Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Falling... a story about nothing.

Usually denying myself food and drink after 6pm because I don't sleep well and if I wake to go to the bathroom in the night, I'm awake for hours. Do I remember that my blood pressure is on the low side, and plummets if I'm dehydrated or hungry? Which I am every morning as I rise, make coffee, let our dog out, wake my daughter.

Walking into her darkened room in my long dressing gown, I step on a winter boot, the hem of my dressing gown catching under my foot as it slides, caught on the mid-calf length faux sheepskin. The bog of materials pivots me. I can't rebalance myself, my foot trapped by the gown and the boot, neither relinquishing their hold. I'm lightheaded anyway. I fall straight back like an ironing board.

I try to bend in mid-air, to allow my rump to take what's coming, but can't manoever my body. I fall onto soft carpet, inches away from a wooden chair, on the back of my head, which I'm trying to tuck in for protection.

After impact, I roll on my side in a curled position and cry, oh so melodramatic but a way to release the shock of the fall. My daughter, who usually takes half an hour to wake up, leaps out of bed to hug me and help me up. I'm fine, feel no pain, didn't lose consciousness, no concussion.

The headache begins towards bedtime. I'd forgotten about falling but had spent a listless day of little substance feeling grey. Today it is like a fire simmering in my upper back, shoulders, back of my head. There is some minor bruising, that's all...

7 comments:

  1. Brenda, assuming this is autobiograaphical, I'm glad you're okay. (Actually I'm glad you're okay even if it's not autobiographical.) Have you tried a mug of warm milk at bedtime?

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  2. Ay, ay, ay! Brenda! This is not nothing! I hope you have time to rest and recuperate. Oof. Sounds like your shoulders and upper back took the shock, too... (and maybe you could eat a little something more?!) Do take care of yourself.

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  3. PS. I tried to look at the Flickr page but it wasn't loading properly for me. I did catch a glimpse of the series, though, and I think Kyra has good instincts with the camera. A budding photographer?

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  4. Richard, yes, it is an actual piece of, umm, 'lifewriting.' I used to always have ovaltine in hot milk with an overflowing spoon of honey at bedtime, I wonder where that habit went? Thanks for reminding me...

    MB, ah, mothering ourselves, it is harder to do, isn't it. I didn't realize that I might be rather lightheaded in the mornings until this incident. More careful in future...

    Flikr didn't load. I'm not sure, then, that I have the right url- one's site there is quite something to navigate, so many options. I'll go & see if I can find some html. Thanks for telling me.

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  5. It loaded at first, Brenda, but then when I tried to click on the small versions that appear as a series on the right side, it couldn't load the page. And after that, I couldn't get back to the main page at all to see them again. It may have been a flukey thing and none of your doing at all! Or maybe there was something in the set up. I've never used Flickr so I don't know a thing about it...

    Yes, mothering myself is the hardest!

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  6. mb, I've added a 'flickr badge' in the sidebar of my blog. The problem may be that I mostly uploaded 900px wide images, nearly using up my monthly allowance of 20MG. Live & learn... Kyra hasn't seen the slideshow yet, either. Hope she likes it!

    flikr seems like a great site, I'd recommend it if you get into photos...

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  7. It's working fine now. I love the montage you made of her photos. Collaboration!

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