the house. One of the things that scares me is now it the number of people I know that have "internet phone service" from their cable/internet providers. Most of these do not provide 911 emergency service. I know there are still places where there is no 911 service but it is something I have never ever lived without. While I can do without a lot of things, 911 service is not something I think of as a luxury. Your situation points out clearly how important emergency services are.

Shirlann

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