Another Act of Grace

I lost my bearings and fell jelly side down in the laundry room this morning--on my shoulder repair side, too! Good thing my winter fat is still lush and dense...it was more of a moon bounce than a twig snap. Felt like a busted bag of sugar...too scared to move for a minute. As I assessed the damage, I remembered a physical therapist's wise words, "if the pain doesn't make you drop to your knees, you'll probably be okay." As I got to my feet, I realized my repair had escaped intact. The rest of my right side was pretty banged up, especially my right hip and my right bicep muscle. Hopefully, nothing ice packs, ibuprofen and Arnica cream can't handle. Second time in a month. Honestly, I need a hamster ball to move safely from point A to point B.

I wasn't preoccupied or moving quickly like the last tumble. I didn't trip over anything or slip on a wet surface, but I had just woken up after not getting a good night's sleep. Plus, I was recovering from a sinus infection. I need to add these to my list of things to be aware of after my shoulder surgery. I think I just got dizzy because one minute I was up, the next I was down.

So, if you have a fall, don't immediately panic. Stay still for a few minutes, especially if you felt dizzy, and mentally go over how your body feels. If you don't have sharp pain that makes you think you're going to throw up or cry uncontrollably, you can move to a sitting up position. Rest. When you're ready to stand, hold on to someone or something. Apply your ice packs immediately. Bruising and straining/spraining is painful, but you don't want to stiffen up. I started to hold my arm in sling position again. Then I heard the voice in my head..."Put the arm down, Mrs. Cooksey. Put the arm down!" Am I ready to attempt pendulum swings again? Nope! But I think my repair and I will live.