Worried about walking

At the moment I am still fairly mobile I can walk very short distances like from my house to my car or from my car to where ever I am going. I can even struggle upstairs using the handrails with my other hand on the wall. I have joined my local housing association and am just waiting for a suitable property to become available before I can place a bid.

I feel that I am starting to struggle even walking these short distances or even to stand up I am just asking any permenant wheelchair users did it happen gradually and you just found out one day that you could no longer stand, how did it happen?

Also if it did just happen one day, how did you cope and what did you have to do?

Hi Jon, I’m not using wheelchair yet, but like you I don’t think it will be long now. My walking has got same as yours… only around my flat and very short distances. Luckily I live in sheltered so lots of handrails and stuff.

I think for most people it happens slowly… for some it is very sudden but I think most with MS find it sort of creeps up on us.

I’ve been almost unaware of it, but I remember when I moved in here… two and half years ago… I could still walk to local shops. Impossible now. I use mobility scooter but for some places it’s not convenient and too big to go in cars (scooter that is, not me!)

So like you it’s just a matter of a short time before I get a wheelchair.

BUT I did use one when I went to an art gallery a few months back and it was fine Jon. I could move it around very easily and felt perfectly ok after the first 15 minutes or so… once I realised that everyone wasn’t looking at me!

Good luck with the housing Jon. Makes a HUGE difference living somewhere where it’s easy to move around, no stairs and having handrails etc… AND level access shower!

Pat x

Hi Jon, I know…it is a very scary thought if we think our mobility is threatend.

I have been through that part of this journey.

No, it didn`t happen overnight. But within a year of starting with walking difficulties, I was using a wheelie part time.

But my main problem was falling. I took many a really nasty nosedives, due to foot drop.

Then there was the intense fatigue to consider.

I went from using a stick, to a walker, to a rollator, then a powerchair in and outdoors.

Been doing that for 8 years now. There are pros and cons.

I`ll list a few pros

No more awful falls

More time to enjoy shopping/outings, as you don`t need to rush home.

Life becomes more enjoyable.

The cons are there too. But I don`t want to be a misery telling you them.

Not unles you want to pm me, eh?

luv Pollx

Hiya

Currently following the same path as you. I started to struggle badly with my walking in 2006 and I am still not a full time ‘Wheeler’. So for me it’s a very slow deterioration - years but I know some people with MS still walk about with a walking stick in the 70s! So it’s different for everybody. I’ve been doing physio excercises for 6 months and my legs are more stronger for standing. Muscles need excercise and I am carrying on with this regime with my stff right arm which was failing me over the year. It is getting stronger again with excercise and physio - seeing her on tuesday for the latest.

I agree with Polly that fatigue is a BIG issue to adapt to and also balance for me personally but going to start work on that later in the year.

Good luck to you.

Marty