Stuff you need to think about when you have a bath

I took a bath tonight instead of a shower. In the grand scheme of things, that shouldn’t sound remarkable, but it’s the first time I’ve had a proper bath (with bubbles) since my lower leg amputation half way through last year.

Since arriving home from hospital in September, I’ve been using the main bathroom (instead of my ensuite) because it’s much larger and much easier to get around. It also has a shower cubicle large enough for a shower stool, which I sit on while I have my shower.

The first few times I had a shower without hospital supervision, I made a few mistakes. I took my prosthetic leg off too early, too far away from the shower, quickly realizing I would need to hop into the cubicle, risking a fall.

It took me a while to get the balance of hot and cold water right also, as I can’t quickly jump away if the temperature isn’t right. I do this by facing the showerhead against the wall first, adjusting it, and then bringing it out so the water can cover my body. I run the shower with significantly less power than I did previously.

Earlier in the process, I would sometimes leave my towel too far away from the cuble, which is an issue because I need to towel-dry my leg thoroughly before putting the prosthetic back on. But I’ve pretty much got the routine together now.

I think I enjoy having a shower more now than I did previously. It’s great sitting on the chair with the water running gently over my body and taking more time to ablute than I would have done in the days of a quick three-minute shower before heading to work. Admittedly, it’s not so good for the environment using so much water, but hey…

Despite knowing about the preparation and thought that went into having a shower, I jumped headlong into having a bath tonight for the first time since leaving hospital.

I haven’t been using the bath because it’s something quite hard for me to do. Generally, you need some kind of assistance to get in and out of the tub, whether it be another human or some kind of seating arrangement. As with the shower, there is the risk of falling and the difficulty of getting out again.

Halfway through getting into the tub, I thought to myself, “I haven’t really thought this through,” as I found myself trying to find the right balance. For a moment, I thought I might fall, and I was worried about ambulance officers arriving to discover my naked body on the bathroom floor. I quickly realized I should have kept my prosthetic on until I got into the bath cubicle and was able to sit down on the bench at the top. Once there, I slipped my prosthetic leg off, and then slid down into the tub.

I thoroughly enjoyed the bath. I even had bubbles and spent some time admiring the difference between my two legs. It’s been a while since I’ve had some “me” time with my stump, which is a shame because I know it’s a good thing to do for my mental adjustment to my disability. I also do that mental therapy when I go for my weekly swim, um, err ah, paddle in the hydrotherapy pool. It’s quite fascinating to contemplate your body like that,

Getting out was achieved through sliding myself back up onto the bench, and then I was able to towel myself dry and reapply my prosthetic limb.

Throughout the whole time I felt worried as there was a real risk of falling on a slippery surface, so I took it very slowly and deliberately.

I’m not sure I’ll be doing it regularly, but it was a lovely thing to do, and heading off to bed I feel wonderfully relaxed.