Recently my coworkers and I were comparing notes on injuries we have had in prior years. Unfortunately mine have been many. The earliest one I remember (although I'm sure there were some before this) happened when I was in 6th grade. Our class was walking from our annex to the main school building for music class. All the girls were walking on asphalt. All the boys were walking on ice. For some reason I was following the boys and fell and broke my wrist-my left one and I'm a lefty.
The next incident I remember happened when I was a teenager. Having a mother who was a camp lifeguard and a great swimmer and water lover, we spent most summer afternoons when I was a teenager at our community swimming pool. One summer I had just learned how to dive from the side of the pool. I wanted to practice this newly learned skill, so I dove in. Unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention and I landed right on top of my younger brother's head. I think it probably hurt me more than him- I ended up with a broken (we think) nose. That was the end of my diving days.
Fast forward to 1982- I now had a new full-time job working for Southwestern Bell/AT&T in Material Management. Still living at home with my parents, one of my duties was to walk their Doby-Dane Daisy Duke. On one of those walks I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and fell face forward on to the concrete. As I fell, I put my arms out in front of me to brace my fall. OK, no problem, I got up, got Daisy and went home. I finished out the evening and went to bed. The next day I got up and took a shower. It was a little difficult washing my hair, but I managed. I was getting ready to leave to drive to work and realize my arms were both stiff and it was going to be hard to drive. I told my Mother the situation and she shepherded me off to the emergency room. There I learned that I had broken both of my elbows.
A sling for each arm and a prescription for pain medicine remedied this. I pride myself on only missing 2 days of work-although it did take about 2 or so weeks with both arms in slings for the elbows to heal.
Advance the time clock again to September 1995. My job with Southwestern Bell/AT&T only lasted 41/2 years. I moved on to a series of temporary and short term jobs. At this time I was working through a temp service for Citicorp. I had been at the job almost a year (or maybe longer). One night I has leaving work on my may to pick up my husband Ernie. I pulled out of the parking lot at Citicorp and made a left turn onto the outer road. Apparently, I misjudged the speed at which a van was coming down the outer road and collided with him. This accident landed me in the hospital for a week with a broken right arm and a tibia plateau fracture of my right leg. Once home, I managed to fall again and re-fracture my right arm.
One would think by this time I would have learned to be more careful. Not so. Several years later I was walking the dog again (this time it was Honey-my husband Ernie & my dog)- We had an ice storm and the ground was still covered with ice. I was moving down the steps to walk the dog, tripped on a slippery spot and a loose piece of concrete and down I went once again. This time I managed to break my left foot !!!
This brings us up to date on the major falls/accidents that have occurred in my 55 years of living. Of course these are only the major ones- there are many more minor spills which are too many to name here.
I really like the Japanese saying, "Fall seven times, Stand up eight!" The most important thing in life is to continue to try and continue to pick yourself up when you fall. For sure
I have learned that lesson.
How many times have you fallen? Have you ever stopped and counted them ? Please use the comment box to share your story.
Until next time do your best to think, live and be pain-free and please try not to fall and I will too !!
--Joy E Last
No comments:
Post a Comment