Woops. Taking the yard trash down to the street this morning I had an unpleasant reminder of why I should never forget I have a stroke-related condition called “left-side deficit.”
Having mounted my ATV< I drove over to pick up my container of yard trash, reached too far and lost my balance. I instinctively stuck my left leg down to stop the fall and reached with my right hand to the ATV’s right handlebar. I mistakenly grabbed to low and hit the quad’s accelerator paddle giving it a slight goose.
Whereupon I felt the bikes left rear wheel roll over my foot and then my ankle. I had enough presence of mind to throw myself off the Quad and try to keep my left leg straight. Eventually the ATV slowed -- after it rolled over my kneecap.
Whimpering on the ground, I managed to stand. The pain was there, and I quickly wiggled my leg and ankle to make sure nothing was broken.
Meanwhile, my quad has idled away and is pushing against my neighbor’s chain link fence.. I gingerly dragged myself to the ATV, took a side saddle position and reversed back to the yard trash barrel, taking it down to the street, a half mile down my driveway.
I guess I won’t be climbing a ladder this weekend, picking peaches.
But I do have a new supply of pain pills, a nice Irish shillelagh, and some parked heavy equipment I have an inexplicable urge to operate, right after my nap
It’s absolutely true: “that which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” And sometimes it makes you more cautious too.—Jim Forbes, 06/19/2009
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