ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Balance Issues => Topic started by: CROOKEDSMILE on November 21, 2008, 09:30:38 am
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Well. My surgery for HFS not an AN was 15 months ago. It is not supposed to affect balance but it did along with my hearing, facial nerve, swallowing nerve and vocal cords. The surgery damaged it all but I am slowly learning to cope. I had retrosigmoid approach. Anyway. I thought that my balance had gotten much better as I now can ride a bike and can play a little tennis (just not as good as I used to) and I don't bounce off of the walls like a drunk like I used to. Well......today I am decorating the Christmas tree and it is 13 feet tall and I of course had to get a ladder to get to the top for the finishing touch and I got up and starting swaying and BAMMMMM~~~~ ladder falls onto the Grand piano. Oops. I am okay but just realized that this is not safe. I felt like I was on top of the Eifel tower. It was weird. The brain just can't judge how high you really are and needless to say....the decorating is not done. Will wait on Hunter to finish it.
On a funny note....over the summer we went to Mackinac Island where there are no cars...it is either horse and buggy or bike only. I had a before dinner drink and then hopped on my bike........Another bad idea. So just a word to the wise.................STAY OFF OF LADDERS and RIDE YOUR BIKE SOBER!
Have a good day everyone.
Angie
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Are you sure it was diminished balance, or perhaps diving --edit: make that DIVINE-- retribution for putting up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving?
I'm glad you are OK. Is your piano OK too?
Sara
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Yeah...tree goes up early every year as we leave for the beach on Monday for Thanksgiving and won't return for another week and we like to walk in to a house decorated and ready to go so that we can sit back and relax when the holiday season gets so hectic. Piano key is chipped but don't think husband will ever notice and I'm not telling! I'm fine but learned a quick lesson and it wasn't a piano lesson either! Yikes. It is frustrating to be off balance like this...guess all those years of ballet were wasted!
Angie
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Just in case you want to reach a high shelf or "cut in" some paint at the ceiling edge of a wall: there are ladders with Upside-down U-shaped balancers . I use them all the time. ( Much more carefully now that the second side is going.) I've never seen one, though, that would get you to the top of that 13' tree!
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Okay, now I am totally stressed out - I haven't even bought a turkey yet and you already have a Christmas tree up!!!! ;D
Debbi, looking for a turkey...
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Debbi,
You are so funny. Don't feel bad. I just don't have a life and have nothing else better to do other than spend my whole day trying to balance on a dang ladder. (lol!) Pretty comical.
Angie
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Angie - step AWAY from the ladder!! ;) Well, at least I got inspired yesterday after reading your post to order the darned turkey! Did I mention that we always host Thanskgiving for the Italian in laws? Oy vey indeed! I'll do the holiday decorating after Thanksgiving - can't wait! I will, however, take a tip from Angie and stay the heck off ladders!!!
Debbi, fa la la la la la
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We are planning Christmas dinner this weekend also. I've got ALL of the Italian in-laws coming, and gosh do I have to prepare a lot of food ;) The tree and house decorating will take place next weekend. I always do it the 1st weekend of Advent.
Angie I need my Christmas lights hung on the side of the house, are you available with your ladder? My husband is afraid of heights!
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Angie,
Glad you didn't get hurt decorating your tree. I fell off a ladder about a year and a half ago when I was painting the kitchen and could hardly walk for a week -- sitting down wasn't much fun either since I hurt my lower back. I have a feeling standing on ladders may be a thing of the past for me
I didn't put any decorations up this year for Thanksgiving and I usually do. I've been trying to decide if I dare stand on a ladder to decorate the outside of the house for Christmas -- this has always been my job. Luckily I am tall so are my daughters -- we can decorate most of the tree (only 7 feet tall) without any help from a ladder. I guess I'll let someone else put the angel on top this year.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and happy decorating too,
Wendy
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I fell off my kitchen counter before i knew i had AN.I had achair pulled up to the counter to get in top cabinet,went to step down on to the chair& totally missed it landing on my tush.Threw my back out i was down for a week...lesson learned.I also side swiped 2 vehicles you would think i would have a clue that some thing was drastcally wrong....six months later my ear started ringing....begining of the end of a long road.
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Wendy, you STEP AWAY from the ladder, too! That's an order!!! ;)
Debbi
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My rule of thumb is to never buy a tree that is taller than I can reach the top of without a ladder. My issue this year is completely different. I have two new ktitens that are about 5 months old now. So far I've kept them indoors so just wait until they see a real tree in the house. It will be like having toddlers around again having to place the nicer ornaments on the top half. As long as they don't attempt to climb it, we'll be ok. All I can is it's going to interesting.
Sandra
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I am still paying for a near fall off a ladder two Christmas' ago.....yup putting up those darn lights, threw out my back and and still keeps acting up.......does it stop me from getting up the ladder again this year to put up those lights???? NOPE! (single Mom, kids gotta have lights for Christmas) lol
Kathleen
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Hi all!
Well I did it! I put up the outside Christmas decorations on Thursday since it was probably one of the most beautiful days we've had recently -- it was in the 50s and really comfortable for this kind of work.. I only put lights around the windows and doors on the first floor and around the top of the fence, but it was a real accomplishment. I only had to use a step ladder so I was only two feet off the ground at most (I thank my lucky stars I am tall -- 5'8") and didn't need to go any higher -- that was enough of a challenge. I found just looking at what I was doing and not looking down was a big help, but I wasn't willing to brave decorating the second story thisi year, but it still looks pretty good and really helped put me into the Christmas spirit! Our tree is only 7 or 7 1/2 feet so I am now sure this will not be a problem!! ;D ;D ;D
Wendy
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Congratulations, Wendy, great milestone. You're proof that it can be done - and you're way ahead of me in the decorating department.
No lights and no tree here, yet. Last year I never did get around to buying a tree, but I've promised the kids one this year so I guess I'd better deliver.
I was on a ladder about 7 months post op to clean out the gutters on my garage. Not a bad thing in my case, I did better than I thought as far as balance and dizziness.
But since I pay someone to clean the gutters on my house (two story) I've decided why risk a fall so now I just have him do the garage in addition to the house. Makes life a lot easier and doesn't make me worry about my head ;D
Jan