The downside of crutches
Besides the fact that crutches help you walk when you are injured, it’s all downhill from there.
I returned to work at my internship last week, and up until then I had been in bed with my mom getting me anything I needed. Not that I wasn’t aware of how much my mom was doing for me, but the transition made me realize just how dependent I was on others, and how annoying crutches really are.
One thing I have learned from this whole experience so far is: THE WORLD IS NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE. Sadly, I did not come to this realization until I myself became handicapped…funny the way it is. It’s bad enough that I can’t just walk or run or dance or drive whenever I damn please due to my injury, crutches also take away the use of my HANDS.
Here are some obstacles I faced in my first week back at work:
Hydration issues. At home that would be a quick fix : “MOMMM!” At work, especially as an intern, I felt awkward asking the people above me to get me water. In case you weren’t sure: carrying a glass of water on crutches is not feasible. So, I just suffered through it. The next day I came prepared with a water bottle, and a backpack, so that I could refill the water bottle and transport it via the backpack back to my desk. Maybe I should just swallow my pride and ask someone considering it takes a lot longer for me to get it for myself, but until then, this is my solution.
Going to the bathroom. Of course this comes next because of all the water I’m drinking. It’s an event in itself when I’m at home; at work it is a feat they should add to the Special Olympics. Let me ask you engineers and architects out there, why even put a handicap stall in if you’re not going to have a handicap accessible door to the bathroom? Pushing the door is tough enough, but on the way out you have to pull! I wont go into details of the stall, you can imagine the fiasco that ensues there. Props to this guy, I never thought about bathroom troubles of a handicap man.
Heavy Doors. Public buildings tend to have heavy doors that close behind you. The office I work in is no different. If there is no one to open these doors and hold them open for you, you have to push the door open hard enough to give yourself a mere 2 second gap to fly through the open space on your crutches before the door slams back in your face. In case you weren’t sure: quick manuevers and crutches don’t really go together. I wont even get into the fact that there is a handicap entrance to my building, but the button to the “automatic door” doesn’t work.
Carrying anything. You really can’t unless whatever you’re holding can fit in your hand while at the same time holding your crutches. I generally eat lunch with the other intern, who generously microwaves my lunch, brings it to the table, and does my dishes afterwards. Some of you might be thinking “Wow, that must be nice”. Though I greatly appreciate what she does for me, it’s embarassing being taken care of. I imagine this is the feeling you get when your body starts to fail you in old age (not looking forward to it).
One time the other intern couldn’t eat lunch at the same time as me, so I decided to face the kitchen alone. Thankfully another employee was there making lunch but I told her I wanted to try to do it by myself. After 5 minutes of struggling to get a bowl and put my left overs in it, I started to slide the bowl slowly down the counter towards the microwave. It went something like: push, walk a step forward, push, until the other worker couldn’t stand the pathetic sight anymore and put the dish in the microwave for me. She looked at me and said sympathetically: “I didn’t even think about being able to carry things”. This problem has also hindered my ability to help as an intern with simple tasks like mailings and photocopies (e.g. “Emily can you mail this for…never mind”).
Crutches are exhausting, and they hurt under your arms, but I bought crutch buddies, which have seemed to help. I didn’t realize how much strength it was taking me everyday until my first day off I slept 14 hours. I’d rather be up and about on crutches than nothing at all, but Joan doesn’t like to move around…because she’s a bitch.
How about you? Have you been on crutches? Any funny stories to share? I found it helped to know I’m not alone.
Hi Emily (and Joan) -
I don’t think I ever named my knee, even though it’s been surgically repaired twice. The first time I was on crutches was when I broke my ankle playing pickup football in my freshman year at the University of Arizona. It was horrible getting across campus to the cafeteria but I built up my arms…..
The first time with the knee (my left) resulted in some interesting driving experiences — getting out of a car with crutches is fun!! I tore my ACL playing hoops and I remember trying to stand on it and nearly passing out and throwing up at the same time.
The second knee surgery came as a result of a freak accident while playing first base for The Post’s softball team. Some guy tried to slide, crash into me and my knee bent the wrong way. But, it wasn’t as serious as the first (I was told) and I waited about a month before going in for arthroscopic surgery to fix the MCL. The doc said I would be able to walk in a few days, which was good since we were going to Disney World at the end of the week.
The doc came out while I was still out and told my wife that there was more damage than he expected but that he got to try out a new microfracture surgery! Bad news: I had to be on crutches for a month. So, yes, crutches at Disney. Steve was not happy.
So, we were able to get a wheelchair at the Orlando airport. And, we took it on the automated walkway. And with my kids behind me, the wheelchair pitched me forward at the end of the walkway and I used my just recently surgeried knee to brace my fall. I think the screams were heard in Miami.
The upside? The kids got free rides on the wheelchair and we got to the front of the line at all the rides…
Take it slow,
The Dark Lord
It’s not a funny comment, but here are a few solutions I have found helped me: Getting in heavy doors:
Opening in…Step 1: push against door with shoulder
Step 2: block door with crutch to keep it from closing
Repeat step 1 and 2 until there is room to go through
Hold the door open with the crutch closest to the door and rotate around it until you have cleared the door.
Opening out: pull the door until you can get a crutch in to block the door. Then get your shoulder in and start pushing. Follow step one and two until you can get in.
Carrying food, etc. Get plastic containers with covers. Put food in, cover, put in plastic bag, and carry to microwave.
Getting up multiple flights of stairs (too many to hop). No dignity, but at least you get to the top:
Use the knee of the hurt leg on one step, and the foot and leg of with the good foot to push you up to the next step (does that make sense? It’s hard to describe, but it works.)
Exercising: Light barbells for upper body work.
Mild crunches
Leg lifts with the good foot, with ankle weights
hope some of them help
Thanks for the advice. I’ve gotten better with doors, and I can do pretty well on stairs. Great idea for the food dilemma
Completely understand. I am a perma-crutch user. I blogged about this recently, myself! http://ruminarispoonie.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/its-a-normie-world-pt-1-of-many/
Hiya ive been on crutches for nearly 4years now… i used to wish to be on crutches when i was younger, i used to think they were fun. that was until i injured my ankle and have wished to get off crutches since… its true what they say about ‘be careful what you wish for because you just might get it’ certainly in my case anyway apart from not off them yet! i have mastered opening doors now and have my own way of doing things…i guess i could say i have adapted to it! I find it so weird because now having this (being on crutches) its taught me to appreciate everything soo much more and a lot of the things most people take for granted like opening doors, walking, doing p.e, carrying a drink, being able to hold someones hand while walking or pushing a trolley or buggy…there are soo many things that people take for granted that some people (like me) just cant do! Although im moaning that i cant do certain stuff, people asume that because i cant do 1 thing, i cant do another when actually i might be able to!