Close Calls

My spasticity has started to cause falling problems, something I haven't had to deal with since the first weeks after my stroke.  I haven't fallen yet, but I've had a few close calls, all of them related to work.  The first was about a month ago.  I'm a member of Kentucky's Supported Living Council, which meets quarterly in Frankfort.  The meetings start at 10:00 am, so I'm almost always on time, but it is a two-hour drive, and 10:00 Frankfort time is 9:00 Central, which is my time.  So, since I stopped halfway to use the bathroom and get fresh coffee, there were several council members already there when I arrived. 

It's a long walk from the visitor's parking lot of the enormous state government building to the room where the council meets.  It was a cool and drizzly morning, and the long walk did nothing to loosen up the spasticity.  I entered the room, which is a remote meeting site for state government, so is crammed with tables, chairs, computers, cameras, TV screens, council members and visitors.  Not a comfortable environment for a stroke survivor. 

The members that were there were gathered on one side of the three tables that had been arranged in an L shape, so I went to the other side where no one was sitting.  I put my shoulder bag down on the table,  carefully positioned myself in front of my chair, and slowly sat down.  The chairs that the council members use are small, lightweight, and have wheels so they can be moved easily on the commercial carpet on the foor of the room.  I calculate I've sat down in these chairs more than a hundred times in the twelve years I've been a council member, but not very many times since having a stroke.

I didn't realize it until it was almost too late, but I wasn't positioned precisely between the arms of the chair, and my left butt cheek, which has no feeling, was against the left armrest and had pushed the chair backward.  When I was halfway in a sitting position I reached behind me for the right armrest with my right hand, as I had been taught to do in rehab, to steady myself.  But there was nothing there to grasp.  I tried to stand up, but my spastic left leg wouldn't cooperate and stayed extended, throwing me off balance and pushing me backward.  I made a desperate grab for the armrest with my right hand, managed to grab it, and jerked the chair under me as I sat down heavily. 

After I recovered my composure, I looked around the room and saw a few startled looks, but no one commented.  It could have been bad.  I was going down hard, with no control.  After it was over, I thought about any accommodations they could make for me, but none came to mind.  The chairs are small and easily moved, but heavier, more immobile chairs would present a different set of problems.  So I've resolved to be even more careful than I have been since the stroke, because it looks like the spasticity is here to stay.  As I've done with so many other issues, I'll need to compensate instead of recover.