It has been 6 weeks since my car accident and I still have about 2 weeks to go in rehab. My left arm and shoulder are getting back to normal but my left leg is still too swollen for me to wear my prosthesis meaning I still can’t walk. I have a wheelchair but it is 28" wide and my bathroom and bedroom doors at home are 26" wide. So I will either have to wait until I can wear my leg or get an electric wheelchair or scooter that will navigate the doorways. I have Gary Wright’s waffle sided boxcar waiting for me at home plus a bunch of other stuff.
I had no idea that you lost your leg Bob, very sorry to hear about that, I lost mine in December of 2009 as a result of medical incompetence, they screwed up then to cover their A***** they offed my leg, it’s in legal now.
Getting used to that leg will be a real workout for you as you’ll be surprised how much it takes out of you. Crutches are an excellent alternative and the sooner you become accustomed to using them the better, Getting up at 3:00Am to go to the bathroom is not when you want to put your leg on, you just want to go and get back to bed before you wake up!!!
As for the wheelchair, I use mine all the time now as I’m wanting a new leg with the micro-processor in it. I got one of the standard Titanium “jointed” legs and after about the 5th or 6th time I hit the deck I decided there had to be a better way.
Do you have a “walker”? It’s fairly inexpensive and will also let you navagate around the house as well as keeping your strength up, very important. The place where I did physical therepy refused to let me use a treadmill as they were afraid I would fall, probably something to do with liability and such but I would get one as soon as you learn to walk on that leg. Just start “slow” at a 1 degree angle and then slowly work your way up to a 3 degree angle at 3 miles per hour while constantly trying to “not” use your arms on the arm rests. It will take quite awhile but depending on how determined you are you’ll be able to do it. If you’re like me you don’t really care about whether or not you have a limp so when they start that bunk about walking without a limp tell them to shove it, you just want to be “mobile” again, you aren’t half as concerned with how it looks as to how it works.
I wish you all the best and hope that everything proceeds well for you, it’s a heck of an uphill run from here,
I never could figure out why a standard inside door is 26 inches wide. Wishing you the best. Like the old seventies saying, Just keep on keeping on. I have a few friends with falsies (arm and or leg) and they do just great. I also have a friend that is blind and drag races. Not driving but working on the car.
Mark, a little clarification is in order here. I lost my left foot many years ago in a situation similar to yours. I have been handicapped all my life and 3 years ago I had my right hip replaced due to severe osteoartritis. I was already on a walker and had a wheelchair. My recent accident just served to make things a little worse.
Bob, up front I want to wish you all the best on your road to getting back home…and in adjusting once you’re there.
Not too long ago I was in a similar situation. May 28th, after 3-1/2 months, I came home after having been in 3 hospitals, spinal surgery, and finally a month in rehab to get back to the point I can walk a few steps with a walker. I have the same wheelchair/door issues.
Hang in there with the rehab. I know how hard it can be sometimes. For me, the PTs and OTs were miracle workers…hopefully they will be for you to.
The therapists here are great, even though the equipment isn’t so good. The hospital wanted to discharge me this comong Friday but the therapists asserted themselves and it was decided to push my release date back a week. I could go home now if they would just get me a scooter that can clear my door openings.
Well, I do feel sorry for you. Has your wife been cleaning the track? Just trust me. If she hasnt, make her do it now, or else dire consequences are heading your way. Feel better.
My God Bob, you have been keeping all of the fun to yourself, I had no idea of the extent of the situation, so where did they amputate on your leg, above or below the knee?
They started out with me saying possibly a few toes and a little bit of my heel, then they came back and said “possibly” 3 " above my ankle at the most. Then the day after surgery I looked down and could see they had taken a lot more than that, 3" above the knee!!! Seems they decided to cover up their negligence and incompetance by removing all of the evidence and disposing of it. It too me about 5-6 months to determine all of the facts as they had me so doped up while I was in there I didn’t know up from down. At that point I contacted a lawyer who just sat there with his jaw on the table as I explained to him what had gone down. He said it would probably take at least 1 1/2 to 2 years to resolve the situation properly but that there was no doubt that they had screwed up “big time” and then tried to cover up their mistake with surgery.
Makers you wonder how many times this happens that they get away with it? All I went in for was that my pnuemonia had flared up from my bypass surgery 15 years earlier, the original Doctor had neglected to inform me that I would need a “booster shot” every couple of years to keep it under control. Interestingly enough, he was also the “quack” who ordered my surgery.
Something “everybody” should keep in mind, at least 50% of all Doctors graduated in the “LOWER” half of their class, needless to say I approach all Doctors with caution, not to say there aren’t good ones out there but for every good one there’s a “dud” as well. I have a missing leg and 2 dead parents to prove it.
