A fall (not Autumn)

So, today sees me with an elevated leg, a swollen and bruised ankle and 'grit your teeth' pain relieved with minimal movement, some voltaren gel and tablets and a good old dose of tlender loving care.

I worked last evening at Bright Hospital. I do enjoy my work there. My colleagues are absolutely fantastic and supportive of this old girl. I am always very mindful of the fact that 40 odd years of being a midwife does not make a great clinical nurse in an urgent care unit but I am getting better at it day by day and even though I know anything has the possibility of walking in through those double doors at all hours of the day and night, I don't panic as much now as I did when I first started there.

Last evening was a busy shift. Poor Pete had to work a double as the other nurse I was working with had called in sick. Pete is a reliable fellow and doubles as an ambulance driver when he's not working at Bright Hospital, so he knows his stuff and I always feel safe and supported when he is on with me.

The DON actually offered for us to have our dinner supplied by a local pizza place last evening as the place had been literally jumping earlier in the day with tricky tickers and mvas and stuff. We were fortunate to only have to contend with the ward doings most of the time (we had one presentation late in the evening) and so that kept us going until knock off time.

As I walked out to my car I decided to step out onto the gravel road, turn right and walk to my car door.

The alternative could have been to walk up a short pathway to my car door, but no, I like to do stuff differently and there is a part of the road that dips down to a gutter and my foot stepped there, went over on its side and I lost my balance.

Funny how such scenarios go through a slow motion sequence and I remember as I fell not to let my head bounce off the concrete gutter so there was no head contact with anything, just the rest of me contacting with solid earth.

I fell right over, landing on my side then rolled onto my back and for a few milliseconds lay staring up at the stars with a soft gentle rain falling onto my person.

I initially tried to shift but couldn't, due to the shock of yet another fall I guess, then eventually rolled over onto my hands and knees and got myself up and limped cautiously to my car door.

I know I should have gone back inside and reported my fall (OH&S and all that) but I felt so demoralised and embarrassed I just wanted to get home. 

The drive from Bright is 40 minutes along the Great Alpine Road on a good clear day. I knew it would take me the best part of an hour as I limped home at 11:30 at night and home is where I wanted to be thinking I would be OK so I took my time and got there eventually.

This morning when I awoke, I found I can only weight bear for short periods and am limping a bit so it was my turn to have to call work and cancel my shift for tomorrow.

I feel quite bad about having to do that as I know the staff on will have difficulty replacing me, but given I am having some issues with mobilising, I will have to take my very first sickie here and suck it up as they say.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should label myself as a high falls risk, given I've had a couple of tumbles of late, the other being out the front of our place last weekend when 'the girls' were here.

I remember when we travelled to Italy and I am sure I left my mark on a few cobblestones in Florence as I managed to fall whilst there a few times also.

Such is life though and apart from a bruised and tender ankle I am ok. I am fortunate at this time in my life to not have more major issues to deal with. I will rest up, elevate my stupid foot, treat it with ice periodically and thank my lucky stars I have not hurt myself even more.