Monday, July 22, 2019

I fell again, darn it!

It only took a moment of inattention.  I was walking into the parking lot, thinking about where I was going next, not paying attention to the slightly thicker asphalt, and boom!  Over I went as my foot drag caught me up.  I use a cane but it's not enough any more to deal with imbalance, clearly.

Since I grazed my temple there was a lot of blood, and my wrist also had a laceration.  No unconsciousness and no headache, but blood, and there I was on the ground.  No way I'm going to get up and drive home.

A kind person called 911 and the ambulance came quickly.  They dealt with the bleeding and loaded me up for my first (and I hope last) ambulance ride.  The lovely EMT took a picture of my medication list (always with me) and we chatted all the way to the ER.  Kudos to Essex Ambulance!

In the ER they moved me onto a gurney and asked me the same questions that the EMT asked - name, birthday, am I taking any blood thinners, address, oh, and am I taking any blood-thinners?  They made a copy of my medication list (which includes all my doctors); very handy to have this as I couldn't think of any of them.  Eventually, they called my husband who, of course, thought that it's a telemarketer, and didn't answer, so I left a voice mail.  After a bit longer, I got my cell phone and called him direct.  They took an x-ray of my wrist - hairline fracture, so I now have a splint.  Instead of a suture, they used glue to close the laceration on my temple.  After 3 hours, mostly waiting while they cared for others with more serious injuries, I got to go home.  Kudos, ER!

Now, overdue, we are looking at rollators (4 wheels, brakes, and a seat).  I already have a used one I got for almost free, but it's heavy, and won't even fit in the trunk of my car.  Also, and this is more important, its brakes are not great, so that even when the brakes are locked, when I sit on it, the rollator moves - not good.  But it feels way better than the cane, much more stable.  My husband is worried I will fall again.  Me, too.  Usually the cane is in my left hand, but that has a splint on it.  Mostly, I have been holding my husband's arm when we're not home.

Five days later I have a shiner that is dimming, a splint, and an appointment with an orthopedist.  I've been to Rock Steady Boxing, where I was extra careful of my balance, and punched one-handed.  "You should see the other guy," we joked.

I want to get back to driving, but one-handed is just plain foolish, so I will wait. 

Images Pixabay.

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