Re: Anyone out there get back on a bicycle after being fused to

[Guest guest]

This is interesting, Andy. I think I can still do some of these

things, but I try not to. Moreover, returning to the original subject

line on these posts, I can not imagine riding a bicycle again. I miss

this terribly. It is the fear of losing my balance and crashing to the

pavement that keeps me off a bike (since I have had two nasty falls

just walking, before my last series of revisions -- I could not break

my fall and was hurt pretty badly on uneven sidewalks, on one occasion

giving myself a black eye).

I bend down to pick things up, but have to do this in a very

unladylike way -- legs spread wide apart -- with hopes no one is

watching. For this reason, among others, I wear only pants or longish

skirts, focusing my fashion interests on things like colorful cotton

and silk patchwork jackets from India, unusual earrings, and

especially -- my passion -- my wardrobe of hats and caps. I have

started to experiment with fancy headscarf-wraps as well -- anything

to keep the public gaze away from the problem-region roughly extending

from my waist to my toes! I also wear my Reeboks for just about

everything -- simply to feel " safe " on my feet, as I walk many miles a

week --even since the foot surgery. When I can make some more money,

I am determined to buy a new pair of reasonably attractive but very

supportive and comfortabloe summer sandals with heels.

Whenever possible, I try to stoop gracefully to retrieve something

that falls or drops. It is very painful to get out of the necessary

squatting position and back onto my feet. Also, kneeling -- for me as

for you -- must be very short term. I stick to container gardening and

tend to my plants only after getting the containers up higher on plant

stands.

I take only showers. I tried one bath last summer and got stuck in the

tub for ten minutes or so. It was frightening. I have made a whole,

soothing/energizing spa experience out of a prosaic shower.

I no longer hesitate to spend $20 (when I have it!) on a capable mall

pedicure. My right little toenail grows so fast that it snags my

socks, and I just can not reach it to clip, despite the most extreme

contortions!

One final limitation -- I don't know how often this has been discussed

here -- is lifting and carrying. Especially because I do not drive, I

tend to carry my life around in a large vinyl bag with handles from

& Noble. This bag alone is too much for me to deal with for

more than half a block or so, so I plunk it into my cart along with

motley other necessities from rain cape to art sluppies and manuscript

files to groceries. This is not your standard older-lady shopping cart

but a kind of box-shaped container on wheels with a long handle that

you can retract. You can also fold up the whole bos into a kind of

flat file. Some of them come with a plastic cover (at least at Office

Depot or Office Max) which enables you to protect your stuff from rain

and supposedly provides a seat you can sit on. (I haven't tried that

yet). It's amazing how many people of all ages and both genders ask me

where I got my cart and tell me how great it is. You have to be sure

to get the large version, though -- $24.95 when not on sale. The

smaller cart is five dollars less and not as sturdy, with a shorter

handle that would work only for more petite individuals than I. I try

not to abuse or overload my cart but still go through four or five of

them a year, so the last time I actually paid $3.00 extra for a

warranty providing for a replacdement-cart. This may be available only

at Office Max. If I anticipate a very full load -- lots of grocery

bags from the market down the streeth -- I carry a few bungee cords

along with me as well.

The other way I distribute my load is to put the most important items

in a waist-pack I wear at all times. A day pack you can carry on your

back might be another good idea.

I am very blessed to have lots of unsolicited help when I am riding

trains and busses around the city. The climb up the bus steps with a

big, clunky cart can be quite a hassle, but I have learned to insist

that the driver press a button to lower the steps nearer to the

sidewalk; also, a good 60-70% of the time, some young, strong guy just

behind me in line will swoop my cart off the sidewalk and onto the bus

for me.

I am learning to be more fearless and less embarrassed when it comes

to my physical comfort. My darling upstairs neighbors invited me to

dinner last night, as they have in the past. They have some pretty

challenging dining room chairs, I remembered, so I showed up at their

door with a smile and my big cushion covered in a nice flowered sham.

It is one of those temperature-sensitive pillows attributed to Swedish

and NASA technology. I use it to cushion my back or, when my tailbone

is acting up again, I actually sit on it. Blessed relief!

Best,

>

> I don't know about others, but I can't run or jog - I've lost my

ability to

> 'bounce'! I also can't lie on my side, sit on the floor with my legs in

> front of me - straight or crossed, or kneel for longer than a

minute. It's

> hard to be in a crawl position for too long - like the position you

might

> get into if you were weeding a garden. I'm continually surprised how

much I

> can't do anymore. It's subtle but real. Still, I'm very, very happy

I had my

> revision (in 2003).

>

>

>

> Best of luck,

>

> Andy

>

>

>

> _____

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of nerilka365

> Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 6:41 PM

>

> Subject: Anyone out there get back on a bicycle after

being

> fused to " all the way down " ?

>

>

>

> I'm just wondering if that's yet another thing I have to give up once

> I get fused through to the sacrum with an extra long bolt drilled into

> each hip bone. I'm in really bad shape, and dreading revision

> surgery. I can still ride a bike even if I can't dance, walk, stand

> in line at the store, etc. Ironically, I can't ride a stationary bike

> as easily or for as long a time period as I can ride a regular bike in

> the street. I've tried an adult trike but it is a real pain in the

> next to maneuver compared to a bike.

>