One day at a time!

[Heady]

Oh boy, has that saying hit home today!

S went for a spinning fall outside, his head was literally millimetres from the wall of the house. I couldn't get to him in time, just screamed, I think that was enough to make him move his head. Thankfully, he landed on the ground unhurt. Might of bruised his elbow, but is OK! Both of us were extremely shaken, just sat there for a while. Tried to get him up, but still was very shaky and we both landed in a heap with me on top of him, but I managed to keep his head from the hard concrete that we were on!!! Managed to laugh then!

I am sure you all know what I was thinking and the vision that is still haunting me. In that split second life could have been over. We all realise that a serious fall can happen at any time, but to actually see that close a miss, well I am still in deep shock.

Honestly folks, for those of you who may be struggling with this thought and are getting tangled up with what tomorrow will bring, remember "tomorrow never comes!". For us, we got far to close for it not too!!!

Lots of love

Heady

[NannaB]

Oh Heady, I remember it well, almost identical except after we both ended up on the ground I couldn't get him up so had to dial 999. My hubby only damaged his elbow as well but had to have it drained several weeks later as fluid gathered. He was speaking then and said, "Don't scream when I fall". I told him if he could see what I could see, he'd scream as well. PSP sufferers have more lives than a cat.

Glad you could laugh about it after getting over the shock and very pleased he didn't hurt himself.

Take care, both of you.

Nanna B

[TRICE268 in reply to NannaB]

Hi heady,

One day at a time I know hit home for me too today, yesterday my uncle was in great form and his swallow and everything about him was great, now today is a very different story here sitting by his bed side, u can hardly open his eyes and is so so weak his chest is bubbling that I can't get up with suction machine and on oxygen as his breathing is so bad only hoping everything will be ok. and he will pull the evening and night.

It's a sad reality that no one knows what can happen in a spilt second.

All my best trice x

[Glyder]

Hi heady my dad kept falling he wanted to stay at home so me and me sis looked after him as much as we could but still had to work. He also had lifeline when I got a call saying he had pressed it all the way to the house I cried as they said they couldent here any movement. When I got there he had fell into the fire place blood everywhere. It was then u had to make the decision to put him in a home. I'm glad everyone ok and not hurt to much my heart goes out to you both take care thinking of you xxx

[Heady]

Thank you all for your replies! S fine, shock wearing off.

Just another wonderful day in the life of PSP, Hey Ho!!!

Trice, I hope your Uncle is surviving.

You're right NannaB, our loved ones must have more lives than a cat, but equally, we have to have hearts like an ox, to get through any one day!!!

Lots of love

Heady

[easterncedar in reply to Heady]

Hearts like an ox, oh my I hope so. Mine gets a good pounding every day. He keeps getting up, and never complains, black and blue and lumps all over, sweet and courageous as he is. Thing that's so frustrating and frightening, his survival mechanisms are totally gone, and he can't learn to avoid danger so keeps going down in the same way, doing the same things, even after he's really hurt himself. And he thinks I get too excited when he starts to topple. Yipes.

[groovychick]

I know this feeling all too well. Dad had many falls and missed a couple of very serious ones which could have taken him away from us a lot sooner than it did. One was a couple of centimetres away from a marble fireplace and one was a bad fall he had backwards down 11 steps where he just missed the corner of a metal toolbox sitting in the corner if the hallway. One of the falls in the living room Mum did a similar thing and shouted so loudly that luckily it made Dad change course of direction slightly, and she ended up pushing him onto the sofa and landed on top of him as she went to grab him!

[Tz2388]

Same here. Lots of bad falls, three serious. I don't leave his side anymore. But he forgets to wait for me and insists he doesn't need a wheel chair. I'm getting pretty beat up too. But, one day at a time. People are always shoul ding on me, but our attitude is that death by a bad fall might be a not so bad alternative to what lies ahead. Wife of fifty two years.

[Peter3]

When my husband first started having serious falls which left him with bruises and cuts on his face and arms, our neighbours became convinced I was a violent wife bashing him about. Then one evening they came for a meal and hubby did one of his spectacular falls in front of them. We had just received the diagnosis at that stage and therefore explained to them what had been happening over the past few months. Since then they have been amazingly supportive.

