SKI-er or Sk-ater. We know how to enjoy ourselves

margaretclare

millie wrote: »

_Today_was_a_red-letter-day_-_the_first_time_DH_has_had_a_proper_shower_since_he_was_taken_ill_the_middle_of_October,_so_I_was_pleased_I_had_taken_the_bull_by_the_horns_and_got_the_shower_done._We_managed_to_put_his_leg_into_a_bin-bag_and_did_it_that_way._He_feels_wonderful,_like_a_human_being_again,_as_he_says/quote wrote:

You can buy some waterproof things especially to use in the shower or bath on limbs that that cannot be exposed to water. I have ordered on myself today after I slipped on the ice yesterday and have an inpact fracture of the wrist.

http://www.limboproducts.co.uk/

Yes, I know, he already has one for use on legs. The size of his splint, however, meant that the bin bag was easier.

This is the kind of thing that the physios/OT/rehab people are supposed to advise on. I got no help from them at all - they thought it was fine to just go on having strip-washes indefinitely. For someone who's used to a daily shower, this was not a good option. However, it had to wait until he felt confident enough to get inside the shower enclosure himself using the grab-rails, and to stand on one leg long enough. He hasn't had the muscle strength until now, so it really was a milestone.

Savvy_Sue

margaretclare wrote: »

However, it had to wait until he felt confident enough to get inside the shower enclosure himself using the grab-rails, and to stand on one leg long enough. He hasn't had the muscle strength until now, so it really was a milestone.

Plastic chair or stool inside the shower cubicle? That may be something Red Cross can supply, if you don't have anything suitable around the house.

margaretclare

No, that won't work. We'd already thought of bringing in one of the plastic garden chairs for the purpose, but because his leg is in a splint and has to be kept stiff and straight, it sticks out and there wouldn't be room. Thanks for all the suggestions, but we did it again this morning and it all worked well.

seven-day-weekend

Hi everyone.

Glad your husband is feeling better Margaret. I was going to suggest a plastic chair too!

Well here we are, SKI-ing in Granada. We have a home exchange - this place is terrific! The house is right in the Albaizin (old traditional Moorish quarter), is much bigger than ours and you go out of the gate and across the road and there is the Mirador del Alhambra - a world famous view of the world-famous palace! We couldn't have hoped for anything better.

They have set off to our little old white house in the mountains where the kitchen used to be a stable and toothless Miguel still works his mule on the terraces - they insist this is what they want - hope they are not disappointed.

Anyway we are here until Monday lunchtime - we'll make the best of it!

seven-day-weekend

Seeing as I killed the thread stone dead last time, thought I'd BUMP it before it goes onto page two!

Anyone SKI-ing or SKA-ating at Christmas?

We will be here in Spain and are not even going out to dinner this time. May take a picnic up to the SKI slopes though (the real white wet stuff this time), so I'm sure that counts!

donny-gal

We are in the UK for Xmas 7DW though questioning our sanity as it is not the best of weather. Our son will be home and then for New Year we are pushing our sanity to the limit and going off in our 'van. We will be back skiing again towards the end of January.
DG

margaretclare

Glad your husband is feeling better Margaret.

Thanks for the good wishes. Well, as for the so-called festive season, it won't happen. We're not going anywhere - well, I might get to the carol service/nativity play/social event next Sunday afternoon at church, but DH can't get into the car so he can't go anywhere. And we have the District Nurses visiting daily to do his IV antibiotics into his Hickman line - this will continue for at least another 3 weeks, maybe longer.

However, he hopes to be mobile again by spring and we were looking at a long weekend in the Lake District - looking at the George in Keswick, because we love luxury, we love traditional old inns, and we've never been to the Lake District together.

But just what form that mobility will take isn't yet known. Last week he saw his consultant again and 3 possible options were discussed. The consultant said that when he first saw DH he was at 'death's door' and yes, he certainly was. I think myself that one of the factors that helped pull him round was that - apart from the long-standing diabetes - he's always been a strong, fit man with a healthy lifestyle. The reason this point came up was that Mr G put forward 3 options and left him to think over what he'd prefer. (1) 'go for gold' - put the knee back how it was, replace the component out of the joint replacement, the bit that was removed because the infection was hiding behind it, as Mr G put it. This is the riskiest option because there is the possibility of the infection coming back again and he might not survive another time. It would be the best option if it works, would give him back normal mobility and - hopefully - pain-free this time, like the other leg which has passed its 10-year audit with flying colours. (2) Fuse the joint so that his left leg would be permanently stiff. Difficulty in getting into our little Peugeot 206 and maybe even a much bigger car would be difficult to get into! (3) Amputation. Obvious comments about that.

DH has another blood test tomorrow and he sees Mr G again on Friday. Nothing will happen this year because Mr G is away for Christmas/Hogmanay, so whatever further surgery is due will be early 2009. It will all depend on (a) the results of blood tests and (b) whatever DH decides is the best option for him, given what Mr G thinks is possible.

lilac_lady

MC, what a difficult decision to have to make. Your and your OH are lucky to be in such a good relationship as you grow older together because you support each other, no matter what.

You may not be joining the other posters when they go ski-ing on the slopes but I'm sure that you'll both be doing some other type of ski-ing soon.

seven-day-weekend

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, MatgaretClare, only just seen your post.

I hope your husband recovers quickly from whatever option you decide upon together. What a hard decision. I know what decision my husband would reach (and which one I would, the two would not be the same) - you two have a strong relationship, I know you'll pull together on this.

Wishing you both well.

margaretclare

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, MatgaretClare, only just seen your post.

I hope your husband recovers quickly from whatever option you decide upon together. What a hard decision. I know what decision my husband would reach (and which one I would, the two would not be the same) - you two have a strong relationship, I know you'll pull together on this.

Wishing you both well.

Thanks for the good wishes.

7DWE, I'd be interested to know what you (and your husband) would opt for, if you were in our situation.

We have had various opinions from different friends. One of my oldest friends - he was in the RAF with my first husband back in 1960 - is quite uniequivocal. 'If it's causing trouble, chop it off'. DH has said all along that he is not volunteering for that except as a last resort. When it was first talked about back in October when he was on a ventilator in Critical Care, I insisted that he must be - if at all possible - brought back to consciousness and given the choice himself. I said I could not make that choice for him, nor could his son or daughter, nor anyone else. The consultant has so far gone along with what we said at that time.

Talked to one of the senior nurses on Sunday - she goes to our church and knows us well. She too thinks that amputation would be a good option.

However, I agree with DH that it should only be a last resort, if necessary to save his life. I can't really contemplate the practical probabilities, how he would get into the shower (my lovely new shower!) on only one leg. We had little or no help from the physios/rehab people in hospital because from their point of view a 'strip was was all that was necessary'!!! They seemed to stereotype us into one particular category and not to see us as individuals.