Hoists and other equipment

I've been quiet lately because I fractured my knee and ended up in hospital for a longish stay while they sorted out care for me to be safe at home.

This means I ve been using equipment that I ve never had to use to before- like a hoist, urinals, hospital bed and banana board with slipsheets.

I had an Oxford Midi with the sling. It took me sometime to get used to being hoisted but once I got used to the support workers hoisting me, I found it helpful. The hospital OT came out to show me how it should be used and what straps should be used.

As a result of needing to be hoisted, they also insisted I had a hospital bed. With a pressure relief mattress so that I wont get pressure sores. I'm sure they meant well but I ve never had pressure sores ever before and this mattress was such that I could not grip to move positions in bed.I asked for bed barriers and/or a monkey bar to help me move. They did but not before I started having muscle spasms due to sleeping in one position for a couple of weeks!

I was so happy when they finally took the mattress away, some people swore by them but I think it depends on the individual. I am able to move my limbs in bed and that mattress actually hampered me from relieving my muscles. My masseur says she thinks I have sciatica now and my GP says just to take pain killers. So just a bit of warning.

This is how the bed is set up now.