One of the longest-running commercials on TV is the one where the old lady is lying on the ground yelling “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” I remember listening to it when I was young, thinking it was something old people had to worry about. Now that most of us Baby Boomers are 60+, it’s one of our greatest fears.
While I was walking my dogs, I tripped on something and landed on the ground. I think it was a spiked round burr that had fallen from a tree. They cover the sidewalks in the fall.
I immediately got back up and could walk, so I knew I didn’t break anything. Pheww! Up the street, a young man who was walking his dog asked if I was alright. It was embarrassing.
I thought I was okay until I realized I wasn’t
My whole right side started to ache, including my wrist and under my right rib. Bruised but not broken, I took a few deep breaths and made my way home.
Of course, my dogs didn’t cooperate at all and kept stopping and starting. People walked past us with their pets or whizzed by on skateboards, causing my terrier-ist dog to go apeshit. I thought I’d never make it back to my apartment with my wrist intac,t even though it was only a block away.
Most of the people in my neighborhood, who are mostly young, have their noses to their phones when they’re walking their dogs. I always feel sorry that their pets are being completely ignored. But I’ve also seen people my age walking with their eyes on their phones. I keep my phone in a pouch when I walk in case of an emergency, but don’t look at it when I’m walking.
Tip: If you want to avoid a painful fall, don’t walk and check your email at the same time
When I got back to my apartment, I fed my dogs, which required me to go into a deep squat to avoid rib pain when I set down their bowls. Then, I had to lift one of them to give him a shot. That wasn’t fun either.
Once the doggies were settled, I grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer and attached it to my wrist by wrapping a narrow belt around it.
The pain started to subside after a while, but somehow, I knew I’d feel it the next day. It’s like being in a minor traffic accident. The day after feels like a truck hit you.
And . . . I was right!
Tiger Balm, Arnica Cream, and Tylenol became my friends. Getting older sucks because you don’t bounce back as fast as when you were young! If it’s not one thing that aches, it’s another, and then you fall and screw it up even more.
Aside from taking a few days off from driving because of my wrist and being uncomfortable sleeping, I’m feeling okay. I was lucky, though. It could have been much worse. Now, I’m a lot more careful when I’m out walking and am on the lookout for those pesky tree burrs.
So glad you’re okay. I know it is so scary to fall these days. I feel like I bump into furniture sometimes and when I get a bruise it takes a lot longer to heal. Ugh, getting old isn’t always fun. I like Arnica too, just put it on my hand that I bumped on the door the other day when I was rushing to leave.
I agree, Judy. Arnica is great for bruises. I used it when I sprained my foot a few years ago. It really helps. Hope your hand gets better too!
My husband fell in 2017 and ended up in the ER with a broken nose and permanent shoulder issues. You’re right – it is his greatest fear and mine (both of us have fallen other times, too). When I returned from vacation recently, I was told someone at my company had fallen at work while I was out, breaking a wrist. And a co worker’s older sister fell, breaking her ankle. I am thankful your fall wasn’t more serious. We used to snicker at that commercial, too. No more.
So sorry your husband had to deal with that. It’s so scary. One slip and it takes forever to heal up. Not like we were in our twenties when we bounced.
I’m so glad you’re bruised but unbroken! I tried to do a summersault. A summersault! I used to teach them! I ended up being in excruciating pain for two months and only a doctor’s care managed to get me out! Sigh.
Good to know Diane. I used to do somersaults too and headstands. I’ll resist the urge to try to them based on what happened to you. LOL