Stupid move leads to Big Ouch!

Hi, Gang,
You know when you do one of those things that within about 30 seconds you wish you could roll back the clock and do something different, but it's way too late - the damage is done?

I took all the precautions. Had my long underwear on, all bundled in layers. I hadn't been out of the house for 2 days because of the cold and snow, but there wasn't a lot of snow and more is on the way, so I wanted to shovel what was there and get to the store. I have these things that I put on the bottom of my boots (like car studs if anyone knows what those are) to keep me from slipping. I shoveled the snow. I cleaned off the car, and had it all warmed up. I walked across the road to get the 2 days worth of mail from the mailbox. And then I saw it: one ball of what looked like snow about the size of a large baseball at the end of the driveway that I'd somehow missed.

So...gotta finish the job, right? Can't have this silly little ball at the end of the driveway when I'd shoveled it nice and evenly? Hmmm...

I walked over and figured that all I'd need to do was step on it and break it into clumps of snow. Never did I think it wasn't snow but a hard chiunk of ice. So as I went to stomp on it my foot stuck and quicker than you could blink an eye I was on my way to the icey ground. Slam! Fortunately I was able to move and didn't feel any major pain, but I had just taken my meds shortly before so that's probably masked some of it. Now I'm just sore on that side, but can feel it in my lower back, and am just praying I didn't jostle any of the hardware in me. I know I can feel the sciatica acting up more than usual. Been on heating pads most of the night. So anyone who feels so incined can send some healing wishes in the direction of my hip and lower back! I of course hit on my "bad" side.

Cross your fingers I got lucky!

PaLady

Ouch!!!! Of course you landed on the bad side,lol. It always happens that way for some crazy reason. Well, was there any snow on the ground to help soften the fall?? In deed we need you in a warmer climate, I think all our CPers need to be snow birds and head south for the winter. I scolded you on another thread for being out at 11:00PM at night shoveling snow,lol. Talk about cold-goodness.

 

Get that old heating pad fired up for sure. Its probably best that you had taken your meds before getting out there & working, smart girl, thats what my dr says to do, take them before attempting any work to help hold the pain down. Perhaps by having the meds it prevented any real damage, and hopefully its a muscular thing kicked up.

 

You know before being put on oxygen 2 yrs ago, I cannot tell you how many times a day I fell. Let me tell you, I do not know how to fall gracefully, actually, I just up & fainted because of the oxygen deprivation. Nothing worse than falling on concrete or tile floors, at least the carpet had padding. How I kept from breaking bones is beyond me. As my husband says, I am no ballerina.,lol I truly considered a suit of armor before finding out what the real problem was. I hit my poor old head on the floor more times than I can count, more visits to PM with a swollen back and bruising from landing against something, it was just awful. I was even sent to my old neurologist who had no clue. It was above all people my gi dr that slapped me in the hospital with blue lips. My oxygen levels were in the low 70's upon admission, and they are like how can even sit up in this bed.

 

Get out the M&M's that will help ya lick your wounds so to speak. Maybe a nice soak and a good muscle relaxer & pain pill. Take care......Susie

 

 

PA, isn't that always the way it works? I'm so sorry and I'm sending you good thoughts and warm hugs from S.Fla. I think that Murphy's law somehow affects us CP'ers more than most, maybe because we are too careful, I know this wasn't the case in your accident today but that darn Murphy was there waiting for you anyway just because you were so thuro. I hate that Murphy person, hmmm. I wonder if it's a girl or boy? Sorry PA, if it sounds like I'm trying to make light of your injury, I'm not. Try to keep the faith, maybe tomorrow when you get up it woun't be so bad at all!!
Pete

PA would not wait till bedtime for the muscle relaxer. Need to get it in your sustem now to help keep those muscles from becoming totally knotted up. Once they get that way you know how hard it is to get them relaxed again....Susie

Oh, (((((Palady))))), I cringed as I read your post! I am so sorry about the fall! I know you have mentioned before about how terrified you are of falling because that is what triggered some of your original problems, and here you land (of course) on your bad side! Ice is one of the worst things to fall on too (as you unfortunately have just found out), as it is not only nice & hard, but just kicks your feet out from under you so quickly, that who knows what position you will be in when you land. If there was ever a time when a time machine would come in handy!

