A Spring Fall

my bracelet from transient global amnesia episode

With a welcome warm up beginning on the weekend and culminating in a high of 51 degrees today, it felt like SPRING, although the vernal equinox is 9 days away.

The snow was already melting and dripping off the roof on Sunday afternoon as I was hurrying out the front door to catch a ride with O. to the home and garden show.

What looked like a little drippage on the edge of the porch was actually a patch of black ice. My foot slid forward, instantly propelling me to the sidewalk and snow below, purse and coat flying. I landed on a knee and wrist but picked myself up unscathed--except for my dignity.

It was my first fall since I turned 65. I had tripped over my wheelbarrow in the backyard--landing in a boxwood bush--in May of last year, but have not fallen since my July birthday. I have been taking little-old-lady/baby steps over the ice and snow all winter, taking extra precaution, because they always say that after 65 you are at serious risk for falling!

If a fall in the spring was destined--or perhaps pre-destined--I am glad that it's over! I could easily have hit my head on the cement. The next day an upper arm muscle and an upper leg muscle felt "jammed"--but just for a day.

Last Thursday at about 4:30 AM the husband was stepping down into the dark garage to warm up the car for the ride to the airport. We both got up to see the girls off the day after the funeral. With coffee in hand, he missed the bottom step, landing flat on knee and elbow--and head actually making contact with the garage floor! The coffee ended up all over his new black Costco sweatshirt and his knee was skinned, but he picked himself up and was just fine!

Two falls in less than a week .... this is getting ridiculous!

Since I cannot add photos of the falls, I wish I could draw funny cartoons of us falling on our face.

I often think of the diet guru, Dr. Atkins, when I think about falling on cement or ice. He fell on icy pavement in New York at age 72--and died. His final medical reports remain controversial, but he did die from complications of head trauma.

So, as you are adjusting to the spring-forward clock--a little short on sleep?--be careful.

Although a spring-forward fall is preferable to a fall-back fall, I hope that there is not a time to fall for every season this year--my 65th. I have made it through only one full season without a fall so far, and that was Fall. (If I was texting instead of blogging I would be lol-ing with a smiling emoticon).