A
Amaris
Guest
Two Notes:
Firstly, this is in Misc because it is one of the most visited fora on the board. Also, this is less about "sports/fitness" in the general sense of that forum.
Secondly, I have this on another board, too, but this board is much larger, and I may get a wider selection of answers. So I ask you; How do you get a disabled 55 year old back to health?
Many of you know the situation with my mom, and how I have, for more than 16 years, worked to help her with her get through each day. It's a 24/7 job, and it's all for her better health.
Unfortunately, I'm just one person. I'm the only person actually working with her each day. I've tried many different methods, but none seem to help her. Let me explain:
Last year, mom had an ileal diversionary loop surgery. 10 years ago she had knee surgery. 16 years ago she had reconstructive surgery on her lower back and legs due to a nervous system disease (a variant of Sarcoidosis).
Saying it's difficult for her to walk is like saying the Pope is a little bit Catholic. During the sarcoidosis surgery, muscle and tissue were removed from her leg to supplement the damage on her lower back. It was assumed she would never walk again, so they figured might as well make use of those muscle groups for something else. Well, a year after that, she was walking again.
A few years later, her knee finally gave out and she had to have surgery. A year or so after the surgery, she could walk again, but had to have a walker and a cane to get around. Due to the treatment for the Sarcoidosis, she had gained a great deal of weight (she was taking 60mg of Prednisone a day over the course of several years). So walking at all was difficult, but she managed with assistance from me.
Last year, she had to have surgery due to her kidneys functioning improperly. The end result left her bedridden for 2 months. In that time, she received little therapy. By the time she left the hospital, she could not walk. She had to be in a wheelchair. So we get her home, and she has a physical therapist for a couple of weeks, and the therapists do next to nothing with her. One therapist even surfed the net while having mom hold a rubber band and stretching it once or twice.
Fast forward, 9 months later, and we have to move due to high costs of living. Again, I worked with her as best as I could, doing stretches, helping her stand, and for a while, she could use the walker and go 10 feet or so, before needing the wheelchair again. Over time, though, things have become progressively worse. Despite my best efforts, she can barely sit up now. She has severe pains in her lower back, her wrist is so painful that you could breathe on it and cause excruciating pain, and I can't figure out the problem. It was suggested she go get an x-ray. Unfortunately, that required money (a $1000). So we haven't done that, and at this point, getting her there would be nigh on impossible anyway.
To get her into a wheelchair, I have to pick her up myself (which does no good for my back or legs), and the end result is more pain, and god knows what I'm doing to her back in the process. Now, after saving as much as possible for as long as we could, we were able to afford her a basic model lifting recliner (the recliners that help you stand up). Up until now, she's been laying on a broken down couch which just makes things much worse, but we have nothing else to help. The chair will be here in two weeks, and I'm trying to get her up to speed, so she can at least sit in the chair and we'll take it from there.
As it stands, all I have is me. None of my family will help, so that's out. My dad's either out doing odd jobs, or puttering around, so I will have no help there. It's just me and her, and I do not know what to do.
Now, what I have been doing, is that since she has to lay on her side (due to the ostomy), I have her stretch her arms, and I do leg stretches (by bringing her legs, slowly, out over the side of the couch). It seems to be helping a little bit, but with a sunken down couch and her very weak back, legs, and arms, I'm at an impasse. I don't know what to do without causing her excruciating pain, and possibly making a bad situation worse. This is the current state of things, and I'm at my wits end.
I know it's a lot to ask, but I know there are several medical professionals here, who may be able to help me create a plan of action to bring her back to health, or at least get her on the path to full recovery.
Any help is greatly appreciated. There are a few things you'll need to know:
1] We have no money to spend on any treatments.
2] She's diabetic, has high blood pressure, and the onset of arthritis.
3] She is considered obese.
4] Her right wrist is in very bad shape. Even clasping it for support causes horrible pain.
5] She has a hernia that is yet untreated.
So, if I've added enough problems and made this feel like a wild goose chase, I apologize, but I need help, and I can't afford taking her to doctors who can help her. What can be done?
Firstly, this is in Misc because it is one of the most visited fora on the board. Also, this is less about "sports/fitness" in the general sense of that forum.
