Sunday, February 1, 2015

Pounding the Pavement and Getting the Message

Yesterday was our monthly framily dinner.  I hadn't slept because I worked the night before, then came home to help make our contribution to the food.  So, at about the 22 hour mark of no sleep, I headed toward the car and BAM! I fell on the ice.  It was like   s  l  o  w    m  o  t  i  o  n.  My feet slipped forward, and my attempt to rebalance just made it worse because I was on a slight decline and had hit a particularly slicker than snot spot.  I floated in the air in a high horizontal Charlie Brownesqu way before landing flat on my back.  For a fraction of a fraction of a second, I thought I was in the clear because like that time in college, I didn't whack my head.  Then my head came slamming down on the ice so hard it bounced up and back down, jerking my neck with it.  I paused, swore, took a breath and made a  quick self  assessment:  no brains or blood oozing from the back of my head, all limbs moveable, neck sore but movable despite muscles bulging on left, tailbone unharmed, right side of scull sore but in working order.  So I rolled to my left and stood up.  I needed to get the car moved closer to the house so Deb, who has a hip replacement, wouldn't try to be a hero and venture out on the icy area to save me.  As I stood, I felt dizzy and lopsided and a migraine rushed in starting from the right rear and spreading through my whole head.  I got the car moved and got out to get her and our two friends that we carpooled with.  But they came out of the house before I got in.  I told Deb I needed her to check me for a concussion because I just wasn't right.  The nurse in her came out and she checked for a lump (none, I told her that because I had already checked, but she told me to let her check anyway).  She checked my pupils and they did dialate, but one more than the other.  She said it didn't look bad enough to be of concern though.  Took excedrin in the car and a muscle relaxer once home.  Then when I laid down in bed, I discovered a large pain that I had overlooked before.  I had a big pain in my ass when I laid down.  (Yes, I said it).  Apparantly, I landed slightly to the left side because it feels like there is a bruise covering my whole cheek!  Can't see it though, but I think it will turn pretty colors in a day or two.

This morning, I still have a headache, a sore butt, a sore neck, but I am so grateful that I seem to be mostly fine.  I really bashed my head hard and my neck snapped in a scary way.  It could have been permanently worse if it had happened a little differently. Life is so precious, being able to walk and talk and sing and laugh are precious gifts, even through pain and difficulties.  Sometimes I forget that, then the universe gives me a little slap-down to say, "remember what you have and quite whining."

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