Yesterday, we tried to change a broken faucet in the front yard so I can put my hose I rescued from Cullman house. The hose was one of the few things I managed to get before the thieves did!
Tommy cannot bend. He lowered himself down from the walker to lying on his face on the ground. At one point his body was like a plank. He rolled around on the ground, sort of flopping from one side to the other in the grass and dirt. Thankfully, his St. Augustine grass is thick, but his elbows were in the dirt.
As he put one hand and another into the tiny door to the top of the water meter, he had to flop from one side to the other and move by sort of dragging himself around with elbows. He could not figure out how to turn off the water.
People came running from all over to try and help him up from the yard. I just sat in his walker, watching him try to find the cutoff. Two guys from different homes came over and one borrowed a key from another neighbor.
So, the water was off and he now had to take off the broken faucet. The set screw was so rusted, it would not move. Soooo, off we went to Lowe's to get something to spray and loosen it. He had nothing. I did at my house. sigh
I bought a key while there and he yelled at me for buying it. Well, somehow I thought he wanted one instead of having to go borrow one from the guy who has lung cancer and has to get on his lawn mower to get to his shed to get things. I wanted to cry because he yelled at me!
After 3.5 hours with the faucet, I got nothing done outside. And, this was going to be doing things outside. We got stuck and I had no more energy.
On Sunday we determined he would get this retired guy who is in good shape and his friend to come and get this set screw out. I bought two replacement faucet handles last week, so one should work.
Imagine not being able to get on your knees, not being able to just get up off the floor/ground, rolling around in the grass totally helpless except for the strength in your arms.
No, he will not have the hip replacements and knee replacements he needs from having osteoporosis.
He really has developed some serious muscles in his shoulders and arms from hauling his own body around. I am impressed.
Now, it is Monday, and we spent time to go to Lowe's where I bought six faucets so the guy will have the right size/style.
And, I am going out to try to
he sounds like my mom's BF that she had. He totally needed the knee or hip replacements but he just refused to do it. I'm sure he would have felt so much better if he had the surgery(s)
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteHe does not want the pain. Nothing can dissuade him, so I never try. I can only do so much to help him.
I don't know why my mom's BF wouldn't do the surgery but he sure was in pain all the time with his knees and hips without the surgery.
DeleteI asked Tommy, and he said the pain scares him. So, I cannot say much as I have not had the spinal surgery I need. It is the two weeks of not being able to walk at all that stops me.
Deletei'm so sorry. I know I have that kind of problem in my future, so I do what I can now to strengthen the muscles around my knees because it's been determined I am too young for the knee replacement. That said, when they declare it OK-or me old enough, most likely at least another 10 years, I won't hesitate.
ReplyDeleteSAM,
DeleteYou have osteoarthritis in your knees? I don't know how old you are, but I know people in their fifties who have had knee replacements. Neither of us will change our mind for a few years since I think the virus will be present for several years. I don't know what kind of exercises will help him or if it is too late.
I can only imagine the pain he must be in. I had that pain. To be honest, knee surgery is tough in the respect that you really have to depend on someone else for a few weeks. The pain really isn't bad at all. They gave me a script for pain meds and tylenol really helped. The joint pain is gone and it only hurts at the surgical site. The hip surgery is Much easier, honest. Like my ortho doc told me, it's toughest on the doctor. He has to actually pick up the leg and swing it around in order to line up the ball and the socket. Of course he has help but it's still tough for him. I can honestly say that I am very glad to have the surgeries done and am sorry I waited so long.
ReplyDeleteWe bought an electric recliner (the recliner will be your best friend!)so I wouldn't have to push it in with my legs. We got raised toilet seats since for a few weeks the knee won't bend well at first. If you have a bathtub, you may not be able to shower for a few weeks since your knee won't bend, so it's washcloth and soap time. A physical therapist came several times a week for a few weeks and a visiting nurse came as well. The more you do the exercises, the faster you get better.
For now, until he has the surgery done, I found standing under a hot shower almost made things bearable for a few blissful minutes and icing helped numb the pain. You can make homemade ice packs with water and rubbing alcohol in a ziplock bag. I also bought one of those old fashioned ice bags from Walmart, with a screw top. No leaking.
Cheryl,
DeleteThanks for the information. I try once in a while to help him make a decision. I will use this information to try and help him.
Does Tommy have terrible pain in his hips and knees? I have had my knees replaced in two different surgeries one year
ReplyDeleteapart. The first knee went very smoothly and it healed quickly, but the second knee had two spots where the skin healed to the suture knots and the skin was left weakened when it healed closed. When my knee area swelled after physical therapy those two spots opened up and one got an infection in it, when I did the bending exercise that caused the knee to swell again and the wounds to open a bit more each time. Dr. said to stop doing so much bending until we got the wounds healed up, so with the second knee, it has been more of a struggle. But I would do it again, even knowing what I know now, because that terrible 24 hour a day arthritis pain in my knees is gone now. From the time I woke up from the surgery with each knee the pain was almost not there. On my second surgery I only took the prescription pain pills while in the hospital, because of their side effects for me. What a relief it was to be out of that constant pain. My knees only hurt during and for a while after the physical therapy and that was taken care of by tylenol and ice pack on knee. Even though I don't have very good mobility in my second knee yet. It is still improving. My knees before the surgery were at the point where I couldn't hardly bend them to get into the car.
My husband had osteoarthritis in his hip when he was in his late 40's due to an accident when he was a teenager. He had his hip replaced, and it was difficult, but not as difficult
knee replacement.
My Dad suffered with bad, painful arthritis in his knees from the time he was about 62 until he died at 91 in February. He got by with using a cane until he was 89, but had to use a walker after that. I think if he would have had knee surgery, he would have had a lot less pain for so many years in his life.
I hope that if Tommy is suffering from pain in his knees and hips he will be able to find some kind of relief from it.
He suffers so much! I wish he would just go ahead with surgery.
DeleteThat was a long time for your father to suffer. I just hope Tommy can live a long life, but he is convinced he will die early. You have had a lot of experience with pain of joints. My friend's knee replacement killed her. So, I am wary. He does not deal with pain very well. Oh, and he struggles every time he gets in or out of the car. Mine is harder for him to get into and out of, so not much riding in mine.
That has to be very hard.
ReplyDeleteKim,
DeleteIt is very hard on him. It makes me so sad for him.