Apparently when you turn 70 every doctor you visit wants to know if you have fallen in the last 6 months. I'm not a fall risk - I do some yoga every day, including the tree pose, standing on one foot. I also do physical therapy at home, strengthening my core and stretching out muscles. However, I did fall a few months ago, but it wasn't a old person-type fall.
My husband and I were coming home on the train from downtown Chicago late after a concert. (I love that we can take the train instead of driving!) We got off along with a lot of other people at our stop. There was another train, pointed inbound to Chicago just sitting at the station and everyone was crossing (at the official crossing) in front of it. We were towards the back of the crowd and apparently the engineer had gotten tired of waiting for the stream of travelers to finish walking in front of his train. As my husband and I were walking directly in front of that train, the engineer blasted the horn and started to move! I panicked and started to run. I promptly tripped and fell on the asphalt, dragging my poor husband partly down.
I was rather stunned, though not badly hurt. I hit my knee and the side of my left hand. There happened to be a policewoman in a police car waiting at the train gates. She popped out and asked if I was okay, did I want to go to the emergency room. No, I did not - I just wanted to go home. We did go home and I put ice on hand and knee. I also took Tylenol. (My husband was fine.)
My fingers are still a little stiff - I probably should have seen a doctor. (My family is famous for not going to the doctor with injuries. "It's just a scratch." [Monty Python]) My knee is fine but has a mark on it that is seemingly like it's permanent.
I've told the story to two doctors so far, but I know I'll be repeating it again. I don't plan to fall again though.
