Sunday, December 4, 2011

THE CHAIR

SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE. After several x-rays and range of motion tests, it was determined that my shoulders had developed tendinitis. I know what caused it and I'd rather not talk about my weight this morning, thank you very much, but rising from a sitting position was wearing out my arms. When the offspring were all here it was decided that a recliner that also unseats one, would be in order. The trade has come up with the schmancy-fancy name of Luxury-Lift chairs. 

There's a part of me that abhors our living quarters beginning to look like an infirmary and that's exactly what's happening. Prescription bottles here, blood pressure cuff there, oximeter hiding somewhere, the new forehead thermometer at the ready (Mr. Bob took his temperature the other evening. I was more alarmed than he at the reading of 94.4.
It turned out that he'd not removed the cover from the sensor plate........another typical Humphrey blunder......but worthy of dropping into a web log entry.)

The idea of adding an orthopedic chair to our living room decor didn't particularly appeal to me, but the majority won and Susan, Chris and Bob drove to a La-Z-Boy showroom. Tim was working that day, but I would have valued his opinion. From there, they sent me pictures of possibilities and I yayed or nayed them. What was delivered in a few days wasn't at all what I was anticipating and it took me some time to figure out how to work it, much to the hilarity of Owen who watched from his home up north.

Of course, with an audience, I played it for all it's worth.



 With a little practice I did learn to sit in it correctly although I'm suffering with the learning curve  of finding out what makes it go up as opposed to going down, trying to reason with I want to get UP which can be interpreted as I want the chair to go DOWN because I want to get UP. Haven't mastered it yet and I should be ashamed to admit that to you, but at this stage of life there should be no secrets, don't you agree?




I'm getting better at it and my true confession is that I'll have to admit that it's pretty darned comfortable even if it looks like "old folks at home". That's what we are, after all.

"The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven't changed in seventy or eighty years.  Your body changes, but you don't change at all.  And that, of course, causes great confusion."         ~Doris Lessing



10 comments:

  1. I am getin' there too Babe ! I just gave Ted the last one I will be able to give. I can't see well enough. I have cut his hair and beard for 27 years ! My purchase of a $35.00 scissors back then was worth it. It has never had to be sharpened.
    So,,,,, enjoy that chair. It looks great !
    A Non Y Mouse

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  2. More young people need to see your your blog, if only to convince them that being old isn't as charming and sweet as it's cracked up to be.

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  3. I'm with you on the confusion to made with those control panels ! We have one of those chairs in the family and I can never sort up from down and often send poor Gran the wrong way ! She, poor love, has never attempted to propel herself up or down in the thing ! It sure is comfy though. I do hope your shoulders improve now !

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  4. Well Jane....as with most things, there is a learning curve. I am delighted that most of these shots were in the down angle. Now you know how the world looks from that angle and can shoot for heading up in your training on the chair. I have seen a number of these chairs in seniors homes and all have loved them. Fun time share and i agree with Ted...we all need to know the path we will all travel!

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  5. No, you will probably never truly understand The Logic of the Lift Chair
    and that is nothing to be ashamed of.

    I’ve had a lovely maroon one for years (the color range of them
    is fairly limited) and I still push the wrong levers fairly
    frequently. This can be further complicated by the fact that I sometimes have
    a dog or two on my lap which makes the chair’s burden
    even heavier. My chair has both a heating element and a vibrating
    element (no, sadly, not an actual Vibrator) so I often mistakenly
    activate one or both while I am trying to get the darn
    chair to lift me up and spit me out. Fortunately, my husband
    thinks it’s funny (or at least pretends to). There are plusses
    (and minuses, sp?) to being married to a man 20 years younger!

    Love the Doris Lessing quote.

    Best regards, Nancy

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  6. People rave about those chairs. It's pretty nice looking, I think! Very sweet...

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  7. MJ had one of those. It was a big help to her. (Come to think of it, she wore one out.) She took seriously my caution to not let the controller fall to the floor where she wouldn't be able to reach it When In The Reclined Position. You may enjoy playing with it. Imagine you're on a long flight in a very expensive airplane.
    John in Illinois

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  8. I stayed at my mom's for months when I shattered my shoulder and used my dad's recliner. (I think the recliners look just like regular recliners, different fabrics, etc.) I slept at night for three months in that chair, and spent 3-4 months of days in the chair. Even with the "eject" button on the chair, in the beginning I needed help and screamed with pain. Don't knock a good thing! Jeanine

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  9. love the chuckles you provide me with...
    also....how true the Doris Lessing quote is....I plan and operate on the age of 40ish....and am always astounded that I can't get it all done and/or am pooped out quickly....At one year away from 80 I have yet to learn to schedule down instead of up....just goes to prove that old dogs do not learn new tricks...rusti

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