I did a dumb thing. Very dumb. I didn’t mean to…but that doesn’t earn me any points, now does it.
I’m having a big party here at my house on Dec. 3. I’m sorry to say, but I’m just not able to work at something all day any more. My joints just won’t stand for it! Therefore, it takes a while longer to get a project completed. So, I have begun taking down all my Fall decor and getting ready to decorate for Christmas. We are doing Thanksgiving at Joy’s this year, so it won’t matter if my decor is down. I started yesterday and today everything is down and by the back door. I also needed to put up the fall dishes and platters and such. You know…basically wipe out fall and get on to Christmas!
Those of you who know me IRL know that I am vertically challenged….I’m 5 ft.1 in. Not a complaint…just a fact. But, it does require step stools and ladders quite often. Now, I try to be real careful. I make sure the step stools and the ladders are sturdy, and have rubber on the feet so they don’t slip as I am climbing.
I know alot of people are not like me. ( But, I know at least 2 people who are.) I am of the opinion that if there is an unadorned flat surface …it must be adorned. And, it matters not if it is 3 feet off the ground or15 feet off the ground. So there is where the ladders come in. I use them all the time. And, I’m very careful…really.
Today, I had to get the tall ladder, because I was going to the top of the pantry. It’s a good ladder and very sturdy, but I do not like to get it out, because I can’t put it up. It locks into place, and I can not get it unlocked. It bothers Don when I leave that big ladder opened and in the way. And, if he is bothered…he is not happy. And if he is not happy….I am not happy. And I much prefer happy!
I have been up and down the big ladder probably 20 times today. And, I was on my last trip up…I’d forgotten one little vase that needed to go up. Up the ladder…no problem. Down the ladder…BIIIIIIG Problem.
I’m still not completely sure how I ended up on the hard, stone floor…but that’s where I was. I landed on my hip and elbow, bent 2 toes backward, and hit my head on a wooden stool on the way down! You know, I’m sure I looked very funny going down, but at the moment, I wasn’t laughing. I lay there for a minute…trying to see if I was injured. I knew I hurt, but I was praying I had not broken anything. Then I tried to get up, but my arm was hurting too bad to steady me. So, I called Alex.
Well, Alex is the sweetest young man. And, he really does try to look after me. So, when he saw me on the floor, he was worried. I told him what happened, and that nothing seemed to be broken. I just couldn’t get up. So, I asked him to help me up.
OK…now I can see some humor. One of the results of the Cerebellar Atrophy that he suffers from is very bad balance. So for him to get me up was not easy. He had to stabilize himself against the cabinet in the kitchen, and then hold on while he pulled me up with the other hand! He couldn’t HELP me up…just PULL me up! Which was very helpful, but my shoulder is now out of socket, as well!
I slowly checked to see if everything that was suppossed to move did, and that nothing that was not suppossed to, didn’t. And, all seems intact. But, my pride. We sat at the island for a minute or two, and then I told Alex that I was going to lay down. I could feel my elbow throbbing and my head pounding. “Thank you for helping me,” I said. And, then he said to me, “Mother, you can not climb a ladder by yourself anymore. You need to have someone to help you.” I thought that was very kind and told him that I would be fine, and would be careful. And, then he said, “You know, Mom, you’re at that age where you can be breaking your hip. You are just too old to be climbing a ladder anymore.”
Well…call the home, get me a flannel nightgown and a cup to put my teeth in, Son. Oh, and I’ll just use your wheelchair myself from now on! Too old to climb a ladder, my foot! And, by the way, if I had to wait on someone to be available to help me when I need to put things up, I really would be an old lady!
I’m getting more swelling and bruising…and I know by tomorrow I will be walking like I did break my hip. So, I will sign off and find some aspirin and the heating pad. But, my t-shirt will do just fine…no flannel nightgown. No teeth in a cup. No hearing aids. No TV with the volume all the way up. No riding in a wheelchair.
I’m NOT old….just clumsy.
SUNDAY AM
I was right. Stiff, swollen, and bruising. Can’t walk on one foot, didn’t even know I hurt it. Elbow and hip very painful, too. Don’t think anything is broken, though. I’m just going to take some more muscle relaxers and dream this day away.
Y’all don’t reserve me a room at ‘the home’ just yet, ‘m’kay?
Hello, my name is Everly. I am a blogger living in New York. This is my blog, where I post about interior design and decoration. Never miss out on new stuff.
OHHH, Sweetpea!!! I'm SO sorry you're stove up!!! And hurtin in places you didn't know you had places.
Bless your dear heart—don't you worry about the Home, but DO have those toes checked. I did that once, about fifteen years ago, slipped down one varnished-slick-as-glass stair-step onto two toes-turned-backward, and limped for days and days. I even bought a pair of those old-tire sandals at WalMart, cause nothing else would fit.
AWWW, BabyGirl, you take care of yourself. Do you really remember hitting your head on the stool? If you can't remember a part of it, or woke up on the floor, you probably DID give your head a whack. I'm guilty on that one, too—down thirteen steps in the dark into a client's basement. I try to remember falling, but all I can remember is the first two steps, for I walked briskly, thinking it was a continuation of the hall I was in.
My Dearie—give your White Knight another hug from me, and get some REST. I wish I could come "do" for you to get ready for your party.
I am so sorry. I know exactly how you felt. I am always worried about doing that especially when I have a lot to do.Your not alone, it can happy to anyone at any age. I can imagine your aches & pains today. Of course you are not ready for the home and you will be back on the horse (step ladder) in a few days. Rest up!
I cannot tell you that I wouldn't have said what Alex said, and I don't know you IRL, but I know you're strong! I hope you'll feel better soon!!
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed Alex's advice and your response to it!!!!!!
I am so glad you were not seriously injured in that fall, but so sorry you feel all stiff and sore from it. Hope you feel much better soon.
I can relate! I fall all the time so I know my bones must be good! You really might want to think about an x ray or two though! 🙂
Bless your heart! Hope everything quits hurting soon! Couldn't help but laugh at Alex's comment, though! I'll never forget when I was a senior in high school, doing a lot of traveling, having a lot of stuff going on, when my granny (who lived with us) told me, "Melissa, your mama is getting too old for you to be dragging her around like this!" Mama was the ripe old age of 46! And Granny was 81 at the time, but you can bet that if the car left the house, she was on it! Ha! So, you just be careful, but I think you're a good bit away from the home! 🙂 Hugs from one vertically challenged soul to another!
Yikes! How scary! I'm forever climbing on ladders, etc. We both need to be more careful. I hope you're feeling better now.
Hugs,
Kat