WARNING!!!! My 5th wheel theater seating almost killed me

[TenOC]

WARNING!!!! My 5th wheel theater seating almost killed me last week. I am 86 years old and live alone. Last week I was doing some final check about winterizing the 5th wheel. I noticed the electricity to the theater seating was not working. I assumed that it was because the chair was unplugged from the wall. I first raised the foot rest to see if I could reach the wall plug by reaching under the chair. I could not reach the plug. So, I thought I would reach over the back and down by the wall. As I strained to reach wall plug the chair fully reclined trapping my arm between the back of the chair and the wall. My full weight was on my arm and I was unable to remove my arm. I was unable to reach my phone to call for help and realizing that it was up to me to free myself. Soon the blood flow was cut off to my arm and it began to go numb. I struggle and struggle to pull my arm out. After about 15 or 20 minutes I was successful. A week later the arm is still sore.

[twindman]

WOW. But glad you are still going at 86. I am just hoping to make 80 or 81 (3 -4 years)!!!

[Ahdmeyer]

glad you are ok, not trying to be funny but maybe you should have something like that "lifeline alert". https://www.seniorliving.org/medical...ps-lifeline/to many things can happen while living alone, fall down or possibly a medical emergency. never thought you would get trapped by a chair. goes to show anything can happen and at any age., again glad you are ok,

[Carl n Susan]

I second the lifeline alert device idea. Something that is always with you to alert others if something should happen unexpectedly. I have a good friend who lived alone. Very active playing golf three times a week plus still working. He had a stroke at home. It was three days before the folks at work had a welfare check done. He was still alive and made it to the hospital.

[DutchmenSport]

Wow! Glad you are OK and you were able to get free of your entrapment!

I've never had a problem with my chairs, but it's defiantly something I'll be more cautious of going forward. Thanks for the post!

I drilled holes through my floor and bolted them from under the floor so they'll never move. There's no distance at all between the back of the head rest area and the wall when they are reclined. I positioned it them that close. If they ever were to collapse on me, yea .... the arm would be in a trap. I never would have thought of this. Thanks for the warning!

[newowneroldmontana]

Thank you for the warning. I'm only 54 but live alone, and often find myself thinking, "That wouldn't really be safe for me to do"--but then I go ahead and do it anyway. This is a good reminder for me that stuff happens--so I shouldn't go looking for trouble if I can already see it coming.

I'm glad you were able to free yourself. Must have been pretty scary there for a while.

[dadnjesse]

86 God bless you. I'm glad your'e ok

[432bartman]

Glad you're ok. I had one of the foldable chairs suddenly collapse out from under me. One of the cheap pins that allows it to articulate came out, due to no fault of my own.

[firestation12]

Our recliners (2019 3700FL) are not fastened to the floor. Were yours??? Easy enough to pull sofa away from the wall.