Thinking back to when I was a kid, I spent a lot of time on the ground. I don’t think there were many days when we weren’t rolling around on the floor. Wrestling around, playing with toys. Not to mention just being a regular ol’ uncoordinated child. Never a second thought if I fell down.
Even as I got older it was no big deal. Of course , by then , most falls would be a result of some activity. No matter the reason, I can’t recall any fall that was serious and I surely never had any concern about it. Ahh… the indestructability of youth.
As an adult, falls became a rare occurrence. They almost become a novelty! Usually resulting in little more than a sore behind and/ or a bruised ego, thoughts of America’s Funniest Home Videos spring into my mind. As a mail man, believe me, I had my fair share of encounters with the earth.
Enter ALS. There is nothing sacred to the beast. Falls become a huge concern all of a sudden. There are a couple of things that ALS does to create a volatile situation. It can create muscle weakness in your legs or in my case , spasticity. Spasticity causes stiffness in your muscles. It really affects my balance. The most minor things can send me down. Once gravity has its grip my muscles spasm and “Timber !!” Couple that with useless arms and it is a recipe for disaster.
I have been very fortunate to have gotten by with minor falls for the most part. It’s a very scary feeling to not have that control. The worst of my falls came a few months ago. I lost my balance and hit the floor square on my face. Cut the bridge of my nose open and a small cut above my eye. No broken bones or head trauma. I guess my big head was good for something !
The bottom line is this; ALS robs and robs. Not only does it steal your physical faculties but it robs your control and your confidence. Relentless.