6 replies to this topic

[Travelling Blackbird]

I seem to have a cycle or learning then forgetting when it comes to the wheelchair. I learn how to handle it, learn what I need to do to make my life easier and relatively painless and, then a couple of months or a year later, I catch myself once again doing things I know are going to come back and bite me later.

Do any of you notice yourselves periodically forgetting some of the important wheelchair lessons you learned over the years? Or maybe even willfully ignoring what you know?

Two examples: I know I shouldn't pour on the speed over long distances, because it does my shoulders and wrists no good. And yet, until a few people mentioned it in a thread I started so I could whinge about my wrists being sore, I was ignoring the fact that I'd been rushing a lot lately... I was trying to blame the wrist pain on other things.

I also know I need to get out of the chair and lie down for a while a couple of times a day, but recently I've been sitting for too long, and it's caught up on me.

So, am I the only one who's got a memory like a sieve/a selective memory?

[E-DOG]

Mr. Bird,
Perhaps many years of some type of what we euphemistically call "prescription drug" use has turned your brain to the consistancy of modeling clay.

Personally, I can't remember my own name. Gotta look at my drivers license each morning for verification. Then a quick look in the mirror, make sure it's the same guy and I'm good to go. Exept when the damn thing expired. Dude! Was that ever a bitch. Had to call the DMV, make sure I could leave the house without the fear of thinking I was my own care giver! (We're both tall and extremely handsom, only difference is, he catches, I pitch.)

If you're using 50 or more vicodin per day maybe a slight cutback is in order. I switched to medical marijuana and crack. I am now wide awake and painfree all day, every day.

Just a suggestion from a guy like you to a guy like me.

E-dog

[nomis]

Sometimes I'll do something against my better judgement by ignoring what experience has previously told me. I don't think it's unusual for people to have occasional lapses - probably more common for them to feel too embarrassed to admit it.

I've got to take care of my ageing hands these days but its spring here and I just can't resist pushing myself too far when digging the garden. So, yet again, I'm saying never again.

Also, those activities that you do every day sometimes go wrong. You know, a basic transfer from armchair to w/chair, you do it easily 1000 times but 1001 you fluff it.

I suspect you'll find your behaviour is much the same as most of us, however, taking into consideration that you have a head injury you may have memory issues. If it only happens occasionally I'd put you in the "normal" range. But I mightn't be normal myself so maybe my opinion is rubbish.

[longhaul]

Look on the bright side if you do the same things over and over always the same you will get board but if you know that something you do is going to bite you and you do it anyway your life will never get boring. Or so the Germans would have us believe........................

[Manda]

Let's ask any member of my family,about my selective memory........No I'm just down right stubborn!!!! Hey it's all I have!!

[qbounce]

At least I've got an excuse (for the time being, anyway). I've got a blood clot in my head.

Sorry, YOU'LL have to pay for lunch. I (conveniently) forgot my wallet~~you know, the blood clot.

Didn't cath on time and caused a bit of a leak~~oops, the damned blood clot.

Leaned to far over and fell out of the chair~~you guessed it!

I'm almost gonna miss the little thing. Then it's just down to "OLD AGE."

[Travelling Blackbird]

E-DOG, on Sep 23 2008, 12:00 AM, said:

Mr. Bird,
Perhaps many years of some type of what we euphemistically call "prescription drug" use has turned your brain to the consistancy of modeling clay.

Prescription drug use? I'm Irish - whiskey's the only thing I get on prescription! And sure we all know that whiskey can't do you any harm. Right?

E-DOG, on Sep 23 2008, 12:00 AM, said:

If you're using 50 or more vicodin per day maybe a slight cutback is in order. I switched to medical marijuana and crack. I am now wide awake and painfree all day, every day.

Just a suggestion from a guy like you to a guy like me.

E-dog

And always appreciated, pitcher E-Dog.

nomis, on Sep 23 2008, 01:07 AM, said:

Sometimes I'll do something against my better judgement by ignoring what experience has previously told me. I don't think it's unusual for people to have occasional lapses - probably more common for them to feel too embarrassed to admit it.

I've got to take care of my ageing hands these days but its spring here and I just can't resist pushing myself too far when digging the garden. So, yet again, I'm saying never again.

That would be the shoveling of topsoil and manure that you mentioned in the other thread, right?

nomis, on Sep 23 2008, 01:07 AM, said:

I suspect you'll find your behaviour is much the same as most of us, however, taking into consideration that you have a head injury you may have memory issues. If it only happens occasionally I'd put you in the "normal" range. But I mightn't be normal myself so maybe my opinion is rubbish.

At the risk of sounding cliched, who among us is normal? The world is full of quirks.

On the subject of the head injury, it's a very good point. I do have some other memory problems - I can't remember the month of the injury. I can't remember a couple of things from my childhood. It probably is fair to say that there might be other issues. However, I think this only happens occasionally, so you're most likely right that it's something that happens to everyone.

longhaul, on Sep 23 2008, 07:44 AM, said:

Look on the bright side if you do the same things over and over always the same you will get board but if you know that something you do is going to bite you and you do it anyway your life will never get boring. Or so the Germans would have us believe........................

Indeed. Although that said, I could use a little boredom right now!

Manda, on Sep 24 2008, 04:50 PM, said:

Let's ask any member of my family,about my selective memory........No I'm just down right stubborn!!!! Hey it's all I have!!

Well, we have to be what we're good at being. I do a mean line in digging my heels in and refusing to budge too. I've been told I'm the most stubborn many some friends have ever met.

Clara, on Sep 24 2008, 09:46 PM, said:

Heck, I forget how I can and can't sit up, always figure I can lean that little bit further forward, further backwards... WHAM! Ouch, lesson learned... until the next day when that same dropped fork looks nice and close and I think I can reach it without my grabber. WHY DON'T I LEARN??

Ouch. That sounds painful, but also familiar. It's the simple everyday things that are most likely to catch us out. There's part of your brain just saying "Come on, it's right there!"

qbounce, on Sep 24 2008, 09:58 PM, said:

At least I've got an excuse (for the time being, anyway). I've got a blood clot in my head.

Sorry, YOU'LL have to pay for lunch. I (conveniently) forgot my wallet~~you know, the blood clot.

Didn't cath on time and caused a bit of a leak~~oops, the damned blood clot.

Leaned to far over and fell out of the chair~~you guessed it!

I'm almost gonna miss the little thing. Then it's just down to "OLD AGE."

Ha! It's funny the things that make us laugh. This one had me laughing out loud. Yeah, the blood clot-head injury card. A classic!

When are they going to deal with it - I'm assuming from what you wrote that it will be getting dealt with.