A Fall

Last night around 3.30 I had a fall. I’d got out of bed to use the commode with my oxygen mask still on. I somehow stumbled and fell on the floor. I lay there for a while semi-concussed. After a few moments I took the mask off. I didn’t panic at first. I wear an ambulance alarm and I never take it off and I realised no bones were broken.

But when I reached for the alarm button it wasn’t around my neck. That was scary. Was I dreaming? Where the hell could it be. With the oxygen machine running there was no chance of Anne hearing me call out. I reverted to pulling a drawer in and out as noisily as I could. It worked. It woke Anne who came to find out what was happening.

When I had ripped the mask off I had taken the chain and the alarm off as well. That sorted out we rang the alarm. The ambulance came, two strong young men bound up my grazed arm and then lifted me back to my feet and bed.

This morning I am very shaken and sore, bruised ribs and in need of a district nurse to dress the wound. My confidence has taken a dive.