Face down in the bubble wrap. An eBay seller's story.

[pvcliff]

We live in a two story home. The living space is upstairs, downstairs is the garage, Los Angeles' version of a basement, and my 20'x20' office. Office could be a granny unit, there is a kitchen sink, stove, fridge and bath with shower and two huge wardrobes.  Walk in the door, kitchen sink and counters on the right, more counter, stove and fridge directly ahead, my desk on the left, creating a small rectangle of space before you get to the main room. Currently working with salvaged bubble wrap that is not nice and neat in a 12" wide roll, but huge sheets that have to be cut to size. It has taken up the corner in the right angle created by sink on the right/ stove on the left, and the pile of bubble wrap is about 3 feet high. Ok, stage for my story is set.

I have back issues that cause tremendous pain in my right leg. Yesterday I had my umpteenth epidural done under sedation. We arrive home, I get carefully out of car on my side and Cliff is ready to help me upstairs for my first food of the day (by now it's 3:30 or so), followed by probably dozing in my chair. As usual I want to put my purse away on or near my desk. I get a few steps into my office and my right knee, which is on the side of my body  the epidural was given, does not hold me up but rather, flexes backwards sending me face first into the edge of the fridge and then the stove where I slam my cheek, then I sort of spun half way round landing hard on my left knee, and I crash into a pile of speckle ware turkey roasters with lids I'm getting ready to sell. Roasters are on floor next to, and half holding up, the bubble wrap pile. By the time Cliff comes running in after hearing the clang of the roasters, I am face down in the bubble wrap pile.

He says don't try to get up until I can help you. Well he's 80 and 6 feet tall, I'm 18 years younger and 6" shorter, but I weigh the same 185 he does and there really is no way he's going to be getting me off the floor alone. Finally he figured out to move the roasters and bubble wrap away, lift a chair over my head and plant it where I can use it to get up to kneeling and then use it, with his help, to get me upright and  sitting in the chair so I can take stock of my injuries. Eventually he was able to help me across the garage and into the stairwell; the stair chair we put in a few years ago so my dad can visit did it's job and hauled my butt up to the main level. 

Now I'm awake in the middle of the night because sedation has fully worn off and the gyro Cliff brought me home home for dinner is sitting heavy. Considering how hard I hit my cheek, I don't see any bruising yet, knee is purple and my ribs hurt when I turn over so I must have hit them too on the way to the floor. Good news is the epidural seems to have helped my pain level, but I'm not about to go down the stairs without using the stairchair for several days because if that knee weakness repeats itself on the stairs a fall could be really serious.

In the words of the immortal Roseann Roseannadana, it's always somethin'!

[candd205]

Dang, I was doing ok reading your story hoping you were going to fully land on bubble wrap, until I cringed reading about you hitting your hard parts on hard things. Hang in there sister, and don't forget to take the pain pills on time for the next few days. Don't wait until you hurt, because you are going to hurt.

Btw, I feel your pain, I just got out of the hospital (5 nights), and it took me hours to pack up the items I sold, because of the pain killers, I was so distracted. It normally would have been very quick. Fortunately I had changed my handling time to 5 days just before I went to the ER because I had planned on going on a vacation for a long weekend. So, at least no late deliveries.

Anyway, hang in there. It's heck getting old. The young people have no idea what they are in for.

[gracieallen01]

Ouch.  At least, the knee bruise only lasts a week or so.  I got tired of them and started using a cane - which helps most, but not all, the time.  With me, they discovered to do an epi, they had to completely paralyse me to help the pain, so you are lucky there.  It is funny now, but at the time it wasn't - the pain clinic at U. of Washington, Seattle asked me not to come back.  There wasn't anything they could do for me.  Glad there was the bubble - after falling like that, ending up on bare concrete is insult to injury!

I only make light of it (a little) because I've 'been there' for 40+ years - sometimes, that all you can do.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I tripped over something in the dark and drove one knee down on a cement floor. That was two months ago and it still hurts.

One thing that may help when you’re feeling better is to find a tai chi class. It helps with balance and core strength which can help prevent falls. I know there are a number of times lately my martial arts balance has saved me from a fall.

[mcdougle4248]

Ouch...sounds so painful and scary, too.  I hope that you are able to take it easy for a couple of days.  Get well quickly.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Getting older is so much fun, and I've only just begun! Hey that rhymes, like a bad version of a Carpenter's song.

Look at the bright side. The bubble wrap saved your face 🙂 

[judydu2]

I hope the pain duration time is short and that you have a complete and speedy recovery.

[gracieallen01]

Agreed, there have been quite a few times when it has helped.  Unfortunately, a lot of people are past the point - mentally or physically - where being able to becoming proficient enough isn't going to happen.

[lacemaker3]

Wow, thank goodness Cliff was there to help! And thank goodness you have the stair chair already. (I always find that it helps to focus on the positive, when the negative seems overwhelming.)

