Friday, July 21, 2006

Fallen Women

It isn't unusual to see women here in San Miguel who have fallen and have broken a collar bone, sprained a wrist, twisted an ankle or sometimes even worse. The many stairs, cobblestones and uneven sidewalks take their toll. So when you see someone limping along wearing bandages, splints and braces or sometimes even using crutches, you ask their story. How did it happen? Did the ambulance come? Did they take you to the General Hospital, De la Fe Hospital or did you go to Queretero? The Fallen Woman gets lots of sympathy and understanding because this has happened to so many of us. If you stay here long enough you will probably have a mis-step somewhere along the way.

I had a "falling" yesterday but I'm probably not going to get much sympathy. I fell out of a chair sitting at my desk. Yes, that is right, I fell out of a chair. The internet stopped working and I shifted in my chair to look around the monitor at the cable modem. The next thing I knew I was on the floor and the chair was laying on its side. I'm not sure if I was really dazed for a few moments or just surprised to be on the floor. But I picked myself up and thought, I'm okay. Then I felt a cramp on my side. Huh oh, had I broken a rib against the arm of the chair? The pain would ease and then cramp up again when I moved. I took two Aleve and layed down for a few minutes. Then I started to realize that my backside was throbbing but the Aleve helped that too. After about 30 minutes I went off to the Digital Camera Club Meeting and the ribs didn't hurt anymore but I found that I was sitting down very carefully. Well this morning sitting on my injury is NOT comfortable. I don't even have a bruise on my side but do have a considerable bruise on my backside.

Now how am I going to get any sympathy or understanding from this injury? There is no bandage, splint or brace for anyone to see and I don't plan to show anyone my bruise. Besides, a story about falling down a narrow flight of steps or twisting an ankle when you stepped off the high curb at Pila Seca and Zacateros, is much more interesting than telling a story about sitting in a chair at your desk and falling out of it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Billie - Sorry to read about your injury (see you can get some sympathy ;-)

You could embellish the story or get crutches anyway where upon when asked you can tell of a harrowing experience ;-)

In any case I am genuinely concerned about your health and wish you a speedy recovery.

I might gently add that when people get to our age they have earned the right to complain a little even if we stub our toes.

Calypso John

Anonymous said...

Falling out of a chair -- was this in the morning or evening? Before of after that margarita? You'll get little sympathy from me (remember the ribbing I took when I fell out of bed last spring?), but I do fell you pain. Rather than crutches, like Calypso John recommended, I suggest you tie a big pillow to your injured parts -- that certainly would draw attention....Pitchertaker

Billie Mercer said...

Pitchertaker, I fell out of the chair in the afternoon BEFORE I met up with any margaritas. LOL

Thanks to both of you for a laugh. I'm sitting on a pillow but much better this morning.

Anonymous said...

Here's a little more sympathy, take it easy, OK. Sounds like you need a "doughnut" pillow. Hope you have not damaged your tail bone as that can take a long time to get better. Perhaps (now that you are sitting again)it is time for the margaritas, as a medicinal thing, of course, pain reliever.
Take care. Brenda

Billie Mercer said...

Margaritas.....medicinal?
I thought they were like vitamins that you needed to take daily. LOL