MS - need information

[Guest guest]

The following is a message I just received from my brother. Do any of

you have any information, on nutrition or technology, that I could

send. TIA,

C.

" Dear everyone,

I got home from Church today. I found my wife in bed crying. She had

fallen twice sunday morning and hurt herself again while I was in

church. She falls a lot lately. Today, she fell down in the bathroom

trying to get to the toilet because of the spasms in her legs which

make them very weak. As she stood up to move to walk even a few feet

from the door to the commode her legs gave out and down she went. She

crashed into the toilet and fell between the wall and the commode,

banged her head and knees. Because she was so weak she could not lift

herself up to get back in her wheel chair. The stress of the fall made

her lose control of her body functions, and she had to sit there on

the floor in it her own waste. After some rest, she dragged her self

along the floor of the bathroom to the hallway and managed somehow to

get into her chair after resting for a long time. From her chair, she

moved to the bedroom and fell again on her knees and somehow cut her

knee bleeding on the bedroom floor. She tried to call the Church and

could`nt get a hold of anyone to contact me. She was going to call 911

but decided not too. After a while she manged to get in the bed and

stayed there. When I got home I cleaned up the mess and scrubbed the

floors and gave her a bath, which made her feel better. What just

amazed me was trying to get her out of the tub, it was a major task

even with my help. It was just astounding. I could not get her out of

the bathtub. We finally made it after about 15-20 minutes. This is not

the first time and probably won`t be the last.

The MS has gotten much worse in the last two months, she is at the

point that she is going to have to be housebound with some help all

the time. Her medication no longer controls the disease. has to

now have someone with her or in the area. she can`t be left alone for

very long periods. She needs help getting to the toilet sometimes,

most of the time she can do it. The early mornings are the worst and

days like today when her body is spasming more then usual. The

spasming is a new symtom in the last six months but has proven itself

a major problem that appears is going to stay with her. These spasms

are the reason for the surgery she is going to have next month. I am

going to ask her doctor if we can get some type of visiting nurse in

the morning to get her dressed and organized all depending on the

insurance.

I have asked the men from Church again to help me with the last door

which is the one going to the bathroom. Its a big project.I am going

to try and contact the MS foundation and see if we can get some

assistance for a lift to move her around one that can be possibly

mounted on the bathroom ceiling to lift her from the chair to the

bathtub. They may have some suggestions for help.

After that I have to begin looking into a handicap bathroom for her

especially the tub area. I know I am asking a lot. but would you

consider looking into this for me. You are so good at details and I

just don`t have that much time. If you would start to collect some

information on handicap technology for wheel chair bound people I

would appreciate it. Start looking on the internet, drive around and

look at bathroom places and see what they in designs for handicap

bathroom and prices. I know there are a lot of companies that have

different types of lifts for the handicapped. I need detailed data and

information. What is the latest and best answers for making her life a

little easier. I do know the bathroom has to be completely redone.

She needs to have wheel chair access to get in to the area, possibly

just drive up in her chair and with the lift move into the shower. I

can enlarge the room if I need too by removing the closet in s

bedroom or a wall or what ever it takes.

Thanks in advance and let me know if you can or not so that I can look

for other answers.