Take care, and stay safe. Christmas is coming, and you will be feeling better by then. Maybe not all the way better, but some better.

[dirk12955]

As I tell my children and Grandchildren,

Getting old ain't for sissies.

[dirk12955]

Here's hoping you feel better soon.

[turquoisetulips]

---

@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

Getting older is so much fun, and I've only just begun! Hey that rhymes, like a bad version of a Carpenter's song.

Look at the bright side. The bubble wrap saved your face 🙂 

---

You were a poet and didn't know it   lol   🙂    Tulips 

[callahanmagic]

 Echoing all the Speedy Recovery well wishes, PV.

Hope picture brings a smile to ya’ll.

-

Lucas

*still rollin’ with the punches*

[turquoisetulips]

---

@pvcliff wrote:

We live in a two story home. The living space is upstairs, downstairs is the garage, Los Angeles' version of a basement, and my 20'x20' office. Office could be a granny unit, there is a kitchen sink, stove, fridge and bath with shower and two huge wardrobes.  Walk in the door, kitchen sink and counters on the right, more counter, stove and fridge directly ahead, my desk on the left, creating a small rectangle of space before you get to the main room. Currently working with salvaged bubble wrap that is not nice and neat in a 12" wide roll, but huge sheets that have to be cut to size. It has taken up the corner in the right angle created by sink on the right/ stove on the left, and the pile of bubble wrap is about 3 feet high. Ok, stage for my story is set.

I have back issues that cause tremendous pain in my right leg. Yesterday I had my umpteenth epidural done under sedation. We arrive home, I get carefully out of car on my side and Cliff is ready to help me upstairs for my first food of the day (by now it's 3:30 or so), followed by probably dozing in my chair. As usual I want to put my purse away on or near my desk. I get a few steps into my office and my right knee, which is on the side of my body  the epidural was given, does not hold me up but rather, flexes backwards sending me face first into the edge of the fridge and then the stove where I slam my cheek, then I sort of spun half way round landing hard on my left knee, and I crash into a pile of speckle ware turkey roasters with lids I'm getting ready to sell. Roasters are on floor next to, and half holding up, the bubble wrap pile. By the time Cliff comes running in after hearing the clang of the roasters, I am face down in the bubble wrap pile.

He says don't try to get up until I can help you. Well he's 80 and 6 feet tall, I'm 18 years younger and 6" shorter, but I weigh the same 185 he does and there really is no way he's going to be getting me off the floor alone. Finally he figured out to move the roasters and bubble wrap away, lift a chair over my head and plant it where I can use it to get up to kneeling and then use it, with his help, to get me upright and  sitting in the chair so I can take stock of my injuries. Eventually he was able to help me across the garage and into the stairwell; the stair chair we put in a few years ago so my dad can visit did it's job and hauled my butt up to the main level. 

Now I'm awake in the middle of the night because sedation has fully worn off and the gyro Cliff brought me home home for dinner is sitting heavy. Considering how hard I hit my cheek, I don't see any bruising yet, knee is purple and my ribs hurt when I turn over so I must have hit them too on the way to the floor. Good news is the epidural seems to have helped my pain level, but I'm not about to go down the stairs without using the stairchair for several days because if that knee weakness repeats itself on the stairs a fall could be really serious.

In the words of the immortal Roseann Roseannadana, it's always somethin'!

---

Ouch ! Sorry that happened . It doesn't sound like you were quite ready  to move after your procedure . Some people take a bit longer to recover from anethesia  and then missaps like this  can occur . I realize this wasn't your first rodeo at the hospital  but next time  try to stay awhile longer  in recovery . If you explain to the medical staff   about this awful incident  they should allow it .  Speaking of accidents  though . I was in nursing for many years  and for awhile I worked the graveyard shift .  One late afternoon [ about 6 hours before I was to go on duty ]  my husband took the portable steps away from the house to work on a car engine block he had stored underneath  [ but failed to tell me] . So I happily walk out the door  then find myself in mid air  , landed on the engine , bounced off and then onto to the cement driveway . Other than childbirth  I don't recall any worse pain . I had a dinner plate size bruise on my upper theigh in every color in the rainbow .  I have a permanent indent  in my theigh  from that fall  that will never heal . It could have been much much worse  if I had hit the engine with my head ,, it could have been fatal  and I wouldn't be here to tell about it . So I guess the moral of the story is we should always double check our steps especially as we age .  I'm wishing you a speedy recovery  and please take it easy . Tulips 

[a_c_green]

Definitely not a pleasant experience, but you are in good company with a lot of us. I tripped on a mat on a downward-sloping ramp in a downtown office building a few months back, and took out a couple of fellow commuters as if they were bowling pins.

On the plus side, you have an absolute killer of a title here if you ever decide to write your memoirs about selling on eBay.