What I fear the most happened again today as I left the Chiropractor's office. I didn't notice the small incline in the pavement to the parking lot and fell on my face and knees. Fortunately at the same time a car pulled into the driveway across the street and I called for help. The young fellow ran over and I asked him to get my Dr. The two of them managed to scrape me off the pavement. I retrieved my glasses and struggled back into the waiting room. I felt some fluid running down my cheek and very painful knees.
Once I sat down, the Chiro and his wife began tending to my wounds as my body went into a full shock response. It began to shake uncontrollably. I had a cut to my cheek and other abrasions to the left side of my face and forehead. I pulled up my slacks to see what damage had been done to my knees and was shocked to see my left knee swelling exponentially with a cut as did my right although not swelling. Both were bandaged and eventually my shaking stopped and I was able to drive home with the scratched lenses on my glasses. How fortunate I was to have an immediate response to my call for help otherwise I could have been lying there until my Chiro left for the day. I was the last appt. and it was dark outside so it wouldn't have been too long but in the meantime, I would have been terrified.
Once I got home, I put a bag of frozen corn on my left knee to stop the swelling as it continue to expand. I have never seen a hematoma this large. The size of a Football and becoming discolored already. I expect it will turn purple shortly. It occurred to me as I began to feel a stiffining in the joint (a knee replacement on both so a concern) that the best thing I could do was to move it and get the fluid moving so all evening I have been going out for walks with a cane and it's amazing how much that has helped.
Now the question becomes how will this impact all the other problems I have been seeing the Chiro for, in the last 2 months. I was really beginning to feel some progress. No doubt I used my arms and shoulder to break the fall as I have in the past with my prior falls and have been the cause of what I suffer from today.
Will have to get a new pair of glasses which is probably a good thing since I was feeling less balanced when I walked. I wear trifoculs. Don't really want to spend the money but will have to. For safety if nothing else.
This aspect of my physical health really scares me since I am unable to get up without help when I fall. If that occurs when there is no one around to help me, I will be completely helpless. I may have to think about getting a cell phone again for just the availability of being able to call 911. Living alone and on such a minimal income, I have to weigh my monthly expenses but I must look into this ASAP. I need the security of knowing I can call for help. Today's incident was a good reminder.
Postscript. With all the major falls I have had over the years, I have never had a broken bone. I find that totally amazing but thank God. Have fallen on my face twice without a broken nose.
~ Tutte ~
