Falls and Freezing

December 2017

Over the last few years I have had many minor accidents and many near misses, due to brain problems.

I know that I am not alone with this problem because many others with neurological llnesses have the same, or very similar  problems

However I do wonder how much is known about these problems, by the professionals like physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

While they are true professionals,  I guess their knowledge may be limited when it comes to certain neurological illnesses.

After seeing people at the movement clinic, it annoyed me because they always say the same things without thinking about it. While some people are helpful, I do wonder about others.

I sometimes go light headed when standing up after being sat down for a while. Their answer as usual, is to take it slowly, stand up slowly and then gradually turn or move off.

But if you wake up from a snooze and need to go to the bathroom, the last thing in your mind is to rise slowly. It's the same when someone comes to the door or the phone rings, you just want to get there without thinking about anything else.

My memory simply does not cope with remembering to do things slowly, because I either don't remember to do it, or I am in a hurry.

I guess it's the same thing when I am writing on my computer, because my brain is trying to go much faster than my fingers, so I miss words out of a sentence,  without even noticing until I check it much later

One problem I have at home, is that when I am washing up in the kitchen,  I some times turn to walk away, which is quite normal, if that is your brain is normal.

But in my case I have this problem where my body moves, but my feet stay firmly fixed to the spot, "Freezing"  so it's a case of grabbing something or facing the floor or anything else which gets in the way.

When I was working I heard about an alcoholic drink which used to give people the idea, that they were sober until they tried to move. Needless to say their bodies moved,  but their feet stayed firmly welded to the floor.

I had no idea what this drink was, and had no intention of trying it, because I can get the same effect without having a drink these days.

I gather this "Freezing" thing is part of Parkinson's disease, which may be the case, but it's embarrassing when it happens as well as distressing

While I can understand that these physotherapists and other experts are trying to be helpful, I do wonder if they really understand what we are going through.

Trying to live a normal life, doing things around the house etc, is my way of being helpful while remaining active. 

However there comes a time when I just don't want to do anything because of musjudging things.

Even washing up can be a nightmare at times, because I often misjudged distances between the basin taps and the items in my hands, so things get damaged or broken.

It's not even a ploy to get out of washing up, because I like to keep active in any way I can, but there  are days when I will not wash a drinking glass up just in case I break it, and I have done this on many occasions

I tried to explain recently that I some times misjudged things like the  curb at the edge of footpaths. But this is all coupled to the fact that I cannot judge things like speeds or distances anymore, and this can lead to me being dragged back by my wife who is more switched on. 

Furniture in our house has been set out so that I can grab something if I am going to fall, or if I get up too fast, but the brain does not always recognise these things at times.

I also have a habit of missing a door opening at times and bump into the door frame or the door, ending up being bruised. Here again I find this to be a nightmare,  if I need to get up during the night.

I know where I am going, but I think my brain sends me in a straight line, but forgets about the obstructions which are in the way.

It's embarrassing enough when it happens at home, but when I am else where  it feels much worse because people tend him think I am either on something or I am drunk.

I can understand how the police etc, misunderstand our actions, and think we may have been drinking,  but it does not really help us.