Getting up off the floor

In the last week, we’ve had a couple of really windy days in Sydney. Last Wednesday, in particular, was a day when conditions made the national nightly news.

I went out for lunch with some friends, and as we made our way towards the light rail, a strong gust of wind almost knocked me over. Thankfully, my friends held me up.

If I’d fallen to the ground, I would have done some serious damage, hitting the concrete.

As part of the rehabilitation program after my lower limb amputation last year, I did a two-hour falls prevention training course at the hospital.

Those attending the course were a combination of people like me, living with a disability, and older people.

Generally, when the phrase “he/she has had a fall” is used in relation to older people, it’s often a phrase used to indicate it was the incident that led the person into a nursing home.

And so when it was mentioned I would need to do the course, I was skeptical. But at 57 years of age, I’d lost a lower limb and was getting around in a wheelchair, so it made sense.

It was a really good course, as it helped me to think about the things around my home that might have contributed to a fall, including the placement of furniture.

Thankfully, I haven’t had a major fall at home, though it came close a few months ago when I woke up in the middle of the night, was desperate to go to the toilet, and “forgot” that I didn’t have a lower right leg, and fell flat on the floor.

Out in public, there have been a few occasions when I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the surroundings, particularly in crowded environments. There have even been a couple of occasions when people have literally pushed me out of the way, failing to notice my disability. Yes, seriously, people have pushed me out of the way.

Though I don’t need crutches anymore when I go out in public, I recently bought a walking stick to take in the event of crowded venues.

There was also an occasion a few months ago when I suffered a terrible bout of vertigo, meaning I had terrible balance issues, and couldn’t get up without wanting to vomit, as my head was spinning. In that circumstance, I had to call a friend who came to my house, and ordered an ambulance, which took me to the hospital.

This was the impetus for me to buy a watch for the first time in a couple of decades. It’s a digital watch that connects with my mobile phone, meaning I can make phone calls and alert emergency services without having to go looking for my phone.

Thankfully, my physiotherapist, Peita, has also done a couple of sessions with me on how to recover from a fall.

There are lots of resources out there with helpful tips if / when this becomes an issue for you or someone you know, but here’s a YouTube video which explains a bit more.

I’m have both knees, so this method works well for me.

Above the knee amputees will find the recovery slightly different. I’m not an expert, so won’t offer an opinion, except to suggest checking in with a doctor or physiotherapist.