First Fall of 2021
By ice rivers
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I took my first fall of 2021 yesterday.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs.
I don't think anybody is going to invent a vaccine to protect us from falls. There are no masks although I might feel safer walking around each day with hockey pads from head to toe. Everything but the skates. Forget the skates. Normal walking shoes have become skates to me.
As usual, yesterday's fall came out of nowhere. The walk was going great. I tripped...no stumble...just down. Real fast. Some falls seem to happen in slow motion, apparenltly those falls are worse because yesterday's fall wasn't that bad. My reaction was all reflex, no thought involved. I threw my hands up in front of my face and crashed palms first into an iron grating on the concrete.. Two inches separated my face from that grating so the only damage was to my palms and wrists.
I heard Lynn say, "Oh, Honey. Are you allright?". I didn't say anything for a few seconds as I was still seing stars and didn't know for sure if I was allrtight. I got myself into a sitting position. I checked the damage. Bone bruises and grating marks on both hands. Not bad.
Now the next problem, getting up from the sitting position.
I have a bad back which has affected my sense of balance. If I can't find something to pull myself up, I won't be able to rise. Lynn has been with me on my last couple of falls both of them more serious than this one. When she saw that I was only bruised but not bleeding she said "I'll make a table."
With that she got on her hands and knees. Usnig her back for leverage I regained my feet.
I said "Damn, you make an excellent taable. You've improved since the last time.'
She said "You've lost some weight. It was no problem."
On the way home we discussed the monetization possibilities of becoming a human table.
Although there is probably a need for such skill, I don't think we'll explore the dimension of professional human table making
I've got mine. Let everybody else get their's.
So I banged up my wrists a little bit.
Big deal.
I thought
Until I tried to read
And realized that
I rest my head
On the palm of my right hand
And turn the pages with my left.
Very uncomfortable.
Don't it always seem to go
that you don't know what you've got until it's gone.
I learned yesterday, how many actions are enabled by the wrist.
I have new found empathy for anyone who ever had a broken wrist.
When I go to the doctor's they will always ask "when was your last fall."
The implication is that "you get two falls a year." then you've got a problem.
I've got one.
I get one more this year.
It's only January
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Comments
Ouch, it's the shock element
Ouch, it's the shock element too, sometimes when you fall you just tear up like a child. I rarely fall, however I am constanly banging my head, did it two days ago on the outside tap, my skull must be like the moon. I really like the end of this peice. Good luck with your second fall, save it until December.
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Hope you're OK.
No more falls this year, except the one that's Autumn, ok? Get well soon.
Ewan.
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