I know I haven’t written for a while but I think I have a pretty good excuse this time: I broke my hip. I didn’t intend to, mind you. It was “just one of those things…” And apparently more likely to be one of those things that happens to someone with a) hypertonia as a result of stroke, and b) osteopenia (perhaps now osteoporosis). And lucky me, I have both.
A month ago I was working in the kitchen while my granddaughter was happily playing near the dining table. She called to me and I, like a fool, thought I could just walk around the kitchen bar counter to see what she was up to. Silly me. One wrong step and down I went. And 3 weeks later I finally got the diagnosis of a femoral neck fracture (i.e. broken hip). Except at my age I probably should not have actually broken it simply by falling from a standing position. No, bad bones were probably on my side as well.
Apparently I “moved too fast.” I didn’t think I did but I keep being reminded that since I have post-stroke hypertonia I have to learn to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n. But see, since my stroke and my inability to move very well anyway I thought I had slowed down. Turns out that I haven’t slowed down enough. Now I must move from turtle to slug. Which seems appropriate since I already feel like a slug.
Seriously? I have to slow down even more? Instead of just calculating every step in the outside world I now have to do the same in my own house?!
So for now I am definitely moving slower–walker and wheelchair at the ready. Having a bout of dèjá vu.