Well, here’s hoping you get things figured out Bob, I should consider myself lucky if only in the fact that our house has all 34" int
My God Bob, you have been keeping all of the fun to yourself, I had no idea of the extent of the situation, so where did they amputate on your leg, above or below the knee?
They started out with me saying possibly a few toes and a little bit of my heel, then they came back and said “possibly” 3 " above my ankle at the most. Then the day after surgery I looked down and could see they had taken a lot more than that, 3" above the knee!!! Seems they decided to cover up their negligence and incompetance by removing all of the evidence and disposing of it. It too me about 5-6 months to determine all of the facts as they had me so doped up while I was in there I didn’t know up from down. At that point I contacted a lawyer who just sat there with his jaw on the table as I explained to him what had gone down. He said it would probably take at least 1 1/2 to 2 years to resolve the situation properly but that there was no doubt that they had screwed up “big time” and then tried to cover up their mistake with surgery.
Makers you wonder how many times this happens that they get away with it? All I went in for was that my pnuemonia had flared up from my bypass surgery 15 years earlier, the original Doctor had neglected to inform me that I would need a “booster shot” every couple of years to keep it under control. Interestingly enough, he was also the “quack” who ordered my surgery.
Something “everybody” should keep in mind, at least 50% of all Doctors graduated in the “LOWER” half of their class, needless to say I approach all Doctors with caution, not to say there aren’t good ones out there but for every good one there’s a “dud” as well. I have a missing leg and 2 dead parents to prove it.
Well, here’s hoping you get things figured out Bob, I should consider myself lucky if only in the fact that our house has all 34" interior doors and all exterior doo
My God Bob, you have been keeping all of the fun to yourself, I had no idea of the extent of the situation, so where did they amputate on your leg, above or below the knee?
They started out with me saying possibly a few toes and a little bit of my heel, then they came back and said “possibly” 3 " above my ankle at the most. Then the day after surgery I looked down and could see they had taken a lot more than that, 3" above the knee!!! Seems they decided to cover up their negligence and incompetance by removing all of the evidence and disposing of it. It too me about 5-6 months to determine all of the facts as they had me so doped up while I was in there I didn’t know up from down. At that point I contacted a lawyer who just sat there with his jaw on the table as I explained to him what had gone down. He said it would probably take at least 1 1/2 to 2 years to resolve the situation properly but that there was no doubt that they had screwed up “big time” and then tried to cover up their mistake with surgery.
Makers you wonder how many times this happens that they get away with it? All I went in for was that my pnuemonia had flared up from my bypass surgery 15 years earlier, the original Doctor had neglected to inform me that I would need a “booster shot” every couple of years to keep it under control. Interestingly enough, he was also the “quack” who ordered my surgery.
Something “everybody” should keep in mind, at least 50% of all Doctors graduated in the “LOWER” half of their class, needless to say I approach all Doctors with caution, not to say there aren’t good ones out there but for every good one there’s a “dud” as well. I have a missing leg and 2 dead parents to prove it.
Well, here’s hoping you get things figured out Bob, I should consider myself lucky if only in the fact that our house has all 34" interior doors and all exterior doo
Latest news.
OK it’s approaching 8 weeks since my car was turned into a sardine can and I was the sardine. The Hospital that I was treated at has been paid the maximum amount my car insurance will cover. So now despite the opinion of the physical therapy staff here at the rehab facility the person in charge of my case at the hospital has arbitrarily decided to pull the plug. Barring a last minute reprieve I will be going home Saturday. I will be renting a power chair until September when Medicare will kick in. The specialist with the firm I will be getting my medical supplies from has informed me that due to my birth defect I will be entitled to a personalized power chair with extra back support. She assured me that they will accept whatever medicare pays as full payment. Meanwhile I have borrowed a narrow chair from a local Presbyterian Church to access my bedroom and bathroom.
So bottom line is I’ll be home soon one way or the other.
Bob … Still praying for your recovery from the accident. … I would think the driver at fault would have to pay enough at least to cover all you need. Can you sue the driver? …
Unfortunately the kid who hit me was not from a wealthy family and their insurance was the minimum required by Florida law and mine wasn’t much better. Plus there were 2 passengers in his car who had minor injuries. The lawyers I have contacted don’t see much point in suing someone without financial resources. All I want to do is come out of the whole mess without owing anybody anything.
Well everybody I’m still a long way from recovered from my car crash but I am at home now. I’m renting a powered chair until I can walk again, hopefully in a few weeks. Since the hospital decided to pull the plug on funding my rehab I will be seeking legal advice concerning the hospitals failure to diagnose my broken leg while I was in the emergency room. As it took them 8 days to finally do something about it I feel they should bear some of the financial responsibility regarding my rehab. But I’m able to play with my trains once again at least in the evenings when it is not too hot in my Florida room.
Thanks for all of the support. It really has helped