NeuroTalk Support Groups - View Single Post - Just need to talk to anyone who wants to read

Joselita · 04-24-2009, 01:09 AM

Hey Tracy.

I am an Oldie that pops out of the wood work every now and then when I think that I have some knowledge that might help someone.

You have been given lots of good advice on your family situation, so I dont reall have anything to say there that hasn't already been said. I am keeping my fingers crossed that things start to go easier for you, though.

What I do have something to contribute is about the problems with your crutch. It sounds to me like you are trying to use regular old curtches. like they give folks when they break their leg, or have to be non weight bearing? The kind that go up under your arms? Those things totally suck. I hate them, and I always wind up falling when using them. (oh..I have RSD in my right foot, leg, and lower back...have for about 11 years now...) Canes are "Ok" for getting around on SHORT walks (like around the house, or whatever), but NOT for long term...or for longer jaunts (like at the store and stuff). They aren't that good for your wrist. I started having pain and swelling in the wrist of the hand that I used my cane in...and my therapy guys told me that it was the cane causing it. The way that they explained it to me was that your wrist simply wasn't made to have to bear all of the weight that is put on it when using a cane. It is a kinda fragile area, they said. I DID NOT want to use a walker (I was only in my late 20's at the time...and had two young kids in school that I had to keep up with...and was a single mom to boot!), and I already knew that using those bit long crutches (like I think you are using...) or even one of them, was not a good thing either.

They told me to try using a Fore Arm Crutch. Those are the ones that you see people with, where they slip their hand through a cuff that is about mid fore arm high. There is a handle that is at about the smae height a can handle is. This type of crutch distributes they weight up and down the fore arm, and doesn't focus it all on the poor wrist. Also...they are VERY hard to drop, beins as they are attached to your arm with the cuff. In my experience, it is also harder to fall when using a fore arm crutch.

I only have to use one (I use it on my left arm, as you should use canes and things on the opposite side of the body from the problem leg....it helps with gait, which helps keep the back from gettig all out of wack and causing a whole other set of problems!...again, this is what I was told my my therapy guys and my pain doc), but did have to get the set of them. I just rotate them out every now and then. When I got mine, it was about $99 for the set, and you can et them with a perscription that Medicare will pay for (or other insurance). I read that you don't have insurance.....have you tried getting SSD and Mediare? If not, you might look into it. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to get my Social Security Disability, and the Medicare insurance that you get as a benefit too. I was young, so I had some trouble convincing SSD that I really WAS disabled...but I finally won.

Anyway...I just thought that you might be able to check into the fore arm crutch thing at some point. Or, at least keep it in mind.

Since money is so tight right now, and you noticed such a HUGE difference when you tried out the walker.....have you tried looking at your local thrift stores for used walkers? They are always in the 2 thrifs stores here in my small town...and I think that the MOST i have seen one priced at the thrift stor was for $15. That is a WHOLE lot better than the $140 for a new one! Sometimes, you can even find the ones that have the seat on them, too. So, you might want to try looking at any thrift stores, or even yard sales, that you have in your area. I get LOTS of things at thrift stores. You would be3 amazed at what all you can find in them.

Also...you might try checking if your area has a Freecycle group, and if so, join up. Freecycle is an online group (mine is on Yahoo groups), where people put stuff up for free instead of throwing it away, or taking it to the thrift stores. Check the rules for the different freecycle groups, as some will want you to put up "offers" (things that you are getting rid of) first...or at the same time, as you post a "Need" (or "want"...my group calls them either). There have been folks giving away walkers and wheelchairs on mine, along with all kinds of household items, clothing, furniture, yard care items, and just about everything else! Again, it couldn't hurt to check into it.

I hope that things start going better for you, sweetie.

((hugs))
Jose