This always happens. I start to feel as though I’m doing ok healthwise and maybe can start to get back into life more … then something happens to give me a reality check.

We lost power here in St-Jean yesterday. It was hot and there was a powerful storm that knocked down power lines, etc. I had the misfortune of actually being up and about when the power went off. Why? Well, let me tell you. Because I was up doing this or that, I was not in bed and I was not in my chair. So that means that BOTH power-adjustable devices were locked in their unusable positions. The bed being completely flat, and the lift chair being almost standing position. This leaves me with no comfortable place to sit. Everything else is had a back to it that it at 90 degrees, which I can only tolerate for 1 or 2 hours without the back pain starting. I found a little solace in the patio chair when it wasn’t raining, but even that didn’t help much.

So I was forced to delve into the pain pills once again and lather up with biofreeze every couple hours. That just barely took the edge off. By about 2:30 in the morning, after trying to sleep on my side or back for 3-4 hours, I was in tears with the pain. Was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t stay in a position for more than 30 mins, and then changing positions hurt like a SOB each time. Got up out of bed about 5 times during the night when I couldn’t take it anymore. Each time, was harder and harder. When it was time to actually get up, I could barely do it. :( Very discouraging.

So I only THINK I’m doing ok because of the sheltered life I live in my little house with all my handicap aids. If I can’t survive half a day here in my own home without them, how can I expect to travel or even work one full full day somewhere? Just deluding myself that I can do it without some sort of major accommodation. A portable ‘wedge’ to put under a mattress to lift up the head. An employer that allows a sleep break every 2 hours and willing to buy a proper chair. How the heck can you find any of that, especially looking on your own. The CLSC is useless here and it’s the only place I know to go. I’m grateful for what they’ve done, but they can’ provide or direct me to these things. No idea how other people with these challenges cope. They must have an inside line somewhere. Or a wealthy benefactor.

*sigh* Well the power is back on now (20 hrs later) and I’m in bed for the day. It’s going to take a lot of bed rest and staying still/put to get over this. hopefully no more power outages coming soon! Must remember to get more pain pills as well!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 9:57 am and is filed under Health/AIH, Personal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.