Mobility Aids and MS

I was just like you I did not want to use anything,alot od denial on my part, but then I fell in front of my three year old. The look on his face ... I will never forget. I broke my wrist and sprained my left ankle. That was my wake up call. I now use a cane on good days. The wheelchair for long distances and during my flare ups I finally use my motorized chair indoors.

I came across a wonderful ,helpful Item for kitchen, bedroom or where ever you sit for along time, You no longer have to pick up a hot kettle, it makes you a hot drink in 3 seconds "I have one and i bought my dear MS friend one as well, and she has now bought herself another one  one in her bedroom & one in her living room. This wonderful Item is called

"Tefal Quick Cup " I know Amazon sell it, or though this is not where i got them.

Hope this will help some more of my MS friends,Please let me know if you get one  Check it out!! Take Care, Love Jan x

This is definitely a topic I want to know more about...since...I honestly don't know much if anything about mobility aids.  I have never had a broken bone...never walked on crutches.  I don't think I would even know how to use a cane if the time came when I needed one. 

So I am looking forward to what you have to teach us Vicki.

Thanks for always writing such useful articles.

Vicki - thanks for writing these series. Your writing is very thorough.

I'm glad you are going to write about when to use different aids since that is my toughest issue. Most people wouldn't know I have MS so I'm very reluctant, when I get shaky, to pull out a cane for help. I justify to myself that even though the cane would steady my steps and give me some support, if I just get through the episode then I can avoid stares and questions. Usually this comes up once or twice a year for about a month at a time and then the weakness/dizziness that causes the problems goes away.

The other part that stops me from using a cane is just the simple logistics of losing one hand that needs to deal with the cane. If I use my right hand to drive the cane and my left side is weak, then how do I carry my purse and a work satchel (or cup or coffee or anything else)? For now, I just use my handicapped parking badge to park close to my building and I figure all I need to do is make it from my car to my desk -- and then I can sit most of the day.

I'll look forward to reading what you write about all of this.

This brings back memories.  The day my doctor confirmed I had MS, I talked to another patient of hers.  I told the guy that I would someday be in his wheel chair.  My mother also had MS, so I knew what was coming.  Later I fell on the transition from the sidewalk to the house walkway.  My girlfriend's sister saw me fall, with an armload of stuff flying everywhere.  I have no idea why I fell; I just went down.

As it progressed, I became bed bound mostly.  I spent a short time with a cane; still have three.  But I get around the house with a walker, encouraged not to "blackslide".  I had returned from rehab, and my companion coined that word when the doctors and therapists made a big point of getting vertical and mobility each day.  We use blacksliding jokingly, but pushing myself hard to keep moving means that the day I cannot move, even if I want to, is further away.

Miss Vicki

Will you still be writing about mood issues and depression associated with MS?  I was looking forward to seeing your idea put into action in addition to this series!

Yesterday my dh and I returned back home from an 8-day city vacation to Toronto. For the very 1st time, we rented:

- a minivan with a ramp

- a "rollator" with a seat

and a scooter (tho we have rented these in the past).

I also ordered a "wheelchair assist" in the airport for our departing and arriving flights.

What did this type of planning allow us to do?

- See "The Dead Dead Sea Scrolls" exhibit at the Royal Art Museum

- See the Henry Moore sculptures and all of the contemporary art galleries at the Art Gallery of Ontario and have a yummy lunch at their restaurant "Frank"

- Stroll up and down many streets for "people watching"

- Drive to a nearby town called Niagara-on-the-Lake to see two plays at the Shaw Festival

- Meet up with an old friend that we haven't seen in a few years

- Take a ferry over to Center Island to go canoeing followed by lunch at an outdoor restaurant

- Visit the Botanical Gardens and Edwards Gardens

- Stay in two different lovely hotels in two different parts of town

- See "The Jersey Boys" and navigate the crowds with ease

- And allow me to save most of my energy so I had energy left at the end of one day for "romance" with my honey

The benefits to using these devices are endless. Altho the van was rather pricey ($109 CA per day), the scooter was $75 for the week. Both were *delivered to us* at our hotel, too. The scooter and rollator delivered right to our room!

The 7 nights in the hotels were absolutely FREE because we used some Starwood  points from our AmEx credit card account. The lovely B&B we stayed in at Niagara-on-the-Lake was $149 CA per night (and we had a king-size bed on the ground floor).

I would never have thought that I could enjoy a city vacation ever again in my life. These devices, services, and companies are in business so that we can keep moving and seeing and doing. I could care less if someone stares at me. I'll just leave them in a cloud of dust as I scoot ahead to the head of every line I encounter.

Heidi