Wednesday Coy was very tired but insisted he was OK to go to bowling. I took him rather than the friend who usually picks him up because we had podiatrist appointments first. I dropped him off at the door and waited for him to go in. He'd no more than gotten through the door than boom! down he went. I rushed from the car and two old guys (it's a senior league) rushed from inside and we met at Coy. They were helping him up. Coy insisted he was all right. I said did your hat stay on through that fall? No, one of the OGs had put it back on him. All three of the men assured me that Coy was OK, they'd keep an eye on him, and I could go on home. One went in with Coy and the other stayed to tell me, "Any one of us could fall. I know that Coy has some special problems, but he does fine here. Tripping on the threshold could happen to anybody. And Coy really loves to bowl!"

I thought it was touching how much they stood up for him and didn't want his wife to conclude he shouldn't bowl. I didn't realize how much they were protecting Coy from me until he got home and I saw blood on the top of his head. No wonder that OG quickly put his hat back on. Anyway, Coy bowled the normal 3 games and even did better than he had the previous 2 weeks. He was very tired and slept most the rest of the day.

Today (Friday) he couldn't get out of bed and asked me to help him. His left leg would not support him, it hurt to put weight on it, and the knee buckled. Oh-oh. The walker did no good. I brought in the wheelchair from where it had been riding since Thanksgiving in my trunk, and man, was that sucker COLD! I covered it with a blanket and settled Coy into it. It was very hard to transfer him to toilet, recliner etc. As the day wore on that got better. I called his doctor's office and was advised to take him to a place called OrthoQuick. (Sounds like their motto should be "Bones set while you wait" doesn't it?) They xrayed and confirmed that nothing was broken or cracked, etc. There is a lot of arthritis in that knee. The doctor suggested that sometimes a blow to an area with arthritis causes the arthritis to flare up for a while. I liked that explanation, and I'm sticking to it.

All day I'd been thinking of the possible causes. He'd fallen on his left leg ... was this a delayed reaction to that event? Or was this the beginning of a Lewy decline? Not many Lewy patients are still ambulatory (let alone bowl) after 8 years. We've been very lucky. Is our luck running out? That was on my mind all day. And (of course) there were a couple of crises at work I had to attend to. Homefront challenges never happen on a dull work day, do they?

While waiting for the xray results I sat thinking about how much intervention we should accept at this point. Fortunately I didn't have to face a decision on that. Maintaining range of motion and putting ice on the knee is well within the treatment range I find acceptable!

Jeanne, nothing is broken that they could see. Good. Yes, ice for now and range of movement to keep it as flexible as posssible. I believe in about ten days, it will be a thing of the past and this injury will be the same for him as for any other man [or lady] his age. Do you use Tylenol or Advil for him?

Don't you hate it when you look back and think, "Why didn't I do so and so?" I man feels like bowling, for goodness sake, you know he can walk across the room. Tell yourself he tripped on the threshold, which is probably what happened. I'm thinking good thoughts for you two. He will be bowling again.

Dorthea

Jeanne, I'm hoping Coy pulls out of this little setback OK. Soft tissue damage may have occurred that would not show up on an X-ray so it may be wise to limit his movement for a while to give it a chance to heal. His comfort level and response to weight bearing and range of motion will guide you.

I sure am glad I had a chance to meet Coy….

Coy is an inspiration to me….

Coy is a part of this forum that I can 'see' as real…

I hate to 'see' him fall…

but, I love to see him still Facing the Beast….

yep, he will be down a while…..

here is a thought….just a thought….

my legs hurt sometimes…okay….all the time….
but, there is nothing wrong with my legs….
they tingle, they pin and needle, they prick….
they are hot, they are cold, they are both hot and cold…
they burn….
they jump….
they feel like they are moving….
they vibrate….
they tremor….
they are numb…
they hurt….
they never feel fine….
sometimes they hurt so bad nothing can touch them….
okay….I can't think of everything right now….

but, there is nothing wrong with my legs….
not, bones, muscles, nerves…..
but, all hurt at times….

all in my head….

so, what is the effect of a real injury?
we can all guess what the effect is on the leg…..
same as everyone else….
so why the extra drama? why more of an effect?
why does it hurt to stand longer on my perfectly fine legs?
if nothing is wrong with my legs why would standing on them make them hurt?
makes no sense?

