Getting Up Again by Jon Mcvey

I fall frequently, usually the fall isn’t the biggest problem for me, it’s getting up.  I get around well enough using walking sticks, if a bit slow. but I don’t seem to have muscles in the right places to be of any use in getting me off the ground. This is where a clever inflating device called a Mangar Camel comes to my assistance.

Until I got my Mangar Camel, if I fell outside the only option I had was to call an ambulance.  I have had to do this when I fell on the drive and was stuck and unable to get off the ground but it seemed that there should be a better solution. I am about 6’4” and none too scrawny, my wife is a lot smaller and although she is remarkably strong, lifting me is really not a feasible option. 

Fortunately with the help of an occupational therapist I was able to get a Mangar Camel, although the process wasn’t straightforward as it was outside their normal purchasing practice. The Camel is basically a series of inflatable bags and a battery operated pump. It is laid out on the ground so that I can slide onto it.

The pump inflates the bags one at a time until I am raised into a sitting position.  This can be inflated quite high which is an advantage as I’m tall.  There is a smaller version called an Elk carried in Ambulances which does the same job, but the Camel has the advantage that it is a bit bigger and has a back support so I’m a bit steadier especially when there is one operator.  Also being wider it is easier to  push up from or transfer safely to my wheelchair.   It is small and portable enough that it can be used anywhere in our house or drive and we can put it in the car when we go away.

Falling is literally a bit of a pain in the backside, but the important thing is to get up again. The Mangar Camel at least gives me confidence that I will be able to do this reasonably quickly and easily.