Hitting my head


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So the other day I was tidying up the kitchen, and bent over to put the soft plastic recycling into the container, which is in the bottom of our pantry. 

 

Totally lost my balance and went head first into a pantry shelf support beam.

 

Because of my lesion, it's been drummed into me over the last few years, not to hit my head.

 

Anyway, I screamed because I wasn't sure if I was going to actually fall or not.

 

The kids were home and both came running. 

 

I managed to stand up and that's when I realised just how sore my head was. As was my nose and cheeks.  I'm guessing that was because I'd banged the top of my head, and it's connected. 

 

So I had some panadol and sat in my chair for a little while, trying hard not to fall asleep. 

 

I was quite panicked all afternoon, but nothing happened.  Life as usual. 

 

It's amazing, something that I do every single day suddenly caused me a problem. 

 

I think the brain totally forgets what the body's limitations are.

 

💚👑

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Janelle, I sympathise with you. My wife has had similar problems for many years. Mostly they ended up with scratches, cuts and bruises but recently have become more serious. The first one was a broken arm, followed by a few months later a broken hip. You will be aware of all these because I passed comment on them via this forum.

The main problem for us is trying to find a common factor so we can avoid repetition. This has proved extremely difficult, many were just through not paying attention and letting the mind wander away listening to birdsong or studying passing vintage cars. One was probably ignoring hot sunshine on the back of the head and others just stumbles when exercising.

 

If there is a common factor it is nimbleness, with more of this ability most of the tumbles would have been avoided. Our plan at the moment is to improve her footwork and reaction time. 

 

Deigh

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Working on footwork, balance and reaction times is a great idea. My PT does it to me sometimes by getting me to stand on the foam and then he walks around me randomly pushing at different part of my body so I have to react by stiffening position/core while my feet are on the unstable surface, if he's feeling very mean I have to keep my eyes closed rather than being able to pick and hold a focus point.  Make sure you have plenty of room and preferably crash mats around when you first start this drill.  Finding a PT who's willing to work on safe falling rather than just falls prevention also helps.

 

 I also highly recommend converting shelves to drawers as much as possible, so that you don't have to bend over and reach as that combination tends to be the worst. Also every house should have a "gotcha stick" (reacher tool) Janelle you can get them as NDIS low cost assistive tech.

I used these to convert some cupboards at the country house, they work really well. https://www.hsw.com.au/tansel-pull-out-bottom-mount-wire-basket-kit-for-internal-width-area-329mm/

 

Thinking about it now I should/could probably have done this with NDIS funds too.

 

 

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I'd use ndis, Heather. That's the perfect funding thing. 

 

Deigh, you are right with the letting the mind wander!

 

I was totally not thinking about what I was doing, more like what I was doing next!

 

I'm waiting on a quote to have some kitchen cupboards changed to drawers. I need to contact him.  After the cyclone all trades are flat out.

 

💚👑

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the nice thing about the drawers fitted inside the cupboards that I did is that they are fitted by a handyman/DIY person, no actual trade needed. Although I did get it done by someone else to save Dad's knees and sanity.

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When my dad made the lazy Susans for me, he made them in record time!

 

Even though it's great that he does stuff for me, it can be better if there's distance between myself and the tradie, so I totally understand your decision to use someone else.

 

I had a cover made for the bath, so the laundry baskets sit on top. No more bending to get them, or cleaning the bath out!

 

Wayne is a cabinet maker by trade, but I (government) paid someone else to do it. That way I had total control over the colour, thickness and design. 

 

💚👑

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yep Dad is great but he's not young any more so I try not to ask him to do things that need bending, reaching etc. And yes some things get lost in translation, especially with those closest to us, so getting a tradie in makes for a less complicated life.

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  • 1 month later...

Have you claimed your shelving Heather?

 

My support co-ordinator said anything that makes my life easier...and I'm sure those baskets are life savers!

 

Recently had all the knobs on our doors changed to handles. I can push down on the handle with my bad hand to open doors now. A huge improvement 

 

💚👑

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