PSP is frightening every single day. However, it is essential to keep a sense of humour as well.

Like many others, things have moved on from those days, now it is the choking that is more frightening at times, the falls rarely happen. With the choking comes difficulty in swallowing and now we have drinks being showered out of his mouth nearly every time he swallows. We warn people never to sit in front of him when he is being assisted with food and drink.

At the moment he is still saying he doesn't want a PEG and I fully respect his wishes, but it is very hard to watch my dear husband taking less and less food and drink day by day.

Peter3.

[Heady in reply to Peter3]

Hi, I am very aware, that life is still relatively easy for us. S's falls are about once a fortnight on average, chokes a bit on drinks, like you say, don't want to be in front of him, on the more spectacular ones! His voice is occasionally slurred and he struggles to join in on conversations. But we can still go out, travel a bit and feel as we do have a bit of a life, not what it use to be, but still enjoyable.

We all try and get across to anybody new to this site, one day at a time, I do try, even achieve it some days, but to have it so graphically flashed in front of me, scared me ridged!!! Hopefully, I will be able to put a few things into perspective and make sure I really do live one day at a time!

Lots of love

Heady

[jzygirl]

I'm not sure if my situation is better or worse but Brian is not very mobile due to lack of confidence and wrong medication. With the fact that every fall i had to call the ambulance because he was so stiff, there was no way I could get him up and he could not help himself. the last fall he had was in june when he hurt his hip. Then they increased his meds and that just took away any movement that he did have. He is now off the medication but he has got such a fear of falling that he won't walk unless I am with him holding the handling belt. So at least I know if I pop out he will be in the same place I left when I get back. Janexx

[Heady]

Hi Jane, how is Brian doing?

S too, is very frightened of falling. Which is why, most falls are a fortnight apart. The first day, he won't move unless I'm there, after that, he needs me close. Then of course, he starts getting irritable, says I'm pushing, pulling him etc. then we get to I'm clutching at him,(in my world I am saving him from a fall!) after that, I'm told to leave him alone, he can manage etc. obviously, you know what happens next! Normally, he is on the floor within half an hour! I keep trying to tell him what is happening and all this will end with a fall, but we still have to go through the above!!! I expect, this time, it might last a bit longer, but not much!!! But like Brian, S won't move if I have to go out, so he does know his limits!!!

Lots of love

Heady

[jzygirl in reply to Heady]

Oh dear I'm glad in one way that Brian is so used to not being able to mobalise that he not really brave enough to do it on his own. Even though I know its another job to be done at least it's easier then picking him up of the floor.

He is enjoying getting out and about into the village and he even came to indoor bowls with me today and he had a grand time being fussed over by the ladies. Jane xx

[easterncedar]

My guy won't sit still. Unloading the car after an overnight away last night, I suggested he relax and let me do the carrying, but he insisted, saying he wanted to do his share. I didn't even see him go off the steps, just got annoyed when he came in and asked whether I'd gotten dinner in the oven yet. Fifteen minutes later he told me he's misplaced his glasses, and I spend a maddening amount of time looking for them inside before he admits to the fall. Then I spent another 20 minutes thrashing through the flower border in the dark, with a small flashlight, feeling through all the hostas one by one before hurray the glasses appeared. The neighbors must think we are mad. We were both rather out of sorts when we finally did sit down for dinner, but that, some ice cream and an episode of Doc Martin restored some measure of good humor. On we go.

[Heady in reply to easterncedar]

Your poor garden is certainly getting a pounding from your husband.

How on earth do you get him to help? I never achieved that, even when S was well! Yes, I get what's for dinner, when I am in the middle of the unpacking, occasionally he gets a polite reply!!! Unfortunately S has never been able to get up by himself, he will just lie there until I find him! He can only move, when I tell him what to do. I don't actually do any lifting, just a bit of tugging in the right direction!

But, yes life goes on, one thing is for sure, if we get through today, tomorrow will be just the same. Same old problems, challenges, no doubt we will get through those as well.

Lots of love

Heady

[puyella in reply to easterncedar]

your in trouble again I wonder why matey