Death at the Door

Life is a tenuous thread.  We cannot take life for granted.  While people can die at any age, when you are in your 70's, that thread gets thinner. 

Just the other day I was having another fine day when at evening preparing for bed I slipped and hit my head--very Hillary Clintonish.   I had just removed the carpeting from the floor and so the floor had no cushioning.  I literally heard my head hit and the loud cracking sound was enormous.  As soon as it happened I remember thinking "Oh my gosh I am going to pass out--or worse."  But I didn't.  Instead I unbelievably got up.
 

One cannot be too careful

No matter what the age, that feeling that death will not happen to you never goes away.  Death comes suddenly without warning in many cases.  We don't know it is there until it happens.
I immediately went to the phone and called the nurse who said I should go into the hospital and to call 911.  Instead, I drove myself to the hospital emergency room since, fortunately, I didn't have any symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or confusion. 

Now if you told me this a few hours before it happened I wouldn't believe it since I have no problems with falling, balance or dizziness.   But it did happen.  It was a freakish accident, and, after the fact,  I have an idea how it happened.  I wasn't being careful enough and the bed had been moved to a different position by the carpet person.  Plus the room was very dark.  So it was an accident waiting to happen but I didn't recognize it.   

The arrangement of things in your house is high priority to note.  Also, get a bunch of night lights--not just one for the bathroom.  Call your local senior center or a nursing center to come with a checklist of items that should be looked out for in your home.   Some come out to the house to do this.

I recently got such a list from my doctor.  It is called "Preventing Falls at Home." If I had such a list maybe I wouldn't be nursing a tender head right now because the list had several things dealing with floors.  Here are a few items:

1.  Remove things you can trip over.
2.  Keep your house well lit.
3.  Do not carry too many things at once.
4. Move furniture and cords out of walking path.
5. Install handrails.
6.  Keep a cell phone by your bed or on your person.
7.  Store household items on lower shelves.
8.  Wear low-heeled shoes that fit well and give your feet good support.
9. Do not wear socks without shoes on wood floors. 
10. Walk on the grass if sidewalks are slippery.

In the bath: 

1. Install grab handles and non skid mats in and out of the tub and near toilet and sinks.
2. Use shower chairs and bench.
3. Use a long handled brush to help with bathing.
4. Get in and out of tub putting weakest leg in first.

(Source: The above list is general and only partial and is a printed handout by Kaiser Permanente.  See your doctor for more tips and regarding the list above for more detail.)

I also banged my knee and scraped the flesh--another thing that could turn dangerous. 

If you think it can't happen, well, it can.