I really need to vent ya'll. So mom fell after losing her balance as she was trying to open to front door so her physical therapist could come in once she got to the house this morning. She is lucky that she didn't screw up her hip where she had her hip replacement at but she did break her leg near the back of her knee joint. I am not sure where exactly where it is other than it was near her knee. So yeah, she is going to be at the hospital for a few days again. I am waiting on word on whether she is going to get transferred to New Bern (NC) which has a way better hospital or if she is going to stay at the one here at home.

I am not very happy about this because mom knew better than be trying to open the front door on her own knowing her balance is extremely off like it is. She is technically is suppose to have someone walk with her as she uses her walker until she gets strong enough to walk alone and had gotten after last night for trying man-handle her walker.

Oh, dear, that is really sad.

However, I know so many people who would have done exactly that. People have this unfortunate tendency to believe that they can still do anything they like, no matter how much evidence there is against that idea.

I know people who have had life threatening injuries simply because they were alone and thought, "Oh, I really don't need that walker just to go across the room...."

One suggestion, if you don't already have it: Get a key-box on the front door. Give the physical therapist the combination. Then, if the door is locked, the pt (or emergency personnel) can come in without anyone having to go to the door.

Was anybody at home with her?

If not, how was the PT suppose to get in?

If someone was at home with her, what were they doing?

She was being impatient and stubborn to wait for my dad to come back into the room with her which is another no no because she is suppose to have someone walk with her at all times as she uses the walker even if it is across the room.

also does not behave herself.

She always has been a pusher for herself though, pushing herself til she was sick.
She fell off the roof about a year ago because of that attitude.
"Dont go up there" "Its really windy"

I imagine growing older can be really difficult for pushers because their limits change but their personality doesn't.

I'm sorry that happened to her.

I had a similar fall shortly after I broke my leg and ankle. I was on crutches and still getting used to them. When I tried to open the surprisingly heavy door to a doctor's office, I fell to the ground. Fortunately, I was in just the right place to get a quick evaluation. In my case there was no further damage.

I hope that your mom recovers from this. Hopefully she will learn from this experience, as I did.

It is so hard to stop doing the the things you have done your whole life. Nobody wants to give that up. Nobody wants to be dependent. I feel for you because not only is it hard on them it is hard on the caregivers.


DH grandfather committed suicide after he fell and broke his hip. He left a note and in it he said "If I can't get up from the chair, or off the toilet. If I cannot put undershorts, pants, or socks on. If I can't walk to the front door, the mailbox, or the garden. If I have to be a spectator and not a player I would rather be dead."
He was 88 years old. This ripped our hearts out because we thought just loving him and doing things he could no longer do for himself would be enough.

Talk to her and let her know you understand how hard it is to be dependent, even just for a while.

Sorry to hear about your mom's injury that landed her back in the hospital.

Hope she mends soon and well.

Besides a "can-do" attitude, is there a bit of dementia setting in, that she forgets her limitations?

That could be a sign of her getting older. That isn't anything you can do much about except suffer through. Hopefully this isn't going to be reoccurring. She can't afford more broken bones!

Its easier to not behave when you're in bad condition.

My mom and dad live in a retirement community, and she has fallen several times. She is supposed to ask dad for help, rather than doing stuff herself. He is so cranky and mean that she hates to ask him for anything. They are both very frustrated. I try to visit often. Of course she doesn't want to get hurt and doesn't think it will happen. I don't look forward to going through that time of life.

Oh yeah, I know what you mean. My dad has Parkinson's disease so it is really hard for him to help mom with anything because his brain can't keep up with the information that he is taken in. And of course I have my own physical issues that make it extremely hard to help her do anything that requires me to do any form of standing or walking.

I talked to mom this morning and she is doing okay. She broke her femur right near where her knee is at and for those who are not savvy in anatomy, its the thigh bone. She says she is hurting really bad right now which is to be expected and she is going to have to have another surgery to put pins and screws in her leg where the break is at. They haven't set a date for the surgery yet because they have to wait for the blood thinners mom takes to cycle out of her system but it probably be in the next few days.