Secondly, I have this on another board, too, but this board is much larger, and I may get a wider selection of answers. So I ask you; How do you get a disabled 55 year old back to health?
Many of you know the situation with my mom, and how I have, for more than 16 years, worked to help her with her get through each day. It's a 24/7 job, and it's all for her better health.
Unfortunately, I'm just one person. I'm the only person actually working with her each day. I've tried many different methods, but none seem to help her. Let me explain:
Last year, mom had an ileal diversionary loop surgery. 10 years ago she had knee surgery. 16 years ago she had reconstructive surgery on her lower back and legs due to a nervous system disease (a variant of Sarcoidosis).
Saying it's difficult for her to walk is like saying the Pope is a little bit Catholic. During the sarcoidosis surgery, muscle and tissue were removed from her leg to supplement the damage on her lower back. It was assumed she would never walk again, so they figured might as well make use of those muscle groups for something else. Well, a year after that, she was walking again.
A few years later, her knee finally gave out and she had to have surgery. A year or so after the surgery, she could walk again, but had to have a walker and a cane to get around. Due to the treatment for the Sarcoidosis, she had gained a great deal of weight (she was taking 60mg of Prednisone a day over the course of several years). So walking at all was difficult, but she managed with assistance from me.
Last year, she had to have surgery due to her kidneys functioning improperly. The end result left her bedridden for 2 months. In that time, she received little therapy. By the time she left the hospital, she could not walk. She had to be in a wheelchair. So we get her home, and she has a physical therapist for a couple of weeks, and the therapists do next to nothing with her. One therapist even surfed the net while having mom hold a rubber band and stretching it once or twice.
Fast forward, 9 months later, and we have to move due to high costs of living. Again, I worked with her as best as I could, doing stretches, helping her stand, and for a while, she could use the walker and go 10 feet or so, before needing the wheelchair again. Over time, though, things have become progressively worse. Despite my best efforts, she can barely sit up now. She has severe pains in her lower back, her wrist is so painful that you could breathe on it and cause excruciating pain, and I can't figure out the problem. It was suggested she go get an x-ray. Unfortunately, that required money (a $1000). So we haven't done that, and at this point, getting her there would be nigh on impossible anyway.
To get her into a wheelchair, I have to pick her up myself (which does no good for my back or legs), and the end result is more pain, and god knows what I'm doing to her back in the process. Now, after saving as much as possible for as long as we could, we were able to afford her a basic model lifting recliner (the recliners that help you stand up). Up until now, she's been laying on a broken down couch which just makes things much worse, but we have nothing else to help. The chair will be here in two weeks, and I'm trying to get her up to speed, so she can at least sit in the chair and we'll take it from there.
As it stands, all I have is me. None of my family will help, so that's out. My dad's either out doing odd jobs, or puttering around, so I will have no help there. It's just me and her, and I do not know what to do.
Now, what I have been doing, is that since she has to lay on her side (due to the ostomy), I have her stretch her arms, and I do leg stretches (by bringing her legs, slowly, out over the side of the couch). It seems to be helping a little bit, but with a sunken down couch and her very weak back, legs, and arms, I'm at an impasse. I don't know what to do without causing her excruciating pain, and possibly making a bad situation worse. This is the current state of things, and I'm at my wits end.
I know it's a lot to ask, but I know there are several medical professionals here, who may be able to help me create a plan of action to bring her back to health, or at least get her on the path to full recovery.
Any help is greatly appreciated. There are a few things you'll need to know:
1] We have no money to spend on any treatments.
2] She's diabetic, has high blood pressure, and the onset of arthritis.
3] She is considered obese.
4] Her right wrist is in very bad shape. Even clasping it for support causes horrible pain.
5] She has a hernia that is yet untreated.
So, if I've added enough problems and made this feel like a wild goose chase, I apologize, but I need help, and I can't afford taking her to doctors who can help her. What can be done?
)
)
This couch is about 6 years old, and since mom hasn't been able to move very well in a while, is where she is the most. She has to lay down most of the time due to the nerve endings in her lower back and legs and how they were affected by the surgeries and the disease itself, so sitting up makes up about 1% of her day.
