Yesterday, I was walking down church st in Burlington, to catch the bus down to the waterfront, nearby where I do physical therapy. I was moving fast, and realized it, so while I'm complimenting myself in thought, on being able to move so quickly, my foot catches on an uneven brick, and I go gown. Hard. Is that Murphys Law? Anyways, it was really painful, and I immediately began to cry. I then put my focus into getting up, before people approached, but it was too late. When I fall, concern arises. Unfortunately for me, I despise attention when I've fallen. I feel like road-kill, where people see something, that has obviously caused pain, and injury, but are inwardly thankful, to not be in that compromised situation. I often take a spill on a weekly basis, although recently, it's been more frequent. I'm used to falling, from lack of balance, or the unforseeable muscle tremors I occassionallyendure, that throw me down. I understand those, and frequently move more slowly, when I feel less confident in my motor function.
Like I said, I was proud to finally feel more confident in my motor function, and was cruising along. What got me, is a deficit I rarely take into consideration anymore, my visual field. I tripped on something I hadn't seen. I feel like I need some kind of training that helps remember to look more closely where I'm walking. Over the weekend I fell in a parking lot, because my foot hit a 2ft high cement pylon, that I hadn't seen. More tears, though more from schock, and enbarrasent, than physical pain. My balance has improved so much, that I seem to forget there are other reasons I need to slow down.
Back to Curch Street, a knd young woman offered me a tissue, and a hand up, once I was able. The resounding ache in my right hand, concerned me, but I had appointments to go to. It looked like a sausage, and was immobile. After physical therapy, I decided to go to urgent care, to be sure it wasn't broken. I wound up being sent to the emergency room. A decision I fully regret, because of its profound expense, and the minority of my injury. I'm already fully pissed at the American healthcare system. The expense is profound, yet urgent care I difficult to acess as a non-driver, especially when you're in pain. I'd called my support person, but no answer. Surprisingly, they called me after about10 minutes. I was registered, and brought to private area to wait for x-Rays. It wasn't broken, thankfully, so they taped my fingers together, to support the sprained one. I left, feeling idiotic for visiting the ER with such a minor injury, but my right hand is the only one I can depend on, so, I wanted to be sure it was alright, but suddenly those hard won feeling accomplishment, are gone, as quickly as they had appeared.