“And falling’s just another way to fly.”
I did it again. I fell this morning, and it was a doozy. The bush was all roots which looked easy to walk through and over, but I didn’t. My foot got caught, and I went down hard. My glasses broke and the right side knee and hand took the brunt of the fall. Two people helped me up and walked me back to the car where I sat feeling perfectly miserable and in pain with tears coursing down my cheeks. Gracie stood on the console, rubbed her face on my cheek then sat down. My first thought was to go right home, but I had must-do errands and decided to do them regardless, to shoulder on in pain. I had trouble walking into CVS, but I made it to the pharmacy then back to the car. The next stop was Agway where the best people work. They carried all the canned dog food and cat treats to the car. I limped behind. My hand is better, but my knee isn’t. These other glasses keep slipping down my nose, but I’m glad for the spare pair. I’ll recover. I always do.
The first real fall I remember was when I was three or four and living in South Boston. I had been jumping off the fence backwards for a while. I told my mother to watch me, proud as I was. It was a tall chain link fence and the gate was my jumping off spot. I got ready, jumped and used my hand to stop myself from falling. I cried a little then went right back to playing. My mother told me she checked my wrist while I was sleeping, and it didn’t seem to bother me, but my grandfather told her to get it x-rayed anyway. It was a buckle fracture of the wrist. I was really proud of that first cast and have a couple of pictures of me showing it off. When I was ten or eleven, I fell down the stairs, hit my chin on a table and slashed my chin open. It was sleepiness which caused the wrong turn out of my bedroom. The bathroom was in the other direction. I walked back upstairs, woke my mother and told her I had fallen. Seeing I didn’t mention an injury she asked if I was okay to go back to bed. I said sure. There was blood all over my pajamas, and I had to sleep sitting up because of the pain, but I did fall asleep. My mother took me right to the doctor when she saw the results of the fall. He couldn’t stitch it as he was afraid of infection so he cleaned and butterflied the cut. I have a great scar under my chin.
Falling is genetic in my family, and I have had some spectacular falls. I have broken a bone three times, counting my childhood break, knocked myself out three times, sprained my ankle and broken a couple of teeth. It was the day my dental insurance took effect. That was lucky, I suppose.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: fall, self-pity, sore hand and knee
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March 31, 2014 at 1:16 pm
OK Kat, I am arbitrarily banning you from falling over or talking about it.
When I had my moment of madness some three years ago, I broke my leg in 6 places, put a spiral in the ankle and my knee wasn’t too good. And that was the good part, after that all heck broke loose and I had stuff that I could not imagine.
Your family comment holds true here – My Grandfather suffered bad legs from having been blown up on Vimy Ridge, my Father destroyed his foot in a swimming pool accident and I got goofed. I hope that my son is Orlando is careful
I sit here in generally foul humor, not because of your reminder today but because I am dealing with absenteeism that might possibly be tied to the appearance of Mr. Verlander at Comerica Park.
March 31, 2014 at 1:44 pm
My Dear hedley,
I remember your fall and how horrific the breaks were. You have outdone any of my falls. I have only suffered three fractures, two of which could not be in casts.
I guess I was due as I hadn’t fallen in a while.
I’m sorry, but I had to laugh at your absentee rate today. It is, after all, opening day at home even (Sox are away), and a master is on the mound. If you don’t have tickets you definitely have to watch at home with the appropriate drinks and snacks. The Sox start at 3.
March 31, 2014 at 1:55 pm
I resisted wearing my Verlander replica jersey but I do have Tiger Sweat on although there are no hot dogs and beer on my desk
March 31, 2014 at 2:04 pm
MDH,
Will you be listening to the game?
Any Tiger gear is sad when you’re at work instead of enjoying the game somewhere.
March 31, 2014 at 4:33 pm
The sun shone, Verlander pitched, the Bengals walked it off, Spring is here and all is well in Tigerland.
March 31, 2014 at 6:31 pm
MDH,
The Sox lost 2-1 though Lester pitched an excellent game. The spirit was willing but the bats were weak.
March 31, 2014 at 2:01 pm
I have no words. So I’m offering this:
March 31, 2014 at 2:06 pm
im6,
I wish I had thought of this song today. it’s perfect!
My chin was definitely on the ground!
March 31, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Love Fred and Ginger – the greatest.
March 31, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Me too, MDH.
March 31, 2014 at 2:12 pm
I do hope Your knee will feel better in a day or two, most likely not already tomorrow because it almost always hurts as much the second day.
