In a rush to beat the "trash guys" I was carrying one last bag to the street when I hit the ONE patch of ice in my tarmac driveway. Down I went like the proverbial "ton of brick." OUCH. The trash bag went flying, and I grabbed my knee and swore, perhaps very loudly. Then, of course, I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall. At this hour of the AM, everyone's drapes and blinds were still pulled. No cars went by,either. So I sat on the cold pavement and checked out my wounds. I have a severe case of "road rash" on my left knee. Reminds me of the same thing I got learning to ride my two-wheeler with the training wheels so many years ago. Not only that, but I feel like my butt cheeks are residing somewhere up around my shoulder blades and my back hurts.
I did learn a few things from this, though.
1. Slow down. Hurrying isn't worth it any time, any place.
2. Keep "road rash" treatment supplies on hand just in case. I had no antibiotic ointment here, upon reading the label on the Preparation H, I decided that wouldn't work! I found some anti-infection cream left over from last year's surgery and some ancient Band-Aids. Oh, and a box of old gauze patches. That will have to suffice.
3. 220# of ugliness goes down in a hurry and takes a while to rise back up.
4. You can skin up knees pretty badly and never tear a hole in your pants! I don't know how that happened, but it did.
5. I could fall in this neighborhood and lay there until I froze solid. 99% of the time if one falls, no one sees them do it, and in this neighborhood, even if they did, they would do nothing. (Except for Roger next door and he was at work!)
And the clincher of the whole thing is: with the holidays, our trash guys don't run until tomorrow!
Damn!
Until next time,
Peace!
JE
I last fell on ice a few years ago in the park with no one around. Falling at this age is neither fun nor funny, but I was okay, and it seems that your damage is also minimal.
ReplyDeleteEach time I go to the VA their standard question is: "Have you fallen recently? Their next question is "Would you like us to enroll you in a weight loss program at Fort Harrison? I always say yes to the first question and no thanks to the second.
ReplyDeleteWhen the kids were young and at home I had a large supply of first aid supplies being a professional first responder I used medical supplies as part of my job so it made sense to keep them. Now the first aid kits have dwindled to nearly nothin - the exception being a few boxes of eye pads that the grandkids gifted back to me after they told me they wanted I Pads for Christmas.
Now I know that the best treatment for those injuries from falls is take your time, think it through and don't fall.
Best Wishes for the new year!