I had a fall… feeling vulnerable

I am a very determined and independently minded person and like to do as much for myself as possible. It’s a cold and rainy Winters Day today and I am mostly doing wee jobs I have put off, like sorting out my recipe folders. Anyway, one thing lead to another and as I had cleaned out a crate I needed another one to tidy up the garage.

That’s when it all went wrong!

I went round the side of the garage where we had stored some empty crates. I had to squeeze past some bikes that are stored along the side while carrying a big empty crate in front of me. Nothing wrong with that scenario right? Well, I got to the end – with crate in front of me – forgetting we had some stones delivered that were in a pile just outside.

Next thing, I tripped over the pile of stones and went flying. I had time to get my really bad knee out of the way and not land on it – perhaps I should have let it happen… ACC and all that – but landed hard on my left knee. I called out as I fell, as you do! My husband was home but, in his study, listening to music. I called out for him when I came into the house but he couldn’t hear me. I went and told him I had fallen.

Luckily, I seem not to have hurt myself too badly, but have got a bruised and grazed left knee now. My husband – who is always helpful – told me he would have got the crate for me if I had asked. The thing is, it seemed such a small thing to do, and didn’t seem to me that there was much risk to this particular task. I was obviously wrong!

It brings home to me, that if I am out in the garden and either I am on my own or my husband is not within earshot, then I should take my phone with me. If I had properly injured myself, I could have been there for some time before he came to look for me.

I don’t like this feeling of vulnerability this event conjured up in me. I don’t usually think of myself as vulnerable, but in that moment when I was on the ground and assessing whether I could get myself safely up, I certainly felt it!

Note to self. Do a risk assessment before carrying out a task on my own!