I was coming up the steps from the garage, camera and bag
with Chinese food in one hand. I noticed something I’d left on the back-deck
railing and decided to get it. Stepping up the one step to the deck, I caught
the toe of my old, falling apart Birkenstock.
Bang! I went down face first, so fast and so hard. All I
remembered was a flash of the deck rising to meet my face as I slammed onto the
surface. I didn’t have time to brace myself or react. (Maybe that was a good
thing.)
“AArrghh! Owwww!” A
slight scream, a few loud wails. Phew, my face didn’t smash onto the floor. My
chest and belly saved me (being round has some advantages).
But I was in such shock I couldn’t even swear! Immediately
my mind went to: Did I want to yell loud enough to attract neighbors? (Not that
many are around this time of day.) I envisioned lying outside all night with
ants crawling and biting and no one finding me. Stop that thinking!
I shut my mouth around the whimpers and moans telling myself
to calm and relax. I lay still. I knew I had to give my body a few minutes
before I tried moving. My mind cleared, and I assessed my situation. I hurt,
but nothing felt broken. My right knee and elbow were screaming telling me these
hit hardest.
For a few seconds came a fear I wouldn’t be able to get up.
I quelled that thought, telling myself, “I am strong!” I slowly moved, pushing
off my arm/elbow. Oh yes, it hurt. I rolled onto my side, then into a sitting
position, and realized I really couldn’t get up from the flat surface without
anything to hold onto. Now what? Think … think …
Maybe if I work my way over to the step and slide my legs
over the edge, I could reach the corner of the doorway and use it for leverage.
The momentum of my fall carried me about five feet from the step (well, it
would as that’s about how tall I am.)
I inched forward on my butt hoping not to get wood splinters
(the deck needs painting). I made it and reached for the side of the doorway.
The house siding wasn’t stable, and the reach was too far to give the leverage
I needed to pull myself up. The rise of the step was too low for me to be able
to push myself into a standing position without help. OK, what now?
I slid my butt down onto the landing and butt-inched my way
to the steps leading to the ground. With my feet on the first step down, I was
able to use the higher rise of the stairs and leverage of the post to stand up.
My leg held my weight. I put my foot on the landing and pulled myself up. Yes,
I could walk if I was careful!
I painfully limped over to the camera. I couldn’t believe it
still worked. It hit the deck hard, too. The Chinese food was OK although one
of the boxes was damaged and food spilled into the bag. My Birkenstocks, both
of which had fallen off my feet, are toast. The one whose toe caught the step now
has the soul split in half from the toe to mid shoe. Stubborn me even gimped
over to grab the mat off the railing I originally was going after.
I called my neighbor. That’s when I started to cry. I
assured him I was OK. I sat down. Let myself feel a little sorry for what
happened, then started thinking about how lucky I was. I could have been
seriously injured and how long would I have lain there before anyone found me?
Surprisingly, I didn’t cry a lot; not like I normally would
have over situations. One of the hardest parts was still feeling in shock. My
body not only felt physically bruised, but mentally and spiritually bruised,
too. This was a close call. If I had tripped on any of the other stairs, it
might be a totally different story … or if I’d really smashed my face.
As for the physical injuries: the bruise to my leg is a spot
just below the kneecap and lateral about the size of my palm; the elbow injury is
more of an abrasion medial to the elbow. I am so lucky I didn’t land directly on
the kneecap or right on the elbow.
A few hours passed and I still felt a little queasy and
shook up. The area below my knee hurt and felt funny-stiff when I walked. Which
is kind of ironic because outside of looking a little swollen (hard to tell
with my fat legs), there doesn’t look to be much damage … unless I just can’t
see it.
This was the first time I’ve ever fallen like this (except
when trying tricks when ice skating years ago.)
Thankfully, I slept fairly well, but by morning, the muscle
aches were present, both arms, torso, and right side. I didn’t attempt the
exercise routine. It even hurt a bit to breathe, which is not surprising
considering how hard I body slammed the deck.
I am so lucky! It could have been much worse.
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