At the end of January, I posted a blog entitled “The Klutz Factor” in which I explored the family tendency to do all things Klutz. I then went on through the rest of the winter “walking” most carefully across ice and snow ever fearful of the big slip and slide crash. The snow and ice gradually melted and disappeared (knock on wood), so what did I do after making it through an entire winter without a fall? I tripped and fell in my own living room. Good grief. I feel compelled at this point to offer a sincere thank you to the Elgin Beaverdam ambulance crew and volunteers as well as to our wonderful Corry Memorial Hospital staff, both of whom were beyond excellent in their care. (It was not quite a case of “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” – but nevertheless – it was more than a little scary. However – it was not so scary that I won’t try to find it funny and to make fun of myself.)
It had been a rather dreary day and I had decided to take advantage of the quiet evening ahead to don my jammies early. I was padding around the house, thinking about supper, when a sudden and unexpected burst of energy appeared out of nowhere and I thought I should put it to good use and clear out the overloaded junk drawer in my living room. This drawer is full of out-of-date appliance manuals, etc. Some of you may be able to identify with that. Anyway --I began to sort and had a few piles going when I turned around and tripped over a footstool or maybe --- my own feet. Now get this – for at least twelve feet I did the “Oh no, don’t fall and break a hip dance”. In spite of all my maneuvering, I ended up on the floor, slamming my left temple against a doorjamb on my way down. (I also broke a fingernail that I had been trying to save for several weeks and am currently sporting an impressive "shiner".)
So anyway … there I was – lying on the floor, baffled but alert, and, as soon as I thought of it, I immediately checked my new knees to make sure they were still in place. I wondered how hard you have to hit your head to lose consciousness. Ouch! I gradually realized that my head was actually dented and that it was beginning to swell at a most alarming rate. All I could picture was Sloth on The Goonies. Remember that movie? Although experiencing a bit of blurry vision, a touch of nausea and a lot of terror, I, of course, had to get dressed in “real” clothes before I called the paramedics. I must confess that I struggled with trying to find an ambulance phone number before I had a “duh” moment and got a grip on the situation. I am a little stunned to realize that it took me a while to remember the whole “911 thing”. I am blaming that on the head injury. Must mention here that my daughter was appalled that I took time to get dressed and all that, but seriously – would you go to the hospital in a thermal shirt, baggy sweat pants and a frumpy bathrobe if you could help it? Remember – I had fallen, but I did manage to get up. In a similar situation -- do women not shave their legs while in labor if there is time between contractions? Seriously. I think I did well to have the presence of thought not to drive myself to the hospital. Give me some credit.
When recounting all of this to my daughter in the Emergency Room, she mentioned that it would have been quite something to have had a camera running at the time of the fall. I think I said that such a video might have been worthy of going viral on YouTube as the “Crazy Dancing Nana”. She then said that I definitely should write about this experience in my blog. (I told you before that my family has a tendency to laugh at each other when we fall.)
I am sure that the irony of this "inside fall" at the end of winter is not lost on you. The lovely person who scanned my brain at CMH commiserated with me and said that, "...fear of falling takes on a whole new meaning after age 50". She was so nice to me. Everyone was nice to me....so very nice.... Thanks again.... FYI ...it may take a few days for eyes to blacken after such a fall and they have a huge selection of "shades" at the local Rite Aid. Must say that they are nice there too -- even when you look a bit like a gargoyle.
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