The neuropathy in my feet isn't caused by anything relating to my j-pouch. The problem is I keep falling while causing huge thuds, bouncing off of my nightstand, bed, toilet and etc.during the wee hours of the morning when nature calls me to the restroom. It's not more than 15 feet from the bed. While I sleep my feet and legs fall into a deeper sleep. When I'm half awake, making my way to and from my glorious bidet, I'm having regular accidental falls. I wrote about one a while back where I fell asleep while sitting on the throne and I fell off with my forehead meeting the tiled floor before the rest of me.(I now know how thugs can hit people with their foreheads. My head didn't hurt as much as my knees did and they hit a split second after my head did.
Last night he rushed in again as I fell hard on to the floor - at least the bedroom has carpeting. While I'm fully awake I fall too. 3-4 weeks ago I missed the last step coming down to the main floor and my body slammed on the tiled floor. That resulted in a bad sprained ankle, that made sounds like it was breaking, and bruises down my side. I fell stepping up a concrete curb in December. I again made contact between my head and concrete sidewalk. That one hurt as it wasn't such an equalized hit. I broke my fall with my hands while trying to keep my head from hitting. These falls happen quickly and in looking back I see everything in slow motion. My body parts automatically try to soften the blows. I've had around a half dozen "accidents" the last 3 months. My husband sleeps in another room because of my multiple restroom trips and insomnia. So it is a loud thug when it wakes him up.
He put up rails on the other side of the stairs from the basement to the main floor and from there upstairs to the bedrooms. He did it before his surgery last fall as he thought he might need to hold on both sides. He's leaving them up. We put the shower chair, I got around the time of my surgeries, next to the bed and I brought up one of my canes. He was threatening, in a concerned way, to get me a walker!!!!!
My Internist told me to use my cane all the time and that will help me remember to pick my feet up higher instead of shuffling. After my February pouchoscope the nurse at Mayo's wheeled me out to the reception room and told my husband that I needed to stay in the wheel chair all the way back to the hotel we were staying at. It is connected with the walking subway that people use to go between buildings. It is nice there are wheelchairs all over the place so we just left the chair in the subway. They always ask if we've fallen recently and I told the truth. She was right. I was woosie enough to fall after being put under for the scope and balloon dilation. So now you know one of the reasons they ask us that. I think a bigger reason is they don't want lawsuits......
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I'm a grandma but not even 60 yet. The worst part of using a cane is the looks people give me. I see pity, disbelief, irritation and other facial expressions including nice smiles. I always use it in airports and it does get me through the shorter handicapped line where TSA is. I don't get to bypass the not so random checks. I had to go into a room with 3 ladies for a search 18 months ago. It wasn't a strip search but pretty close to one. I found out later than some hand and body lotions set the sensors off.
It is damn hard walking, yoga, exercising or going on public transportation when handicapped including numb feet. It drives me crazy when people tell me I need to get out and walk more. I agree but the problems I have on indoor surfaces only get worse when on sidewalks.etc.
There are a million benefits sleeping through the night affords us. I have streaks of insomnia followed by times I sleep almost the entire day and night. I don't dare take a sleeping pill because I'm afraid I'd do more damage.
I know you gals and guys would like to help me with suggestions but I think I've heard and tried most of them to get me through the night. I've used almost every trick in the book not counting my neurologist, internist and other doctors. I am fortunate to be able to walk and just need to be more careful. I also count my blessings daily. They tend to get overlooked when self-pity starts rolling in.
You are fantastic people! I count you all and this site as some of my blessings.