WOE IS ME! I FELL IN THE SHOWER LAST SUNDAY MORNING, AND, LOST MY BALANCE THE NEXT DAY AND NEARLY FELL AGAIN.

April 9, 2013

By Olivene Godfrey

Last Sunday morning, things were moving smoothly here.  Son Barry was making plans to buy the weekly groceries early in the day.  I decided to take a shower before he left the house.  I have a bathtub chair in the shower and I sat there and washed myself.  I was thinking about how well everything was going on the beautiful spring day.  I stood up and rinsed off and the next instant I suddenly felt faint and then I felt myself falling backward and landed hard on the bathtub floor.

I had turned on the monitor of the intercom and Barry said he heard me fall before I shouted his name.  He rushed in the bathroom and we checked and I didn't seem to have any broken bones, but I was already feeling aches and pain and Barry said I was hysterical and was having a panic attack.  One reason was because I felt like I had knocked the breath out of me and was feeling like I was about to lose my breath.

Later, when I had calmed down and dressed I felt aches and pains.  So, Barry called the home health nurse.  When she arrived, she examined me and didn't think I needed any x-rays.  While Barry bought groceries and supplies, my good friend and neighbor, Genevelyn stayed with me and we had a nice chat.

On Monday morning I felt sore and was hobbling around.  Tam, my friend and caregiver arrived.  Shortly, I took a shower and tried to be careful but I stood up and it was good that Tam was standing near the tub as I lost my balance again and Tam caught me before I fell again.  I was so scared and it took a while to calm down.  Tam, who I swear, I think can do anything.  She gave me a lotion body massage.  And, her magical fingers helped me to feel better.

Later, Tam sent Barry a text message and told him we needed to look into having a stall shower installed to replace the tub shower.  Barry agreed.

Now, Barry says he is going to completely remodel my bathroom to make it safer.  It will be expensive but we had planned to have it done soon, anyway.  He told me not to shower unless Tam is nearby.  He says I need to take sponge baths on weekends for now.

I am still feeling sore all over.  I have been saying to my friends and family that no matter how careful you are and how you eat and so forth that something will get you in the end.  I was relieved that my time hadn't come to do me end the past 2 days.  As someone said, "It isn't that I'm afraid to die, but I love life and want to stay alive as long as possible".

See you next time.  (As told to Tam)