Well fibro folks... today I got stuck in the bath. Got back from urgent Gp appt for an asthma escalation..survived the 'we want you to go to hospital" by having nebuliser, ECG and prescription for yet more prednisolone. I can't shower when I i have asthma flares..steam exacerbates prob. But a warm bath to help with fibro and spinal problems pain was really needed. Managed to get in...unaided so what a win! Water getting cool so time to get out. But I couldn't lever myself out no matter how I tried and the more I tried i became more exhausted and in pain. Husband not hearing me shouting for help (which bldy annoyed me).So, it came down to whether or not I could flip over like a beach whale or manatee trying to sun bathe. Tears of frustration, humiliation and pain I finally flipped and flubbered over and drew my knees under me and eventually got up and out and collapsed on the loo bawling my eye's out, calling my long suffering hubby every vile name and generally hating myself and life generally.
Then, shivering and hurting all over I rather suddenly started laughing ...you know..that real belly laughter, skightky hysterical maybe. It had been very distressing but picturing myself creating a tidal wave with my big butt sticking out like a newly emerging island ...it was hilarious. Finally got sorted and layed on bed for much needed rest, hubby turns up wanting to know how I managed as he'd been in the garage and forgot about me. Hmph and hmph again...put on a brave face and just asked of he'd tidy up the bathroom. He was back in 5 seconds "what the hell happened, I need bldy welly boots in there and a water pump "
Oh dear (chuckle chuckle) what a shame, that'll teach him to 'forget' about me.
I hope you'll forgive the long post but I do hope you find it funny but also how we fibromites overcone adversity with humour. xx
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Merrrm
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I am glad you could see the funny side once you had managed too get out, we had a new bath put in just over a year ago and not so wide so it’s hard too get in and out 🤣the other day I slipped and knocked my side (ouch )we are on 1 floor (bungalow) i was banging the wall but my husband has a big tv and I moan it’s like being in a dam cinema😩with noise, I eventually got out and went and had a good moan 😉🤣now turn it down I said ☹️I like the 5 seconds bit clearing up 😉,i do like a bath for the achy bits , im not really a shower person ,but one day that mite have too change , take care x
I've got myself stuck on several occasions. I always take my phone with me and have it within reach (haven't yet dropped it in the bath, which is more by luck than judgement). I too find it funny and wonder what the local fire brigade would make of trying to winch me out of my bath😂 I now have grab rails all over the bathroom and a non slip mat. Good job fibro doesn't rob us of our humour.
Os that Merrrm for Mermaid 🧜♀️ 🤣 even if for just the bath. Oh so glad you managed to get out and found it funny in the end. Gave me a chuckle. Empty the water out first as it’s much easier to get yourself out then 🙏 at least that’s what I find. Enjoy your next bath and hopefully it’s a much calmer relaxing one 🥳
Poor hubby. Teaching him is a bit rich. Not a good attitude imo. Get an alarm for those instances and skip the drama.It's all too often the nearest gets the flack. Necessity is the mother etc.
I cared for my partner who had MND. It’s very challenging for both parties, but it’s important here to find compassion and kindly delivered messages and not be judged.
Hi Merrrm, sorry to hear about your bath troubles. I fell in the bath onto my back and got stuck under the water. The non slip mat meant I couldn't move to get out. Luckily I pulled the plug with my toe. Took me a long time to get out in the same way you did. I now have a walk in shower and no bath. I know you can't do this because of your asthma. I am glad you can laugh about it now. Lots of hugs.
God love you been there it's awful. I had to flip to knees to get out to that is why I got rid of my bath before Christmas and now have a shower only. I hate rely8ng on kthers and getting my husband to pull me out is embarrassing the only time I allowed him fo that was when I was pregnant and I onkg had a bath when he was home with the door open for fear of getting stuck. I to pictured myself like you did beached whale was my go to image. It's both sad and funny at the same time hope you are doing OK now. Maybe try a lukewarm shower almost cold I to am asthmatic I never have a hot shower barely warm. Hooe you are doing better soon take care of yourself x
I hate my husband having to help me, sometimes the fibro is so bad I just cant bathe myself. Like you, the asthma gets triggered by hot showers so I'm looking at a wet room with really good extractor fans. If the shower is too cool when I'm having a fibro flare it causes excruciating pain. Its a no win situation. What a nuisance. But yes, humour is the best medicine and even though I've got stuck in the bath many times, this particular incident was made worse because hubby had forgotten about me and wandered off into the garage. I have dropped two phones in the bath so far, so an extremely reluctant to have a phone there. and hope you're ok too.
