noticing the change from disability
I've just been away for three days, with a friend who is more mobile than me. The visit forced me out of my comfortable world into one where I had to be more noticeably disabled. At home, I have my world arranged the way I like and everything is easy to do. With other people, in their houses, I feel disadvantaged. A lot to learn from this.
posted by joanna howard at
2:27 pm
1 Comments:
Hi Joanna,
I'm one of the KP people who was reading a digest and tracked over to your blog.
I understand too well what you feel about being disabled. About three years ago, my right leg swelled up and turned blue. It seems the cartilage was gone in my hip. The swollen hip had cut off the main vein in my leg, and a huge DVT -- from my hip to my toes -- developed.
9 days in the hospital, a lot of absolutely unbelievable pain, and emergency experimental surgery saved my leg and probably my life.
I spent two years struggling to find ways to strengthen the muscles, but everything I tried only made the hip disintegrate faster. I was looking at the rest of my life in a wheelchair or hospital bed.
I had surgery in July 2004 to install a titanium resurfacing to the hip called a Birmingham hip.
Since then, it's only been a few months now that I feel I can move pretty much normally.
The DVT remains, obvious in the discoloration and swelling in the lower part of my right leg.
It's hard to find the energy to do things, I know. Even the anticipation of pain or struggle can hold you back from anything. Any effort becomes exhausting at times.
Although in slacks and a coat I look fine, the fact is that I am still struggling with the exhaustion and stress of those years.
More than anything else, the habits and self-consciousness is annoying to me. I just want to find an acceptance of where I am and feel 'normal' -- if only for me.
Paul Donley
By
Unknown, at 9:37 am
Post a Comment
<< Home