Yesterday I fell while hiking with my family. Just on soft dirt, after five miles of boulders and gravel and more dangerous terrain. I hit my left cheekbone and my left leg to the side of the knee. I was dizzy and nauseated, and just sat there for a minute. A nice lady who was an EMT came over from her dock and brought me water and a wet paper towel. The water helped, the dizziness and nausea abated, and I was able to walk the rest of the way back okay, where I lay out on the deck in the chaise lounge and iced the cheek and leg. The surprise of it was, as always, such a lesson. Things change. When I'm tired I don't pay enough attention. Nothing is really predicable, including the next moment.
I was so lucky. I didn't break a kneecap, or knock my teeth out. I felt calm, and patiently waited to see if I would feel better, could walk, was going to need medical help. Time slows down, but also, the body is protected by the shock of it all. My body said, whoa, you're dizzy, nauseated, you must stop and pay attention to this. No soldiering on singing manly songs. My body told me when I could get up, and that I could walk. It said it hurt, but it forgave me.
So I'm sore today, but was able to walk the dogs. Maybe no exercise video today. And I think of all the people who've had a similar distracted moment and fallen and it required the emergency room or surgery. Luck. I'm of an age for careful stepping. And I mean that literally and figuratively.
No comments:
Post a Comment