I can’t remember my first fall, too many I guess but I do remember my first bigger injury, I jumped from a swing and since I was short and rather fat I never jumped far, this time however I did and on my way in the air I noticed that an iron fence most likely would hit me in my head, so placed my arm in front of my face. It took them eight hours in surgery to put everything back in place 🙂 I guesws I was very shocked because it didn’t hurt at all 🙂
I’ve also fallen down the stairs getting my liottle finger caught and almost torn of thirteeen years ago and so onb… 🙂 My family has that problem too I’m afraid 🙂
Take care and just relax all day!
Christer.
March 31, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Christer,
It’s true about the second day. I think it’s sleeping that causes it. The knee is file which gives it a chance to stiffen up and hurt more.
That was smart though to protect your head. Imagine what that injury would have been. You were in shock I suspect which is why it didn’t seem to hurt.
You and I are kindred spirits!
Have a great evening.
March 31, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Dear Kat,
I’m so sorry that you had a fall today, hope you will be feeling better in a day or two. Meanwhile, you need to treat yourself and generally indulge, I think you deserve it.
Thinking of you,
Love from Annie ( in rainy Bath UK).
March 31, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Annie,
You are so right. I actually had a very tasty lunch delivered because I figured I deserved it.
Thanks for the thoughts. I can use all of them.
You and I are sharing the same sort of weather. This is our third day of rain.
I love Bath!
March 31, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Sending you healing and balance vibes!
March 31, 2014 at 6:56 pm
Thanks, sprite
All healing vibes are graciously accepted!
March 31, 2014 at 8:03 pm
You can’t completely blame your fall on being a ‘klutz’ because the bush bears some responsibility. How dare that bush have roots? Our family also bears the ‘klutz’ title and I can also be clumsy. When I was in the sixth grade I fell off a jungle gym in the school yard. This was way before there was anything like OSHA or any regulations on school yard playgrounds having nice soft surfaces around the swings and jungle gyms. Being a natural south paw, I put out my left arm to break the fall and broke my wrist. A compound fracture. Everyone signed my first cast. By the time they removed it for a new one no one was interested any longer. This happened in early April and I had to stay out of the swimming pool for the entire month of June. This was pure torture for me.
The weather has been outstanding with highs in the upper 70s and nice cool mornings in the lower 50s. Clear skies and light winds. This and the fall are really the only two times of the year that you can open your sunroof or put the top down on the convertible.
The Rangers opened the season today against Philadelphia and lost 14 to 10. Lots of runs scored but the Ranger’s pitching staff are like the walking wounded. I love having baseball back again.
March 31, 2014 at 8:33 pm
Bob,
I agree the bush must hold some of the responsibility-thanks for getting me a bit out of the total klutz mode.
I totally understand falling and bracing yourself. That’s what I did but without the horrific bone break you got. Nothing rose than warm days and no cooling pool.
Three days of rain and of paw prints across the kitchen floor. It just got washed Friday and the rain started Saturday. Now I have to wash it again.
I too love having baseball back. The Sox lost 2-1 against Baltimore, a well-pitched game with quiet bats for both teams.
March 31, 2014 at 9:59 pm
Did you see last week where the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks played a couple of regular season games in Sydney Austraila? They seemed to draw a nice crowd to the games which were played on a modified Cricket Pitch. I can’t figure out Cricket with hundreds of innings and runs. Sticky Wicket and all that. 🙂
March 31, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Bob,
No, I didn’t see that game though I read about it in the paper. I low how exhausting it must have been to them. The Sox were exhausted when they played their first game overseas.
No, I don’t now cricket either. There’s a batsman, a pitch and a paddle used like a bat. That’s all I know.
My mother used to use sticky wicker to describe tough situations. I never knew the actual meaning, just an understanding from context.
April 1, 2014 at 9:20 am
Being a day late, my advise for alternating cold and hot packs on your knee is past the optimum time to aid you in your injury. So sorry you are down again.
April 1, 2014 at 10:23 am
Cuidado,
Well, I bound back up by nighttime though my knee still hurts. I should be used this by now.
April 1, 2014 at 9:38 am
Hi Kat,
Wow, that was a good fall. But why were you bushwhacking? 🙂
I’m told my first fall was off the dining room table while lying about waiting to have my diaper changed. I don’t remember that one.
All the rest of my falls have been while doing something where FALL was the number one risk and practically a given.
Except for the time I tripped on the top step, knew I was going down and launched myself into space in order to “go with the flow” I guess. I did some weird spin thing in mid-air and landed at the bottom of the steps, on my feet with one hand on the rail, facing back towards the top of the steps where my friend stood watching.
She opined that it had been gracefully done. Like a young elephant.
I hope your knee stops being bothersome and the glasses get fixed quickly.
Enjoy the day.
April 1, 2014 at 10:25 am
Caryn,
That is a question for which I have no good answer!
I haven’t had as spectacular a fall as the one you described. It is so good it sounds choreographed.
I too have fallen upstairs a few times, but I don’t count those.
I feel better today, silly but better!