X-Message-Number: 18439
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 22:31:18 +0000
From: Kennita Watson <>
Subject: Re: James' leg troubles 
References: <>

> From: James Bryan Swayze <>
> > A catalog I get contains "anti embolism stockings"...
> 

> Thanks Kennita for your thoughtfulness an time spent. Unfortunately I haven't 
been

> able to wear these kinds of stockings, at least the type I used to, in many 
years.

> Perhaps I should, and I will, see if they've been improved. However, the 
problem is

> that my blood and also lymph circulatory condition in my lower limbs is so 
poor that

> my skin suffers the least insult way too easily and then takes a long time to 
heal.

> The problem with these kinds of stockings is that they exert a constant 
pressure to

> squeeze the leg. My problem with them is the constant pressure ends up causing
a
> pressure area dicubitis sore wherever there is a prominence.

I don't suppose one of those battery-operated blood pressure 
cuffs would help?  It wouldn't be constant at all, but it 
might help, like massage.
> 
> Well rocking back and forth is not really possible for me... My

> legs are frozen in place and my knees cannot come together or apart, 
absolutely

> solidly frozen in place. You may recall the surgery I had two years ago to 
remove a

> piece of this abnormal bone that had bridged my femur and fibia and tibia 
across my
> right knee making articulation of that knee impossible....

No I don't recall.  I'm amazed that you manage to function at 
all.  I think I'd be incensed to the point of "Saw the gawdamm
joints apart and cap 'em off with Teflon or something!  Whatever!
Do SOMETHING!"  I don't deal well with pain, and am in awe of 
those who deal with it day in and day out.
> ...

> tilting and reclining actions are meant to lift my legs and shift my weight 
from my

> legs and bottom to my back but it still doesn't quite get my legs high enough 
to be
> level with my heart.

Can the knees go straight now (with support)?  Maybe if they were 
straight when you rocked back, the feet would go high enough?  Then 
again, the chair would probably tip over, so that may not be such a 
good idea...

> There also is the social issue of people wondering what may be

> wrong when they see some guy reclined flat out in a wheelchair in public and I
do
> get questioned so I tend not to just do it any old where.

How about a sign on the bottom or sides of the chair that 
reads "I'm fine.  I just need to have my feet up.  Thanks 
for caring."?
> 
> >  And a blanket,
> > especially an electric one, could help keep your blood warm, or
> > help you get over chills in bed.
> 

> I have an idea from yours here. Maybe electric socks. Hmmm, but I can't feel 
so if
> there's any chance of them getting too hot I could have worse problems.

I bet the descriptions in the catalogs will tell you.  Your doctor 
may also have an idea.  I've seen hot/cold packs at the drugstore 
that you can heat in the microwave; they cool after a while, but 
you can test them with your hand and they may last long enough 
that you can get to sleep.
> 
> ... As you can see I have many issues to consider.

No fooling!  

> I wish it all were simpler. Thanks
> again though for trying and I will look anyway and see 
> if changes have been made to the available stockings.

I wonder what would happen if you put on a silky stocking (to 
protect your skin), wound one of those extra-long, extra-skinny 
balloons that people make balloon animals out of around your 
leg once or twice, put another stocking over that (so you had a 
balloon sandwich), then blew up the balloon (with a bicycle 
pump?).  In theory the balloon might expand and compress your 
leg by an amount proportional to how much air you put in it.
I suppose a bicycle inner tube might work, too -- you could
wind it around more times (in a spiral), but it sounds rougher 
on your skin and you'd have to be careful not to wind it too
tight or blow it up too much so you didn't completely cut off
circulation to the leg.

I can't help thinking of this stuff; I hope it gives you ideas 
that might help.

Cherry Garcia is also good in a pinch :-) .

> While I'm thanking, Kennita, thanks again also for your
> contribution to my fund.

You're quite welcome!  Good luck with the botox!
-- 
May you live long and prosper,
Kennita
--
Kennita Watson          | Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
     |   None but ourselves can free our minds.
http://www.kennita.com  |           -- Bob Marley, "Redemption Song"

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