This is a different kind of post for me.
My daughter was involved in a car accident on the highway a couple days ago. She was traveling at dusk by herself and simply lost her concentration, hit the gravel shoulder of the highway and wound up flying across the highway and through a deep ditch. We are very very lucky she is alive and doing so well. She had to be cut out of the car and it was all pretty horrific. She is going to be okay but she had to have surgery on her ankle, a bunch of stitches and it looks like she has broken ribs and other damage from her seat belt. The seat belt no doubt saved her life. She is still in the hospital and in a lot of pain.
Living a healthy life includes wearing your seat-belt, don't drive when you are tired and please show extra caution driving when conditions are less than ideal. Focus on driving, not on daydreams, radios, cellphones or any other distractions.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Fire Alarms
It was a busy day at Easy Street with 3 appointments back to back. Each appointment today is worth its own post but I had an incident that really threw me.
We were just finishing up in Physiotherapy and reviewing what I need to do for homework when a fire alarm went off for the hospital. The sound absolutely got to me. I was not panicked or worried about a fire, it was really the physical sound that hit me so hard. I remember saying I can't stand this! I had trouble talking and felt kind of like I was being hit in the side of the head. There was an almost instant pain in my left ear like I had a bad ear infection. It was time to head to the next appointment but the space was kind of locked down so I was grateful to just sit for a few more minutes and try to pull myself together until the all clear bell rang.
My balance was gone, I was dizzy and thought that I was going to vomit. All the people rushing around after the delay was tough to watch too and aggravated the situation even more. My physiotherapist walked me back and it was so challenging I needed her help a lot. It was like the past 12 months worth of work and progress had vanished. We got to the other side offices for my next appointment and my therapist brought me some water and I just sat.
I was pretty useless for the first part of the appointment. I had huge amount of pain in my ear and in my eye by that point and even my face felt horrible. It slowly settled into just a horrible headache and I was able to see better. I think it was close to an hour after the alarm before my equilibrium started to improve and I could focus on my dietician. The cab ride home was hard but I was coping okay right until he decided to back up for several houses. I could hardly get out of the cab and it was another half hour before the nausea settled down.
In the evening after a long rest I felt able to go to Canadian Tire with Bob. I was tired, and still had a lingering earache, but felt okay. I bent over to look at a product tag that was upside down and woosh I was collapsing again.
This morning I am feeling fine, the ear ache is gone, and I am back to what is now normal for me but I feel pretty thrown by the whole experience. I have been doing so well and feeling more confident in myself, but that I could have found myself so miserable and incapacitated with just the sound of an alarm is very disconcerting to me. The world is feeling a little less safe today than it was yesterday morning.
We were just finishing up in Physiotherapy and reviewing what I need to do for homework when a fire alarm went off for the hospital. The sound absolutely got to me. I was not panicked or worried about a fire, it was really the physical sound that hit me so hard. I remember saying I can't stand this! I had trouble talking and felt kind of like I was being hit in the side of the head. There was an almost instant pain in my left ear like I had a bad ear infection. It was time to head to the next appointment but the space was kind of locked down so I was grateful to just sit for a few more minutes and try to pull myself together until the all clear bell rang.
My balance was gone, I was dizzy and thought that I was going to vomit. All the people rushing around after the delay was tough to watch too and aggravated the situation even more. My physiotherapist walked me back and it was so challenging I needed her help a lot. It was like the past 12 months worth of work and progress had vanished. We got to the other side offices for my next appointment and my therapist brought me some water and I just sat.
I was pretty useless for the first part of the appointment. I had huge amount of pain in my ear and in my eye by that point and even my face felt horrible. It slowly settled into just a horrible headache and I was able to see better. I think it was close to an hour after the alarm before my equilibrium started to improve and I could focus on my dietician. The cab ride home was hard but I was coping okay right until he decided to back up for several houses. I could hardly get out of the cab and it was another half hour before the nausea settled down.
In the evening after a long rest I felt able to go to Canadian Tire with Bob. I was tired, and still had a lingering earache, but felt okay. I bent over to look at a product tag that was upside down and woosh I was collapsing again.
This morning I am feeling fine, the ear ache is gone, and I am back to what is now normal for me but I feel pretty thrown by the whole experience. I have been doing so well and feeling more confident in myself, but that I could have found myself so miserable and incapacitated with just the sound of an alarm is very disconcerting to me. The world is feeling a little less safe today than it was yesterday morning.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The SAM Community Sale Event at St Norbert Market
St Norbert's Farmers Market Sale
On Saturday, September 18, 2010 the Stroke Association of Manitoba (SAM) was represented at the Community Booth in the Market space.
the Auxiliary Ladies, with assistance by SAM staff, helped pull together the supplies which I picked up on Thursday.
There was no charge for the booth and it can be used once per year by a non-profit group.
The weather was very cool in the morning and there was a huge demand for our mitts and hats. Sales were good all day but slowed down somewhat after noon.
We gave out papers with the auxiliary information to anyone who might be interested in donating materials or crafting for us or were interested in purchasing items directly from the office. We met several people who have had a stroke and a couple of adult children of stroke survivors who were interested in our services and took information pamphlets with them.
It was very positive PR to have our name seen by probably 1000 or more people. We explained about our organization to many, many people. It was a good day.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Me on Local Cable TV
Easy Street, The fantastic rehabilitation program I have been attending was featured in a local cable TV segment. They asked me to participate and be filmed doing a few background things with my physiotherapist. I wound up interviewed and it was a lot more than the couple of seconds on air that I expected.
I am not really very comfortable about being that public with my problems, but I am writing on the blog too so I should try to adjust. I really do think the world of this wonderful and innovative, multidisciplinary rehab program and want to support it anyway I can.
The link below requires Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher to view it.
I am not really very comfortable about being that public with my problems, but I am writing on the blog too so I should try to adjust. I really do think the world of this wonderful and innovative, multidisciplinary rehab program and want to support it anyway I can.
The link below requires Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher to view it.
Monday, September 6, 2010
I can see changes
It has been a good Summer.
I have really been aware of how much better I am moving around. My improvement in the past 3 months has made such a difference in my getting on with my life. I am now able to get around without using the walker most of the time and I don't really need the cane in quieter, familiar, level places. I do however find that light changes, moving items, crowds and getting over tired are still bad triggers of dizziness and nausea.
Today when I was getting in the boat it really dipped a lot. I got in the boat okay with help but I felt horribly nauseated for most of the ride home. I realized.. once the waves of nausea passed,.... that it has been a month since I have had this severe a reaction. Progress! Car rides are now tolerable most days and boat rides are even fun on a calm day.
It is hard to see the day by day progress. Fall is around the corner and as I reflect on the changes since we opened the cottage in the May, I can't help but feel optimistic.
Linda
I have really been aware of how much better I am moving around. My improvement in the past 3 months has made such a difference in my getting on with my life. I am now able to get around without using the walker most of the time and I don't really need the cane in quieter, familiar, level places. I do however find that light changes, moving items, crowds and getting over tired are still bad triggers of dizziness and nausea.
Today when I was getting in the boat it really dipped a lot. I got in the boat okay with help but I felt horribly nauseated for most of the ride home. I realized.. once the waves of nausea passed,.... that it has been a month since I have had this severe a reaction. Progress! Car rides are now tolerable most days and boat rides are even fun on a calm day.
It is hard to see the day by day progress. Fall is around the corner and as I reflect on the changes since we opened the cottage in the May, I can't help but feel optimistic.
Linda
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