Life In A Chair isn’t so easy. Let Me Explain

So it has now been 6 weeks since my last post. I would like to stress that I did not go missing, haven’t eloped with an exotic super model (that’s so last year), or won the lottery and moved to the Caribbean. I’ve actually just been… well… living “life in a chair”.

Let me explain.

It is pretty much common knowledge that most, if not all disabilities have effects/complications beyond the main or visible symptoms. It just so happened that I encountered some of these in the week following my last post. I contracted a water infection (UTI from here onwards), a chest infection and a pressure sore; in that order and not necessarily at the same time. The sucker punch is that each problem seemed to be caused by the previous.

Let me explain.

I am more likely to contract a UTI as I have an indwelling catheter. This tends to happen if I don’t drink bucket loads of water on a daily basis for a while; OR if the catheter is due to be changed (other reasons exist but these two seem to be my regular culprits). The usual issues with a bacterial infection then followed: drowsiness, fever, cold sweats, shivering etc (those are normal symptoms… right… ?). Being so ill, I couldn’t keep up with my physiotherapy. In comes my old friend The Chest Infection.

Let me explain.

You see, physiotherapy is about the only form of proper exercise I can get, in addition to keeping my muscles and joints mobile; and my chest healthy. Because my injury affects all voluntary movement and sensation below a certain point in the body: for me, it’s about halfway down my chest; the bottom halves of my lungs have taken an indefinite vacation. I therefore have to keep the top halves active and strong enough to do the work of a full set of lungs. This I do with physiotherapy. Now, while ill and unable to maintain my physio, combined with being laid horizontally in bed for about a week, all sorts of rubbish builds up in my lungs, creating the ideal conditions for a bacterial infection, and thus The Chest Infection is born. It doesn’t help either that this only becomes obvious when I finally go from horizontal in bed to vertical in the chair. Imagine my shock when, on the day I finally had the strength to stay out of bed long enough, my lungs are like “NOPE! No breathing for you homie”. -_- I was not amused. Luckily the antibiotics had been fighting both infections at this point, I just had to clear my chest.

Drum roll please! And now we introduce, The Pressure sore!! Tah-dah!!!

Let me explain.

It turns out, all that time spent in bed didn’t do my skin any favours either. In order to combat my now phlegm-filled lungs, I had to get rolled from side to side in bed at frequent intervals while I slept (one of the many joys of a chest infection). During one such roll, my carer points out a brand new pressure sore on my lower back. These little buggers take anywhere upwards of a week to heal. That, in addition to the two and a half weeks I’d already spent out of commission would be enough to cover my period of “blog neglect”. But no, no, no, that would be too easy.

Let me explain.

You see in the middle of all this, I’ve had to deal with a heat wave (never thought that was possible in Northern England), a member of my care staff moving onto greener pastures, followed by consecutive failed attempts at recruiting a suitable replacement and one of my best friends moving to a different country.

Phew! When this was all over, I took a week to just chill, get my bearings and now hear I am. A couple of the issues above are even still ongoing as I write this but I’m on top of them… I think :/ . Hopefully I can get back to my blogging and everything else that makes us awesome without further disruption.

So, I haven’t neglected my darling blog on purpose, I’ve just been… well… living “life in a chair”.