Please try to take care of yourself, especially with inevitably more snow on the way! If you are still hurting a lot on Monday, you might want to go see your surgeon & get checked out to make sure you didn't do any additional damage to your back or the hardware.

I'm praying that your back is okay & that you will feel better with some heat, rest, and your meds. Take it easy, and make sure to self-medicate with as much of those M&M's as you like until you are feeling better ! Sending you healing thoughts & lots of hugs!!

Skeye

Palady,sorry to hear about your fall. I hope your pain lessens soon and the muscle relaxer has helped. I hope you have a low pain day.

Thanks again everyone!

I'm very sore this morning - as could be expected, but can feel that I irritated that nerve. "That" nerve - you know, the very one that's always a problem. Of course, as someone said. Muscles pain never bothers me as much as nerve pain because muslce pain is easier to treat. So today I'll spend doing even more "doctoring" at home with every appliance I've got. Have to recharge the batteries for my TENS.

Frances - I hope you're warming up. And how are you doing since your surgery? You know my neighbors across the street have electric warmers under their driveway and sidewalk and they never have to shovel. BUT they both had serious injuries years ago and one is in a wheelchair and the other has 3 artificial limbs. And she just had a baby a year ago! They each won big law suits and met in rehab and got married. Then they came to our little neighborhood and build this huge house....guess the only thing that I get annoyed about is that I had a lousy attorney, but I won't even get into that.

Ry - I saw my dentist this week and I think I'm going to have to start divorcing proceedings with the M&M's. I found it much easier to have the motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle when I had LIFE; now comfort foods feel like one of the few things left. I have a hunch some of you understand that.

Oh, well, off to the heating pads....

Thanks, friends.

PaLady

Pa, I'm glad to hear that it isn't as bad as it might have been. I'm sure it hurts plenty though. Please take it easy and do what your body tells you to do and for heaven sakes, next time don't be so efficiant! To hell w/ the little snow ball, sqwish it w/ your car! I hope it gets better soon>
Your friend,
Pete

Glad to see you can move around today. Really wondered if that was going to be possible after the spill you took. Getting that "nerve" to settle down is going to be a chore. Muscle pain yes, we can get rid of it fairly easy-but the nerve pain is whole different dance.

If it makes you feel any better in the dental dept. two root canals & crowns for me. Have a partial root canal to finsh up before getting the crowns on. No dental insurance of course, lost that when he retired. I guess they figured we didn't need it. I could buy a good used car for what this is costing me. So, I will for sure lay off the candy when the sugar fit hits.,lol I wonder if Blue Bell is considered candy??? Susie

Oh yea you would know if you messed up that hardware. You would have been in ER screaming at the top of your lungs. Its a really nasty thing to happen, happened to a friend of mine. But, in an essence her fall, really helped her in the fact, they went in & removed the hardware. The hardware was giving her so many problems, just like what I read here w/peeps that have it. I am totally against the hardware, just seen too many bad results. I saw how she struggled and bless her heart, she later told me, I should have listened to you, I should have never let then put that mess in me. Our bodies were just not designed for that. She did much , much better w/o hardware. It doesn't matter if its your back or foot, it just doesn't work well. One of my very good friends is a very well known orthopedic here and he has treated me & my family over the years. He & I have had many discussions about it and he is the very one that convinced me that it would be a problem child. He has proven that to be a true statement many times over.

I am currently doing the clock watching thing for the next pain pill, I hate this, literally despise the clock watching, thought I had escaped that when getting a pump.

Oh listen, I nearly fainted when the dentist gave me the amt for the dental work, plus I need a deep plane cleaning. When I say I could buy a good used car , I really could, no joke. We are in the wrong business, we should have been dentist, I am convinced. I can see a very expensive nice leather living room furniture for what this is costing, top of the line. darn ice cream & M&M;s.