I am not talking about Fall Fashions but a hard fall from my wheelchair! This is a scary topic for any senior, especially for us pwds (persons with Parkinson’s) who have a high risk of falling. After aspirational pneumonia, falling is the leading cause of death for us.
Well, it happened to me yesterday! Normally I am so careful when I get up or sit down. I always make sure that I have somewhere to hold. When you get up your blood pressure drops suddenly and for a brief moment you lose your sense of balance.
I have not been doing well lately, it is as if my meds are not working at all. So I feel jittery and slightly dizzy in my head like I have a head cold or sinus infection. As I got up, my feet somehow got entangled in the footrest and down I went!
On the way down my knee bashed against the brake handle. With enough force that the handle slid around the tube it is mounted on. The result is a brake that no longer works, and a blue bruise on my knee.
I don’t dare tell anyone about the fall as it would turn on alarm bells. I tried to fix the brakes but I can’t see so well anymore. I have a small adjustable wrench but it needs an Allan key. I’ll see if I can find someone to help today.
I asked my son if he knew what tool was needed but he didn’t and wasn’t able to come until next week. Then I explained to Cenon, the building maintenance man, what my difficulty was and asked if he had a suitable hefty screwdriver that I could borrow. He said he would come and look after lunch. He came, he looked, and he fixed it. He is my hero.
I was really grateful – a wheelchair with only half a brake is not good.