Another fall.

[SheilaN]

After a successful day of daycare Eddie had another fall at home. Another nasty gash on his head. This time we had to get the MECS service to come and lift him and the doctor came and glued the wound. His poor head is beginning to look like a patchwork quilt. Watching his steady decline is like watching a clock unwind.

On the TV today someone described living with a loved one with Alzheimers as like a long goodbye. I think we could say the same about PSP.

[hmfsli]

Oh, Sheila! So sorry to hear that Eddie has had another fall. I know what you mean about the long goodbye and suspect this is true of a lot of degenerative neurological conditions.

I hope Eddie recovers quickly.

hmfsli

[SheilaN in reply to hmfsli]

Thanks. Funnily enough the least concerned in all of this is Eddie himself. Perhaps just as well.

SheilaN

[SuzieQ]

So sorry to hear of Eddie's fall. I feel for both of you. It is so stressful to see your loved one in trouble like this and poor Eddie must have such a sore head by now. I do hope he will recover quickly and you will both get over his latest fall quickly.

With regard to your other comment, I feel I am grieving for my hubby while he is still here.

Hope things settle again quickly and love to you both.

SuzieQ xx

[SheilaN in reply to SuzieQ]

HI suzie, your last comment reminded me of my dad who had dementia and was in care for the last year of his life. By the time he died I felt I'd long since lost him and already grieved for him so I know exactly what you mean.

Thanks for your thoughts.

SheilaN

[hazelb]

hi Sheila...I know what you mean about Eddie being the least bothered about a fall. I don't think they realise the effect a fall has on everyone else. Frank keeps trying to stand up from the kitchen chair in particular which then slides on the floor tiles. I tell him he's going to have a really nasty fall one day which could mean hospital but this has no effect on him whatsoever!!!! I'm more frightened of this than he is.

Take care & keep smiling Hazel B xx

[hazelb]

Sorry Sheila I just realised I didn't sign off properly. I meant to say Love Hazel B xx....don't want to leave out the love !!!!

[SheilaN in reply to hazelb]

Eddie is the same, when I warn him not to do something in case he falls it has no impact at all.

Your comments about signing off made me smile!!

Take care SheilaN

[Kathy]

Hi Sheila,

Sorry to hear about Eddie's fall He might be more prone to falling on daycare days because he's tired after his outing. I hope his head heals quickly. As you say, it's probably just as well that the falls don't distress him too much.

Take care

Love to you and Eddie!

Kathy x

[SheilaN in reply to Kathy]

You could have a point there. Also I have learned that even if he is using his zimmer in the house I should walk behind him and not assume he is safe.

Thanks.

SheilaN

[Peter2]

Hi Sheila

I too know what you mean about the physical wounds. My husband looks as though he has been in a road accident much of the time. Perhaps even worse, I am not always aware of when he has fallen and it is only when I see him undressed, that I realize he has yet more bruises.

Like all the other comments about the long goodbyes, this is so true, the man I married has already long gone, but occasionally he pays a brief visit. This might sound strange, but I'm sure others experience similar situations when the sufferer of psp escapes the confines of the condition and is able to say "yes I am still here."

Hope Eddie makes a quick recovery. Love to you both.

Peter2.

[SheilaN in reply to Peter2]

You are so right. Sometimes Eddie can hardly speak coherently and I have to guess what he wants to say. At other times he can sound, albeit it briefly, like his old self.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[hazelb]

I sometimes struggle to guess what Frank is saying & I do miss the silly conversations we used to have. If I ever asked him how much he loved me he used to stretch his arms as wide as possible & say " this much & more ". I asked him a while ago & he tried so hard to stretch his arms & I had to listen very carefully for the words. He had a wicked sense of humour & I miss it so much!!!!

Take care & keep smiling. Love Hazel B xx

[Fiona_McL]

My mum used to not be too bothered about falling, except for when she needed stitches. I teased her that she had a rubber head; she'd had so many falls, so many head wounds, so many stitches, yet no serious damage! We were freaking out all the time, yet she'd be highly indignant if the nursing home phoned me 'I didn't fall. I slipped'

I never felt that my mum had gone totally- more that she simply wasn't able to be who she really was a lot of the time. She couldn't express herself, or do anything for herself, which upset and frustrated her at times- but not as much as I'd have thought.

best wishes

Fiona