Anonymous wrote:
Hi Jack, and sorry to hear about your condition. Incontinence isn't a fun thing to live with, and being stuck in diapers is hard to accept, especially if it's 24/7. My incon problems were caused by a car accident as well (rear ended), but thankfully aren't this bad. I wasn't in coma nor walker involved, but I can imagine what kind of life you have now. In my case, my main problem isn't actually incontinence but chronic pain (much harder to deal with than incon really) due to nerve damage, bad discs and soft tissue injury. It changes your life a lot. It gets very hard some days, but don't loose all hopes. Take it day by day. Life is still worth living and all (I'm glad to see my kids everyday). I'm not much older than you are either. And instead of me moving back to my parents', it's my mom (my parents are divorced) that moved to my place to help me with the house and kids as some days are pretty hard.
take care
and
The only pain I've had from my accident is from my broken heart. I've lost lots, probley more that I know. The number 1 loss is my independence. One week before I left the rehab hospital a nurse came into my room, sat on my bed and said, "Jack, we have to talk". She told me that all 3 Doc's say I can leave the hospital in about a week. But, before I can go to my parents home they and Linda my gf, my kid brother and sister need to know how to take care of me. If they don't know I have to go into a nursinghome until I can take care of my self. I guess I never thought about it until then. My parents had added on, built a new bedroom for me, the ramp and stuff. I tell her I want to go home. That was on Thursday. Saturday at 11 they were all there, even my brother who was away at college. The nurse ask me about 10 times if I'm ok with this, and I say yes every time. The nurse Dave, tells my family a bib at meal time is a good idea, he will send a few home with me. Now the big things he wants them to understand, falling out of bed or chair and, keeping me dry. One more time Dave ask me if I ok and I tell him to go ahead because that's the only way I'm going home. Dave is on my right side and asked the others to gather around behind him. He tells them the law says to "check and change every 2 hours". Dave tells them that I was checked about 2 hours ago and he brings the sheet all the way down. And there I am, laying in bed and all I got on is a t-shirt and a diaper and nurse Dave is going show them how to change the diaper. I am 24 years old! I've been home now about 3 1/2 weeks and it's getting better, I guess.
My dad takes care of me most of the time. We start the day with me in my shower chair. I wheel it to the shower where the controls are on the outside wall. I can wash everything my self except my back side. I pull myself up with the handles, dad takes care of what I cann't and I'm done. I can dry myself and I can go from the chair to my bed. I guess some or most of you know how my day goes be.
I am getting stronger, I only use the chair when I get realy tired. I have walked a little bit with a cane. When I ask if I will be able to go back to work, they tell me it's all up to me.
take care
Jack