Scary! What do I do?

[Jennyfoo]

I just got out of the shower. Nice, non-rushed, but didn't shave my legs or anything. It was a warm shower, my joints are killing me today. I felt fine except for when I closed my eyes to wash my face, then felt unsteady and dizzy. Turned off the water, dried off, feeling ok, wrapped my towel around me, then went to step over the edge of the shower to get out, and my leg would not work. I could not lift it the 6 inches, but I was already off-balance and would fall, so I gave it all I had, forced that leg to lift out of sheer will, and OUCH! I felt a pull in my groin and upper thigh, but my foot was out, on the bath mat. I had to use the vanity cabinet for support, then called my hubby who helped my drag my worthless leg along to the bed. Aaauuuggghhh! It can bear weight, but I can't lift it or move it forward! Ya, it's the same leg that's got a numb foot and been weak. It hurts too. I think I pulled something.

What the heck do I do now? I don't have a dr. appt until next Monday. My hubby is in a mega deadline crunch, working nearly round the clock on a project that's wrapping up next week. I've got 4 kids home from school on Summer break. Aaauuuuggggghhhh! I need to scream in frustration right now!

This better be because of the hot shower. Please be from the heat. Oh please, please.

I guess it's a good thing I've got a walker out in the garage from my back surgery a few years back. Looks like I may need it.

[Jennyfoo]

Well, it's a little better, but not much. I at least have some control of my leg though. Whatever I tore sure hurts! It's tricky to walk, kinda dragging my leg behind me. I can't really lift it up, or push it forward. My hubby freaked a bit, kept asking if I need to go to the ER. And he's the last one to suggest a trip there. Lol! Hopefully, after a decent night's sleep, it'll be better. I've had a very hard, stressful day with my 4 kids all home from school and hubby working round the clock to meet deadlines. He works from home, but he's had his face burried in his computers for 16+ hours, only taking a break to eat dinner.

I so hope this is better in the morning.

[rdmc]

Sorry about your leg...been there, done that.

A couple tips. First, if you can't raise your leg after a shower, get a shower chair, sit down and wait for awhile after your shower's over, and you've cooled off a bit. Then see if your leg works better. We have a walk in shower now, but before when we only had a bathtub, that was my usual routine. After the shower, I'd just have to sit there for 5 or 10 minutes. Once my body cooled off, my leg would work well enough to get out of the bath.

Also, yep, you probably pulled something, sounds like upper thigh/groin, if you're having trouble bearing weight. Be careful, get a cane to help get around. Ice the area, put your feet up if possible (put a DVD in for the kids, so you can take some time to rest), take an anti-inflammatory (ibuprophen, etc.) If you have severe swelling or bruising, you probably need to call the doc. Hopefully it continues to gradually improve.

When your leg is weak like that, the main thing is be careful not to fall!!!

[tejokid]

The shower (not to mention the whole bathroom experience!) became a big issue for me last year when I broke my ankle. One thing that helped tremendously was the shower stool I had gotten just a few weeks earlier. The other thing that proved to be essential was the grab bar I had previously had installed inside the shower--and the one just outside the shower. One to grab with either hand to help pull the uncooperative (and busted) legs over the bottom rim of the shower.

I would recommend that everybody, disabled or not, have at least one grab bar installed by the tub or shower because you just never know... Even if you live in an apartment, you can ask management for permission to install a grab bar. I lived in a large complex one time and they said it was fine to install one--as long as I left it in there when I left. (And I did.)

Just one near-fall that's prevented with a grab bar makes the price absolutely a bargain, even if you have to pay a professional to install it. Compare that to the medical bills, not to mention the pain, from a sprained or broken anything

The broken ankle also made me appraise other things in my house. The master bath is much too narrow for a wheelchair--and it has the only accessible shower. After leaning so heavily on the counter top on one side, and the window sill on the other side to keep weight off my ankle, I had the towel rack under the window replaced with a long grab bar. It still works to hang a towel on, looks just fine--and it's worth its weight in gold as a safety feature.

Feel better soon!

[Jennyfoo]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses. Man, that really freaked me out. I've obviously never had something like that happen before. It's like my brain messages couldn't reach my leg. I've had some weakness, but nothing like that.

I have a shower stool, will have to remember to sit and recover from the showe and get my bearings before getting out. I've told DH that I need grab bars in the shower and along the wall in the bathroom. We need new towel bars anyway.

My leg fes about the same as it did when I went to sleep. It still hurts, still very weak, having to kinda drag it behind me. I'm using my cane.

[bizzylizzy06]

maybe you could try this...

Could you see an Urgent Clinic before your appointment just to get some relief? Ice packs may work for you and some gentle exercises(small leg lifs, etc...) and try try try to stay in the bed and assign the oldest(hopefully he/she is over the age of 11/12) and make a game out of it for them to help you whilst you rest or recruit some friends/and or family members to help you with the children.
I have been exactly where you are and I only wish the best for you A shower chair that is in the shower plus it extends out of the shower for easy gliding out may also be of some great help.
~Lizzy~

[Jennyfoo]

Thanks for the concern and the suggestions. Unfortunately, i don't have anyone to help me out. My 12 year old has high functioning autism and is of very little help. She gets overwhelmed very easily and is so distractable, that it requires more effort, more energy, to get her to do something than if I did it myself. She's ultra lazy too. That said, she has chores and responsibilities because she needs to learn. It's a pain, but how else is she going to learn? She has the emotional maturity of about an 8 year old too. Plus, she's just plain mean and nasty to my 6 & 7 year old if they're not being closely supervised, and even then, I'm constantly having to put out fires caused by her.

My 6 year old daughter who has ADHD plays nicer with my 2 year old son and is actually more responsible. Lol! My 7 year old son has mild mental retardation and just doesn't like to share, so we're constantly having issues with his baby brother getting into his stuff. Ugh. My 2 year old is a sweetheart, but a mischievous little monkey who just loves to get into soap, cleaners, etc if he gets the chance. He's recently figured out how to undo childproof door latches, cabinet latches, and even baby gates. The only one he's not mastered yet is the semi-permanent childproof gate we have installed in our kitchen doorway. He's a real smart, real busy little boy.

It's been a real tough day! My leg is killing me! Plus, all the weird walking and limping has aggravated the arthritis in my knees, hips, and SI joints. I'm miserable. One of the kids got into the outside freezer yesterday I think, and left the door ajar. It resulted in a sticky Popsicle meltdown all over everything in the freezer. My 12 year old helped bring in all the food and I cleaned it all up, cleared out the fridge and freezer inside and moved as much food as I could into them so we can defrost and clean the garage freezer this weekend. Ya, I was able to take it easy today(said as sarcastically as possibly).

Hubby didn't even have time to take a lunch break today, he's been so busy. I didn't wait on him either, like usual. He's finally heating up a frozen burrito to eat to tide him over until dinner. Lol!

It really sucks, but we don't have any family that's close who can help us out. We've kinda been cut-off from family support since we left their religion(and culture) 6 yrs ago. We lost all our friends then too, and hubby and i are very antisocial people who just don't make friends. We're pretty much on our own. Can't afford hired help either, that's for sure.