Senior Moment 324323 – The Shower

For most of my adult life (since I was 18 and we moved to this forsaken town and our first home shower) I have balanced myself while in the shower on one leg while lifting the other leg up and resting my toes on the bathtub edge to wash my leg and other parts – if you get my drift.

I always did the left side first then the right side.

I almost always had a ‘soft’ shower curtain on one side and sometimes I had a soft curtain that surrounded me. Once a long time ago, a friend’s shower had a glass sliding door for a shower door and I leaned on it while moving my foot/leg up.

The glass door was not fastened and it fell. Luckily nothing broke.

From them on I was always careful NOT to lean on things to get my foot/leg up.

Then I got thirty-day contact lenses – I loved them BUT - if I opened my eyes during a shower the contact would come out and be impossible to find.

I got very good at taking a shower with my eyes closed. I also got very good at balancing on one leg while I ‘found’ the top edge opposite the drain of the tub with the toes of the other leg. Sometimes I would be too close or too far away and would have to adjust my other foot and try again.

I have lived here for the last five years. I have a large claw foot tub – right next to the wall. I installed plumbing for a shower head and a metal frame for the show curtains to hang from. I am surrounded by shower curtains.

Even though I do not wear contacts anymore, I still shower with my eyes closed. I still balance myself on one leg/foot to lift my other to the end of the tub to wash ‘those’ parts.

Ever since my heart surgery, my balance is questionable. There is a reason but I forget what they call it.

It can take several tries before I feel steady enough to lift my foot. This morning I lifted my foot, got light headed and started to fall.

I hit the shower curtain and figured I’d need someone to help me fix things. I was hoping I didn’t break any bones when I fell.

I was bracing for the worse when I just stopped. Huh? I was leaning against the wall two inches outside the inside shower curtain.

I practiced leaning against the wall with my shoulder while I lifted my leg. You have no idea the freedom I felt. I practiced several times while laughing at myself.

I may just have to wash ‘those’ parts four or five times a day now.