Oh no! Merrm poor you 😔 But, you've just made me laugh out loud in the middle of a very busy bus 😂😂 you painted such a vivid picture! Thanks for the giggle and really hope you are feeling better soon 🤗🤗 Take Care x
Can I suggest you call social services and ask for an Occupational Health assessment. There are bath lifts which can lower you in and raise you again, and Occy Health can advise and sometimes supply these.
I changed to a bungalow as I could not manage the stairs, and it had a wheelchair shower, which is great for me.
I understand your need for a bath though, I miss a good wallow!
G'morning Midori, we had been looking for a suitable bungalow in our area for a year but haven't come up with anything suitable that's also affordable....most require complete modernisation or are only two bed and we need 3 as a min. The grab rails can be very useful but i find it hard at times to actually grab them (neuropathic pain for starters).
We're currently getting quotes fir a downstairs wetroom as we have one downstairs bedroom.
Oh Merrrm! Thank you so much for such a wonderful post! I roared with laughter at your fantastic and vivid descriptions. 'Tis true... us fibro bods really have to laugh sometimes, but having a good cry will have helped as well. What a situation to be in. At least you survived (and so did hubby... just!). I truly hope you are feeling a little better after the trauma and hysterics, and know that you have made a lot of people smile and laugh with you today. Gentle hugs and huge chuckles coming your way lovely 😆🙃🤭xx
Thank you... laughter really is the best medicine and I'm glad many fibromites had a good laugh. I do feel a lot improved and hubby is now double checking on me every time I so much as wiggle a foot!
i know how you feel i shower mostly but when im having a flare i like a bath. Always got to wait till my husbands home to get me out. I did have the same situation as you once when he didnt hear me shouting so heaved myself over the side of the bath and landed with a bang on the floor. He heard the bang came running in and said why didnt you shout me. I did but i think selective hearing must have set in. Heres a soft hug to anyone who has had the same thing happen.
Ouch....been there and its not nice (which is why hubby put the deal in place). The selective hearing thing is a worry...i had hubby move into spare room as his snoring had reached the level of murderous intent (by me) so now if I'm in bed and need help I have to shout but he doesnt hear! Doesn't hear his phone either so I got walkie talkies and the racket I make yelling into it would wake the dead I swear!
I have got stuck in the bath several times, I filled the bath up until I was able to slide over the the side and then down onto the floor. I used the last of my strength to turn the water off and then lay until I had recovered. Luckily I have a big bath towel that became a blanket for sixteen hours. Eventually they came and put in a walk in shower that is a great help but not as much fun.
Thank you. We have to stay positive and try to laugh and you have certainly helped lift me a little, both in an accurate description of the hell we go through as I have the same problem getting out the bath but also into showing we can do it although hard and making comedy out of it brightens our mood and helps us try next time and not give up
Oh, Merrrm so sorry you had such a bad time trying to get out of the bath. Your post reminded me of the time my hubby couldn't get out the bath, he had an infection in his spine and was in hospital for 6 weeks, then came home still on intravenous antibiotics for some time. He used the shower for months then one day decided he would have a bath and was sure he could get out, we had a bath with grab rails. However when it was time to get out he couldn't because is one arm was still very weak after the infection, so he called me, I was no use helping him, so in the end I had to use folded towels, so that he could ease himself onto them one at a time until we had a pile of 4 and he then he could get himself up. We had a good laugh about that afterwards! We have a wet room now with just a shower. Glad that you could laugh about it afterwards, I think that laughing about the struggles we have keep me going!
Your poor hubby and poor you yoo, but it proves how creative we often need to be to resolve these problems. Glad you the wet room sorted and equally glad you were able to have a good laugh about it x
Omg that's made me feel better 🤣🤣🤣 I once paid for my hubby and myself to go Manu footie ground and stay in their hotel there was a brilliant rainfall shower but as we had done a lot of walking I needed a nice hot soak .and yes you guessed it I had to do the same . Problem was I have no push in my arms and legs eventually got out to a swimming pool on the floor . I was too embarrassed to shout my hubby ( no idea why )like you I eventually found it funny 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for the wonderful post. I cried and laughed reading it.
Happen to me before and I stopped taking bath, but few months back I found a box with luxurious bath salts and bombs (used to be my preferred gift, so kids kept me stocked).
Feeling well this dreadful day, I decided to take a bath.
No one at home and I will take my time soaking in.
Was just installed new rails and I was confident that they would help
Surprise, Surprise... the rails didn't help at all.
Took me an hour to get out, something similar to your way.
Cried and screamed and repeat.
Was blue and purple allover for weeks
No more baths 4 me, gave all bath products to my daughter in law , hopefully she is enjoying ☺ them.
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Epsom Salt Bath
Does anyone know of any grants or help towards a walk in bath?
Help with trying to get a bath put in as part of pain management... 
Joint pain actually aggravated by bath!!!
PIP Assessment ggrrrr
