Late Tuesday afternoon I was working with a high school senior that we have hired to help us with out 15+ flower beds. He was unloading mulch from our BMW X5 and I was walking from the garage toward him where he was parked in the driveway unloading. My feet lost purchase in mulch that had eased onto the driveway and I fell full frontal forward, scraping a raised sprinkler head on the way down. I ended up with a large scrape across my chest, where my catheter hangs and my stomach access lies, and a huge bruise on my forearm where I landed with all my weight on it. See the lead photo of my arm.
I have been feeling better and better since my last prescription change, and am not prone to falling per se. While this MAY BE an outlier, it is still worth considering what research into the following question offers: “Are patients on PD more prone to falling?” This is what Poe had to say about this topic:
The impact of PD on the risk of falling depends on several factors, including the patient’s overall health, age, comorbidities, and any existing mobility issues.
While there is no direct causal relationship between PD and an increased risk of falling, certain factors associated with PD may contribute to a higher risk. For example:
Fluid and electrolyte imbalances: PD can affect fluid and electrolyte levels in the body, potentially leading to dizziness, weakness, or changes in blood pressure that may increase the risk of falling.
Muscle weakness: If a person on PD experiences muscle wasting or weakness, their balance and coordination could be compromised, potentially increasing the risk of falling.
Underlying health conditions: Many individuals who require PD have underlying health conditions that can impact their mobility and balance, such as diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, or musculoskeletal disorders. These conditions can increase the risk of falling.
Of the possibilities above, I am to a degree suffering from muscle weakness due to dialysis, and also have been diagnosed as having peripheral neuropathy as a result of being a diabetic. I am receiving VA Disability for the latter in both legs. So I suggest readers on PD take this as a warning and lesson learned; out of the blue, so to speak, you may fall through no fault of your own. How to preclude the occurrence is beyond my skill set.
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