What do you do if you are alone and you fall?

[IggiMom]

Ok, I fell a little bit ago. I am indulging my pitiful self now (obviously, I am up) by having a Kahlua Cream. It is very good.

I am not injured but I am a little banged up.

I was in my little computer room, where I also incubate my lovely little eggs. I had an AWFUL lot of eggs in the incubator (that is another story) and I had decided that instead of turning them by hand, which I rather enjoy doing, I would take them all out and put in my automatic turner.

Soooo--I put all the eggs on a clean towel, put the automatic turner in the incubator, and I was putting the eggs back in the incubator. They were a bit of a stretch, and I just fell out of my chair onto the floor. I did not land on any of the eggs.

While sitting on the floor, I finished taking care of the eggs.

I was near the phone, and I tried to call John but he was not in his office. I could NOT get back up into the chair, although I really, really tried.

So then I scootched out of my computer room, into the living room, and tried to get up on my low foot stool. I couldn't. The dogs all tried to help. They didn't. In a burst of brilliance, I was able to get over to my lift chair, turn onto my knees, which is VERY hard for me, and get my upper body onto the chair, and then pushed the button for the lift to get the rest of me up, and it hurt, but it worked.

I am thinking that maybe John needs to have a cell phone. I have a Jitterbug, but he does not. Then I could have reached him.

Of course, no one ever got really injured while on the floor, but it is uncomfortable, and besides, stuff can happen. For example, Katie the Kitten (BAD CAT!) got into the pink room, and had a wonderful time, but at least did not tip the fish onto the computer.

And I had, um, personal needs I was unable to attend to. And Sarge was outside, and got just FRANTIC. I guess he could tell something was going on and he wanted to be involved, and I was afraid he would come through the window. Nancy, BTW, slept through it all.

I am looking up stuff on line about how to get up if you fall. I really don't want to call the Rescue Squad, or indeed, the neighbors.

So far, the recommended way of getting up includes turning onto your knees. Both of my knees have been replaced, and it is not only hard but incredibly painful to get onto them, although that is what I ended up doing.

Ok, that is the end of my saga, but if anyone has any suggestions, I would like to hear them. Thanks.

Catherine

 

[redhen]

You can get those medical alert systems..
My gram had one...it connects into your phone line... and you wear a little button on a necklace and if you need help you push the button... and they get help sent to you right away..
It worked really well for her..
Also..i think if you are disabled or elderly, medicare pays for it...

 

[gritsar]

Bless your heart

I'm prone to falls and choking and it scares me every time; especially because DH works long hours and we live in on this isolated farm.
A medical alert system is in my near future.
By all means, call the neighbors or the EMTs. It happens and that's what they are there for.

 

[WingingIt]

I would second one of those medical alert systems. My husband's grandmother has one and we are on it to be alerted if she needs help. They told me when I set it up that she can tell them to JUST call us and NOT call the ambulance if she feels that is all that's necessary. We also have some neighbors on it because they are closer and could get there faster if they do need to call an ambulance, they can be there while they are coming and can lock the house up if we need to head to the hospital to meet her or something. Otherwise, is there a neighbor that you trust with a key that you could call?

 

[redhen]

Quote:
yeah..they can call whoever you want them too.... they have this intercom/speaker thingie where they can talk to you..
its really pretty neat...

 

[Widget]

I live alone and am well aware of the dangers of falling. Two years ago I fell down the cellar stairs. I heard a snap and a pop but refused to believe I had broken anything. So I crawled back up the stairs and spent the rest of the day putting ice on my ankle. I did call out of work the next day (first sick day in over 20 years of working). Two days later, after working for two days, I finally gave in to the pain and went to the doctor. I had broken my ankle. Out of work for six weeks. And I still had to take care of the dogs, chickens and horses. At least it was in the summer and not the middle of winter with lots of snow and ice on the ground.

Late last year I sprained my back and spent a couple days in absolute agony trying to take care of the animals. But I did it. Having a high tolerance for pain certainly helps. Would be great if I had a support network but the rest of my family, while sympathetic, shows no interest in lifting a finger to help out.

 

[twentynine]

Here is what we done for my Dad and Mom. Mom is gone now but Dad still uses it.

Medical Alert system adminstered by a local security/ambulance company. Dad wears a pendant around his neck that has a panic button. If he falls he can push the button, the security system then calls him up and over am open intercom system asked him "Mr Allen are you all right". If my father answers negatively or has no responce they call emergency services. Emergency services accesses the house via a lock box, opened with a code from the 911 system. Works 24-7-365 the cost is about $5 a month added to his Acadian Ambulance membership.

No one that is mobility limited, elderly, or otherwise health impaired should be without it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
Not to discourage you from getting one because I do think the work great but O do I hate those things....

At least once a day for years I had the privilege of going to check on people that bumped that button an never noticed.....

These are also the same people that refuse to go to the hospital when there is actually something wrong...

Didn't mine the "fallin an cant get up calls." Those meant I got to make some pretty young cop climb in a window.

 

[Kelly G]

It may not be what you want to hear, but I agree with the Medic Alert System.

My very young Mother-in-law (she was just 55) had advanced Rhumatoid Arthritis, and was VERY stubborn and didn't want one of the systems. I think it hurt her pride and reminded her of the challenges she faced that she didn't want to acknowledge.

She often fell - and was beyond the point where she could get herself up when she fell. She always called my husband to help her up...and many times she was there for an hour or two! One time neither she nor I could get my husband, so I went over and sat with her on the floor so she wouldn't feel alone. We used the time to wrap Christmas presents.

*sigh*

Then one time she fell cleaning that small space between the tub and toilet...she fell to her knees and was wedged, and she couldn't reach her cell phone. My husband went to check on her when we hadn't heard from her ALL DAY! She was stuck there for more than 12 hours! She almost lost her legs and was in the hospital/rehab for 4 weeks.

After this, she never went another day without the Medic Alert. She never did have to use it, but I know it gave her (and us) great peice of mind.

For all those who love you and need you - including us Chicken addicts! - just consider it.

 

[Kelly G]

Quote:
Not to discourage you from getting one because I do think the work great but O do I hate those things....

At least once a day for years I had the privilege of going to check on people that bumped that button an never noticed.....

These are also the same people that refuse to go to the hospital when there is actually something wrong...

Didn't mine the "fallin an cant get up calls." Those meant I got to make some pretty young cop climb in a window.

The alert system we had paged me and my husband first....then we'd call for help for her if she didn't answer her cell. That's how we worked ours anyway. She didn't want it to call 911 first.

eta: the advantage of the alert system over the cell phone is that it could be worn in the shower (a big concern for us) - it never needed to be taken off.

edited a 2nd time to add: But ANY of us ladies would love to see a handsome fireman/policeman coming to our rescue - especially in the uniform!