Tessa,
I can’t imagine raising a baby with this condition. My youngest is in high school, and that is tough enough!
After several falls, I went to a physical therapist. I remember her saying that I need to stay safe, I didn’t want to rehab from a broken bone or badly hurt joint with this condition. Canes didn’t help me. That’s when I got a walker. It has brakes and a seat. I grab it when I stand up from a bed or a chair. I use it outside when I go places but not inside the house, where I know what to grab onto and will fall onto a wood floor or carpeting instead of concrete.
Let me summarize and add suggestions. Excuse me, you don’t say how much money you have, or if you live in a house you can modify versus an apartment. Forgive me if my suggestions are inappropriate.
Make sure you have a non-stick surface in the shower. There are 3 options I know of for the shower.
- Safety bars that are screwed in. The problem is that you need someone to drill holes through the tile.
- Safety bars that are held in place with suction cups. They are less permanent. The downside is that they can come loose anytime.
- Shower seat. I haven’t gone this route yet. It is probably useful to change the showerhead to one with a cord. It’s easy to do.
You probably want a safety bar outside the shower, so you can get out of the tub safely. You also want a safety bar near the toilet to help in getting up. If your bathroom doesn’t allow putting safety bars in the wall, you can get portable safety bars. In fact, I put safety bars throughout the house.
I like the idea of using a stroller. Get a sturdy one. I use a shopping cart at grocery stores, and a stroller would serve the same purpose. Do they come with hand brakes?
My wife gets flare-ups of arthritis, and it hurts to carry anything. My daughter has suggested using a rolling cart to carry food to the table. We are thinking of replacing the porcelain dishes with plastic ones.
You mentioned having trouble with your doctor and want a new one. Go to www.ataxia.org and contact your local support group. Maybe members have suggestions based on whom they use.
Matt