Living alone one has more than a few challenges. For the most part, I manage well, but there are times when having someone else on the premises is helpful. Like yesterday.
Now normally I have my shower first thing in the morning. I rarely have a shower in the afternoon/evening - that is unless I have been doing something dirty, like mowing lawns or fishing. But yesterday I woke and wanted to finish some writing I was doing, so I donned some daggy gear and finished what I had to do.
I put my lunch in the oven (a piece of quiche that had been in the freezer), and thought I would have a quick shower and change while it was heating.
A quick shower was done. I reached for my towel and did a slide. Crashing down onto my butt, but managing to slide my left leg beside me rather than crash onto my bended knee, I felt pain all over my left leg. Quickly a huge bump appeared by my knee, but it was my foot that hurt most. I lay for a few seconds trying to work out if I could manage to move and get upright. I slid along the floor and doing a backward crablike manoeuvre I managed to get to my bed some 7 feet away, and slowly dragged myself onto the bed. I felt lucky as I imagined what would have happened if (a) I could not move and (b) if I had to yell for a neighbour to help me and thereI was with nothing on!! OMG.
I wiggled my legs, my toes and apart from some "minor" pain in my foot I felt ok. Lucky me I though. I dressed and with a minor limp I get going again, thanking my lucky stars that I did not appear to be badly injured.
By late in the afternoon, my foot was very painful. I did go to the shops, but each step I took only exacerbated the pain. I had my evening meal (oh, yes, and had the lunch which I had forgotten to eat!), and hobbled to bed. The pain was excruciating. Even the sheets and blanket on my foot made it worse and I failed to get comfortable. Sometime after midnight I fell asleep, for a short time, and around 3 am I got up and fed myself some Panadol. Eventually, I fell asleep.
My phone woke me at 8.30 am. My son had phoned and he could tell by my confusion that he had been asleep. I told him the story and how I planned to get some x-rays done.
Which I did. I phoned the doctor, drove to Bribie Island where my doctor has her surgery, and set off. After a quick visit there, I had the x-rays. Luckily no break was found. I'm battered and bruised but not broken!!
Now, I like living alone, but there are times when I wonder how I would cope if certain events occurred. Like yesterday. I was lucky, but the pain was so bad, I imagined being confined to bed with no help/support.
This time I really was lucky. And, as it was my left foot, and I drive an automatic car, I was able to get to the doctor without help.
I do have friends to call if I need to, but am a little bit reluctant to do so.
Now normally I have my shower first thing in the morning. I rarely have a shower in the afternoon/evening - that is unless I have been doing something dirty, like mowing lawns or fishing. But yesterday I woke and wanted to finish some writing I was doing, so I donned some daggy gear and finished what I had to do.
I put my lunch in the oven (a piece of quiche that had been in the freezer), and thought I would have a quick shower and change while it was heating.
A quick shower was done. I reached for my towel and did a slide. Crashing down onto my butt, but managing to slide my left leg beside me rather than crash onto my bended knee, I felt pain all over my left leg. Quickly a huge bump appeared by my knee, but it was my foot that hurt most. I lay for a few seconds trying to work out if I could manage to move and get upright. I slid along the floor and doing a backward crablike manoeuvre I managed to get to my bed some 7 feet away, and slowly dragged myself onto the bed. I felt lucky as I imagined what would have happened if (a) I could not move and (b) if I had to yell for a neighbour to help me and thereI was with nothing on!! OMG.
I wiggled my legs, my toes and apart from some "minor" pain in my foot I felt ok. Lucky me I though. I dressed and with a minor limp I get going again, thanking my lucky stars that I did not appear to be badly injured.
By late in the afternoon, my foot was very painful. I did go to the shops, but each step I took only exacerbated the pain. I had my evening meal (oh, yes, and had the lunch which I had forgotten to eat!), and hobbled to bed. The pain was excruciating. Even the sheets and blanket on my foot made it worse and I failed to get comfortable. Sometime after midnight I fell asleep, for a short time, and around 3 am I got up and fed myself some Panadol. Eventually, I fell asleep.
My phone woke me at 8.30 am. My son had phoned and he could tell by my confusion that he had been asleep. I told him the story and how I planned to get some x-rays done.
Which I did. I phoned the doctor, drove to Bribie Island where my doctor has her surgery, and set off. After a quick visit there, I had the x-rays. Luckily no break was found. I'm battered and bruised but not broken!!
Now, I like living alone, but there are times when I wonder how I would cope if certain events occurred. Like yesterday. I was lucky, but the pain was so bad, I imagined being confined to bed with no help/support.
This time I really was lucky. And, as it was my left foot, and I drive an automatic car, I was able to get to the doctor without help.
I do have friends to call if I need to, but am a little bit reluctant to do so.
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