Re: [QUAD-L] Temperpedic bed

[THouston]

I have slept in twin size beds, hospital type beds and have use the alternating air mattress.  I find it best that I sleep in my Craft matic bed.  It works pretty well much like a hospital bed but it does not go vertically up-and-down.  I have sores now on both hips resulting from a mattress from a regular bed.  But then, they were the results of me not knowing how to transfer on my own and my wife forcing me to sit in my chair when she would become mad or frustrated at me a sometimes as long as 48 hours.  After the large decubitus on my rear and, I began to lie on one side to excessively not realizing that was causing damage on my right hip.  Therefore, I was left with no choice but to sleep on my left hip when it also became infected.  I had a major flap done in February 2001.  As of today I am still dealing with my left and right hips.  The first week of March 2005 I am scheduled to have flap work done to my left and right hips.  Unfortunately, x-rays have shown that my hip bones have totally deteriorated.  The cause is from lack of range of motion.  Many times I have been to the Expos shows and have seen those machines that help to range your legs but my insurance wants even consider them and the price starts somewhere between $1500-$2500. So now I must see an orthopedic before the surgery.  I have a queen-size bed because after the first flap my health insurance paid for a physical therapist who in four weeks three days a week taught me how to get in and out of bed by myself.  I can also flip myself from one side to the other.  And because of the craft matic bed I am able to raise the bed and or the foot of the bed to be comfortable enough to watch TV or read or write. He also taught me to rid of my anxieties of sleeping completely prone.  If I sit up in bed too long watching television or reading, it takes away from my sitting time in the chair.  I've tried this in a hospital bed and I have tried this in a twin bed and I cannot find the room to flip from one side to the other.  Also with the hospital bed, the bed rails and the air mattress hinder myself transfers.  I love my queen-size bed.  I went seven years without a sore until my wife became frustrated.  I had one caregiver who would take 20 to 30 minutes a morning to range my legs for me, stretch my arms and made sure I exercise would daily.  After six years of depending on someone to help me in and out of bed you just can't believe how elated I was to be able to get up or go to bed when I got ready whether someone was home or not.  I thought about the temperpedic beds but in order to transfer on your own, you need a little support up under you in order to lift your butt off the mattress to slide across-the-board into the chair.  If the mattress is too soft or is full of air the harder you press down with your hands, the less distance your butt leaves the mattress.  Sorry for rambling on so long but I am slightly nervous about my upcoming surgery in March.   T. A. Houston ----- Original Message ----- From: Silas Shelburne To: QuadPirate ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 11:18 AM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Temperpedic bed Hey Mark, I have the same problem, im 6'4" if im not just right either my head or feet hang over.  I would love to have a bigger bed.  Silas ----- Original Message ----- From: QuadPirate To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 8:52 AM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Temperpedic bed That's the same size mine is and like yours it's too long for my bed and if I don't get put in at the exact right spot I end up sliding down in the bed after raising my head up and man is it uncomfortable so I'm looking for a new bed and wish I could do without the air mattress but probably not. Anyone else have problems getting just right in bed?   Mark   -------Original Message-------   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, February 11, 2005 8:16:46 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; quad-list@eskimo.com; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Temperpedic bed   I have your standard home hospital bed.  My foam mattress is approximately 6 inches thick and my alternating air mattress when fully inflated seems to be about 5"-6" thick.  I think the air mattress that I have must be "one size fits all" because it is a lot longer than my bed.  I was continually having troubles with the alternating air mattress that was prescribed for me due to blowouts.  I found out that the air mattress that they were giving me was for smaller people and I needed a bigger one.  The one I have now is for people up to 330 pounds and boy what a difference.   Jim