Last week I shared the health situations members of my family faced. Here’s the good news. Lisa, who broke her wrist (for the third time), had surgery with additional screws added. She’ll be setting off airport alarms like crazy!
Unwrapping her arm plus an x-ray revealed excellent healing and she is now in a removable cast. Karen who had her heart stop multiple times but arrived safely to ER for a pacemaker insertion is also doing well.
She has had a couple of return visits to ER – very scary – but her cardiologist assures her she is mending well. She says she’s exhausted, no surprise between the trauma and actual surgery and recovery. Whew!
Brother-in-law Benny is also doing fine. When he went to a scheduled cardiologist appointment and explained his cuts and bruises, she reamed him for not heading immediately to the ER after his fall.
To ER or Not to ER – that is the question. He’d gotten up and his nose had stopped bleeding, however, what had caused the fall and what else might be examined with a thorough examination? I imagine we have each faced a similar situation; I know I have, as I ponder am I really sick or hurt or is it just a fleeting problem? Slowly I am learning to check in with a health professional (very slowly).
Several years ago, I awoke with a stiff neck. As the day rolled on the stiffness turned into ligaments tightening that created excruciating pain.
Our former doctor’s receptionist suggested an appointment two weeks away (impossible) and the ER offered muscle relaxers and some pain pills. Resting on the couch offered no solution and the two prescriptions proved worthless other than the lessening pain sent me driving to a few meetings that became a blur of forgetfulness. Me behind the wheel? Bad idea! In desperation I called PT Andrew Hillyer who welcomed me to his practice. Puzzled by the woeful mess, he worked diligently to loosen and fix. An hour later, I drove home (yikes), crawled up the stairs, and slept. Two more trips with his expert skills unwound my tenseness and I quickly recovered. I’ve always wondered what would have happened without Andrew.
Then Monday another odd thing happened to my right foot. I wondered how I had mis-stepped as I blamed age, skipping running, etc. I rested as best I could and by evening my warped mind decided the damage was really a cold coming on (Foot? Head? Nose? – you get the connection). I wandered to the medicine cabinet and grabbed Extreme Flu Care in a Bottle. Taking a regular dose, I hurt after all, I soon fell asleep to awaken hours later lost and confused. Pain gone and my brain along with it. I never take a full dose – so why did I then?
The next morning my foot resumed its throbbing and I patiently waited for it to ease. That evening, I called my PT daughter and son-in-law, Allison and Scott, explained my predicament as they advised exercises and maybe an Aleve or similar (not heavy cough syrup!). I have followed “Doctors’ Orders”, rested my foot (no running through it), bicycled, and voila – I am much better. My advice – seek a medical professional when life goes awry! I will work to adhere to these words.
Last week I had ideas about improving your balance. These simple tricks may help but be careful. Balance and motion can be complicated. Stand on one foot with eyes focused for a few seconds, working up as you feel steady. Then try the other foot. Is balance improving?
For me, it has been great. The second item is to sit on the floor and practice getting up. While supposedly this is possible with no hands, I have to place one on the floor to push me to standing. Two is OK; moving to a crawl passes. The big deal is getting up. Use a chair, a grab bar, a stable object – again your goal is to move to standing or to a phone to call for help. Of course, if you believe something is broken, that is an entirely new story.
Other exercises to strengthen your core include sit-ups, squats, and burpies. While all three may whirl memories of high school PE, I now realize how valuable each is. My routine has improved my movement and my balance and I know you can discover one that will help you. Ask your doctor or other health professional then “Just Do It!”