Hi Vickie,
Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement!! Today’s been a very
productive day for me in that I was able to schedule Paratransit to take me to
my doctor’s appointment next Friday the 18th and also on the 15th to Jim’s
Coffee Shop where I’ll be meeting my friend Gina for breakfast, and then going
to Salon Number 1 where I’ll get a hair cut and a pedicure. I can take my boot
off, and then get my feet washed and toe nails cut. They really need it,
especially on the left foot. I’ve also been able to assure my mom that I can
get in and out of the boot without too much difficulty. It’s not exactly easy
to get into, but I’m practicing at it and figuring out how to do it, getting
better each time.
Haven’t had to do a lot of shopping lately as I’ve had stuff in my freezer that
I can microwave. My friend Ann mayhave some time off from her 49ers job
Thanksgiving week. I’m hoping when she gets back home she can take me to
Walgreen’s where I need to pick up a pain med I was running very low on and
didn’t realize how low I was running until late last night. Oops! I could have
gotten it refilled yesterday had I realized, but I was so sleepy after Tuesday
and Wednesday having been out and not having slept well either night. Of
course, there was a lot of anxiety as to whether or not I’d be able to stay home
and as to whether or not I’d need surgery. Plus, I was having to elevate my
foot per previous instructions. Now I don’t have to do that, thank God! That
hurt like a sucker! I couldn’t sleep Tuesday night because my left leg was
cramping so much and my right shoulder was spasming having to get the pillows on
and off the bed and keep them piled up. My housekeeper’s coming Monday, and
maybe she can put the pillows in to my closet on the floor, or maybe I can do
that tomorrow after I’ve rested some. I’ve been up for quite awhile today,
since about 10 a. m. It’s now almost 2 p. m. I don’t feel any pain whatsoever
with the boot on, and I don’t think I realized how much better my foot feels
once it’s immobilized. Of course I don’t have to wear the boot in bed, but
there the foot is not needing to be immobilized because it’s not moving much if
any at all. Again, thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement, Vickie!
Wow, Tony had to use a walker? I’ve known of other blind people who have
routinely had to use walkers because they have multiple disabilities, and I
suppose I could use one if I had to. Actually, a friend of mine and my mom’s
has extra walkers and has offered to let me borrow one. In certain situations
around the house it may come in handy, and I’ve expressed interest in trying it.
One never knows until one has to know whether a piece of equipment like a
support cane or walker could be useful to them, and of course, it varies from
one situation to the next what a person might find a need for. Guess sighted
people have to adjust to certain things like this too, or they may have to
adjust to becoming low vision or totally blind once they have been diagnosed
with macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa or diabetes. A lady who
recently helped me was recently diagnosed with macular degeneration, and
fortunately, she’s retiring from her volunteer position in Alameda and will be
moving up to a small community up north. She’s legally blind in one eye and I
gave her the number for the state NLS services to see if she’d qualify for
talking books.
Linda G.
From: ourplace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ourplace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Vickie
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2016 10:25 PM
To: ourplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ourplace] Re: Foot Update
Linda, as always, I am praying for your health issues. I never heard of your
toe situation, but lately people have come up with health issues I have never
heard of. I can relate as to your needing to get use to using a support cane.
I’m not sure I’d ever learn. It seems so weird and different than using a travel
cane for us blind people. But then again a walker seems weird to me too. Tony
used a walker when he had his leg problems and mom with her broken hip, even
after it healed. I’m sorry it will take you so long to heal. I’m sure you’ll
get bored with it. Maybe, if you can get some home health services it’ll
relieve some of your pain and give you some company as well while you’re
healing. Maybe if that person can take you shopping or do your shopping for
you, then you won’t feel like you’re a burden to people you now have to depend
on to shop for you, etc. You are a very tough person. Keep using your
resources and don’t worry about it. You need to concentrate on healing, so your
shoulder can be taken care of and then you can get on with your life. It’s
funny how pets like Brandy shy away from their owners when they are hurt, except
to provide some comfort every once in a while. Glad you can put on your boot.
Hopefully it makes it feel better.
Vickie
From: Linda Gehres <mailto:ljgehres@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2016 9:58 PM
To: ourplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ourplace] Re: Foot Update
Hi Karen,
Thanks so much for your prayers and support! I just figured out how to get the
boot on by myself tonight which was problematic the two times I wore it going
out of the house. Brandy’s not adapting to it well right now but guess he will
eventually if he wants me to pet him, LOL!
I’m seriously thinking about applying for in-homeservices but not quite sure how
I’d do that. I suppose I have a social worker with Alameda County and can maybe
get help that way. I do have a housekeeper who comes in once monthly, but every
two weeks is a long time between sheet changes. At least with the boot I can
shower, and I can direct others to go shopping for me even if I’m out in the car
with them and don’t go into the store but give them cash. I’m tough, I’ll get
through this and whatever happens later on with my shoulder. Thanks again.
Linda G.
From: ourplace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ourplace-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Karen Delzer
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2016 9:00 AM
To: ourplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ourplace] Re: Foot Update
I hope and pray that you will heal well without the surgery, Linda. Wish you
could get some in-home assistance to get you through this time, though.
Hopefully you will adjust to the cane and be able to use the boot as time goes
on. It's good that you can stay in your own home; you'll be more comfortable
there. Yikes!
Karen
on 12:33 AM 11/10/2016, Linda Gehres said:
Hi All,
Well, there's bad news but then also good news. The bad news is that even if I
were 20 years old, I am considered to have a bad foot injury. It's called a Liz
Franklin injury to the left foot second toe, actually, not the toe but the base
of the bone as it connects with other bones at the top of the foot. Given my
age and activity level, the orthopedist felt surgery wasn't the best option for
me, and I quite agreed. He wants me to have my boot on my foot when I travel
around the house, but I don't know if I can put the boot on by myself. I used
my mom's support cane to help me get up the stairs yesterday, and that worked
out quite well, though we had a bit of a spat over my telling her that she was
confusing me by trying to talk to me while I was concentrating on trying to
learn how to use the support cane which I'd never used in my life before. The
good news is that I'ol be able to stay home and won't need to move in with her
temporarily while I recover. We were able to communicate with the orthopedist
that because I live alone I must put weight on my foot, having a cat to take
care of, having to get my own meals, do laundry, do some minor house cleaning
especially in the kitchen and bathroom. He got it that I'm trying to be as
independent as I can be with trying shoulder circumstances as well as my foot
circumstances. Of course, the usual question is why did I fall in the first
place, because my primary care doctor didn't lessen the blood pressure
medication I'm on. Anyway, I will be able to communicate with the list as I
won't have to interrupt my e-mailing. Blessings to you all!
Linda G.
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