I think….just me….
that the area of my brain that is handling my leg is having problems….you think?
so, if I injure or overuse (or just use it normally) the brain area that already has a problem gets overworked….
things get unbalanced…..load gets unbalanced…the brain area responsible gets things screwed up….and keeps getting screwed up as more load is now being placed there…..

so the leg hurting in the first place is in the brain…
with no leg problem….
so…now add a real leg problem to the same area of the brain….

more brain created leg perceived problems for longer…..
just a thought…..

Jeanne,
So sorry to hear Coy fell and I hope he feels better very soon.....

If it's any consolation I fall quite a bit and am still in the early stage - actually, I have been falling for years - about 9 years I think, with more falls in the last two years....Of course I have had some more decline in the last two years, but I don't think it's the difference between the early stage and the next stage.....at least that is how I am looking at it.....I typically hurt something too a little when I fall (usually my lower back, legs, or wrists) but it goes away pretty quickly......

Like Craig said Coy is an inspiration to me too!! with his bowling! I need to get more active!

I have been cleared by my doc to go back to the gym (since my abdominal surgery in Oct) where I have a trainer that works with me on balance, hand-eye coordination and knows about parkinson's symptoms and what muscles to strengthen. I can only afford it once a week, but when I get back into it I can go on my own another day a week too....it's cheaper than my co-pay would be for PT so that is what I do - I was doing it weekly in spring and then things got messed up - for me life is all about fluctuations....Also I battle a lot of fatigue....

Best wishes to you and Coy......

Tonya

PS Craig - I have wondered about that too - about how my brain processes pain (and what I see, hear, smell etc.) these days - I have always had a low tolerance for pain - was given a fibromyalgia dx (whatever significance that may have) as well as chronic fatigue syndrome before I got to my current neurologist who dx LBD......I wonder a lot of the time how much I can "trust" my thinking......Most days, I decide I will trust it and things go more smoothly actually when I have more self-confidence...when I get insecure about my thinking I have a lot more trouble with decision-making and most all things.....Encouragement from my husband that my thinking is on track helps too and he'll tell me when it isn't which also helps...this way, I can be more sure about everything....Usually my thinking with get out of perspective if I am overly fatigued, stressed, or emotional or if I did too much mental or physical activity.....

Glad to know that the fall didn't result in a broken bone or concussion.

It's impossible to keep our loved ones safe all the time. Life intervenes.

Jeanne, try not to worry (I know, easier said than done). From what I have see on this site, Coy is a fighter, and with you in his corner, I'm sure he'll be back to his old self soon. You have been an inspiration to me - your caregiving is second to none. Everyone on this site is amazing, and the more I read about all your trials and tribulations, the more I admire you all. Thank you all,
Ger x

jeanne..

so sorry to hear about the fall.. it has to be so stressful for both of you...

what wonderful friends he has. it so cute how they protect him.. they seem to understand how important that bit of independence is for coy!!.. it also says a lot about how much they want to him as a bowling partner...

hope things have smoothed out a bit more and you can both relax!!

take care

cindi

Jeanne, I hope Coy gets better very soon.
Pat

Thank you all for your encouragement. Coy is doing better with his leg. Around the house, where he knows there are objects for support, he is walking unaided. We went out Sunday night and took the wheelchair. He is considerably more confused than he has been for a while. He also seems to be eating somewhat better. What an up-and-down bouncing ride we are having.

Somehow during the 6 times I took the wheelchair out of or put it in to my trunk Friday I did something my back objected to. It is letting me know that in no uncertain terms.

One day at a time.

Jeanne, I'm sorry you strained your back. I found that walking and avoiding sitting as much as possible was the best therapy for mine. Take care!

Jeanne, [for when your back heals] I used the trunk of the car for the wheel chair at first but then I found a way to put it on the floor board of the back seat. It was a little awkward at first but by putting it in with the back towards the center, the seat will roll over backwards. . Take it out the same way but in reverse. The chair collapsed to a few inches width.

Putting the chair into the trunk was almost imposssible for me.

dorthea

Jeanne,

time for an assistive device to lift the assistive device(wheelchair) so the caregiver doesn't get hurt….please?

no excuses….take care of Jeanne….no more lifting wheelchair….

Hope both of you feel better!

Take care of yourself Jeanne!!!