I hope everyone has had an enjoyable Memorial Day.
I thought that I would take all subjects in one e-mail, so that I did
get yelled at too much.
First, there is some prevention for a pressure sore. One subject that I have not seen
discussed on the quad site recently is Bag Balm. Being almost 40 years post SCI the
skin on my bottom is paper thin.
I had eight years of constant skin tears and pressure sores. Almost every quad gets some urine
leakage at times and this can break down skin quickly. I was in bed waiting more than I was
up. I gave up activities and
pretty much limited my life my street.
Then, I started to use bag balm.
I first heard about it from another quad but didn't pay much attention
until it was a topic of discussion on the quad site. Well, my life has changed and I have
(knock on wood) not had a p….. s….. in the last two years. I have been using bag balm for
approximately 6 years and I have had virtually no problems. The problems that do pop up are
usually from wetness, or in many cases being outside in the summertime too
long. I have my attendants apply
bag balm each morning and each evening religiously! I would not do without it.
OK, let's move onto that a broken leg. When I first broke my leg in three
places from the knee to the ankle, the first reaction of the doctor was to
give me the option of having my leg amputated. We could try to heal it, but it
probably won't heal. Bull….! I couldn't believe the doctors
arrogant attitude. He had treated
another quad in the area, but the quad did not take care of himself and lost
his leg. I guess because the
doctor had very little experience with quads he just assumed we were all the
same. We are not. We must learn to know our own bodies
and know what our body is capable of doing. This is one thing that I have learned
over the years. Read your body
and listen to it.
If you want to smoke, smoke.
Yes, I believe it is harmful, I don't enjoy being around a smoker even
though I used to be one, but until it is made illegal don't cram your will
down my throat, and don’t give me the bull it is addictive. So is stopping at
McDonalds every time I’m out, but I still do it and it shows. I believe that if an establishment
chooses to be a smoke environment, so be it, people that don't smoke like
myself we go somewhere else. The
one thing that I do have a problem with is someone that chooses to smoke and
gets an illness from smoking, who pays the bill? The same thing with motorcycle riders
in Pennsylvania. A few years ago
there was such a big stink about wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle,
that the stupid lawmakers repealed the helmet law and motorcycle riders no
longer have to wear a helmet.
Yes, there are a few cases where a helmet has caused neck injury, but
in the overall scheme of things helmets have helped more than they have
hindered. As with the smoker and
the motorcycle rider, who pays for their long-term injuries and health
care. The taxpayer!
I guess it is a little too late to comment on the person who is having
the flap surgery, but approximately 10 years ago I had a “track” which is a
very small opening on the surface but went approximately 3 inches deep. I was a good person, stayed in bed,
but it would heal on the surface, I would get out, it would open. I packed it twice a day with, I don't
know the spelling, but it was seaweed, and Reaganax. It took two months, but it finally
closed to the surface. We needed
to keep it from healing at the surface until it was completely healed
inside. It took us another two
months to realize that packing it
after it was so shallow was only keeping it open. We just started to
apply the Reganax
on to the surface and within two weeks it was healed. I already had
flap surgery twice and the doctor really did not went to perform flap surgery
again as it can only be done so many times. Maybe I was lucky, maybe I did the
right thing.
Whiners and winners: I don't know what the
original post was concerning the subject, but I think I have just found a
popular phrase. It was one of
those days and I was feeling sorry for myself, and then I realized I am the
reason that I am whining. After
30 years of running my own electronics business I am now semiretired doing
volunteer work for the historical society as well as the local church. Everyone thinks that just because
you're semiretired you have lots of time. Well I was doing so much that I did
not have time to do my own chores and take the time to enjoy myself. I'm going to take my whining and the
good Lord willing go back to school, learn additional advanced computer skills
and market myself. I have 30
years of experience which is better than four years of college, you just don't
have a piece of paper.
Later dudes,
GA
