“Pain is such an uncomfortable feeling that even a tiny amount of it is enough to ruin every enjoyment.” – Will Rogers
Saturday night, while taking a shower, I fell. The weird thing is, I was sitting down when it happened. I was on a bench in my shower washing myself when I lost my balance, tipped side ways and ended up face down on the tile floor.
The pain was incredible. I screamed and within seconds my husband rushed in to help me. He asked me if I was all right. I wasn’t sure so he sat me up and inspected me for damage.
I had cuts on the inside and outside of my bottom lip. And yes, blood was flowing and quickly filled my mouth. I felt a little lightheaded but the feeling was fleeting. As I sat on the floor, I ran my tongue around in my mouth. I could feel something was out of place. I glanced around the room and saw what looked like a tooth next to the sink. Before I could panic, my husband instructed me to smile. It revealed that I had chipped my front tooth.
As bad as that sounds, besides the pain, I felt reasonably well for such a severe fall.
Over the years, I have taken many precautions in my daily life to prevent falls. So I thought I was fairly safe. But wow, this took me by surprise. For goodness sake I was sitting down! Who falls while they are sitting?
I realize the busted lip and chipped tooth can be fixed. So I feel fortunate and grateful to be all right. But my memories of the pain from that fall will stay with me for some time.
I understand the importance of being careful. I fell last friday at work. I turned took three steps and landed on both knees, nothing was broken; yet I’m extremely tender because of my training as a dancer only one knee was seriousely injuried. I was taught to relax into the fall which will limit the damage. But then I sledded two body lenghs across the floor. (I started laughing!) I have a wild sense of humor which maybe my saving grace when I have no grace. My doctors have warned me about the dangers of felling. I take procautions but one evers know the when’s, where’s, what’s, how’s and why’s. I’m new to the MS world, a mere three years. I plan to remain active, positive and on the dance floor until the body tells me there is no more. I understand walking with care and taking your time to do a thing you did with speed. You will be fine; your a strong woman determine to do things and live your life.
Love ya, glad you’re okay. See you soon.
I bit a fork once and my tooth looked just like yours. A dentist was able to make it look more normal. I too use a seat in the shower and just imagine how awful your fall must have felt. I’m glad you are OK. We can never let our guard down.
Thank you for sharing your life with us on your blog. And thank you specifically for this post. A number of years ago, I crashed my bike-my stationary, goes nowhere, exercise bike. All my family could say was, “How? How can you possibly fall while sitting down?” I fully intend to share your post and the replies with every one who asked! Take care and God bless.
Hello Nicole,
I was diagnosed this year after being in pain and falling many times. I am sorry to hear about your fall but I am glad you are ok! I have gone from being just fine walking to falling on my face and it only worries me because my children get scared. I still have not adjusted to all the different things i have to do and I’m NOT ok with all of this yet but I am trying! Thanks for all the posts I don’t feel so alone now!
Hi Nicolle,
Glad you’re ok but that does suck. Just having to be on guard against a fall all the time is a pain. I’m amazed that I’ve not gone down yet but I’ve had some close calls early on in my diagnosis. In fact twice I was convined I was going to fall out of my chair! Hope you heal quickly and can get your tooth repaired soon. I appreciate your work and thanks for keeping it real!
Your Friend,
Tim
#MSRunnerDude
I’m so sorry you fell and hope you recover soon. And that it doesn’t happen again! As someone who has fallen frequently and suffered two concussions in the last year, I can speak to how serious a problem this is for us MSers. I daily do a variety of exercises from stretching to walking to vestibular function, and most of the time I’m okay. But, in an unguarded moment, especially in the dark, stuff happens. So I make changes to my environment to avoid a future occurrence and then the next time it’s something I did not expect at all. Like this dawn when I fell out of bed while reaching for a blanket. In the dark I did not notice that I was reaching beyond the edge of the bed and next thing I know I’m falling toward the floor. Luckily, I did not bang my head. I don’t need another concussion! The rest of me is okay. But these falls, a common recurrence for MS patients, concern me as falls have consequences ranging from minor (this a.m.) to life changing.
Hi N. I love the smile on your face, my tooth looks exactly the same. I have fallen 15 times – with varying degrees of breakage and loss of dignity. I fall off a flat floor – go figure. My girlfriend, who also has ms, pitched forward from her wheelchair face forward into her dishwasher – her cellphone went flying so she had to wait until her home care help came to rescue her……. I used to tell her that ms wasn’t going to kill her, that bleeping chair was. We shared many years of tears and laughter, often both at the same time. Glad to hear you are fixable and rallying on.
I did not lose my tooth, but a fall in the shower is the worse. I was staying with my girlfriend, because my now ex husband couldn’t deal with MS. Her shower floor was slick! Before I knew it my feet were over my head, I had taken down the shower curtain, I was in the middle of the bathroom floor, butter ball naked! Couldn’t move! She and her husband ran to come to my resque! What experience….
I share your pain and frustration. I have fallen numerous times; once at home I fell in the bathroom and broke my right shoulder, Then another time when I was in Boston visiting my daughter, my husband left me on the sidewalk and did not engage the brakes on my travel wheelchair and I went-in slow motion, It seemed-down the sidewalk to the street where I had a face-to-face plant with the asphalt on the street! I looked like a terribly abused woman! Yes, I have fallen in the shower, too, while sitting on a shower chair. This disease is, indeed, very discouraging and depressing at times! I wish I knew the reason why we are given such a huge and disappointing predicament in this life. At least for me, I must keep believing that there is some redeeming reason for it all. Perhaps we will one day know what that is! In the meantime, we are certainly blessed by having friends with whom we can walk this bumpy road together.
Blessings to you, my friend!
Wow, that sucks! I feel for you and I’m glad you didn’t do more damage to yourself! I have fallen a few times, some of them in public. And one especially memorable time I fell UP the stairs at work, ended up with just a few scrapes. But I have found that I have to have a sense of humor about this stuff. If you catch anyone staring at your wounded lip and busted tooth, you say “You should see the other guy!” Hope you feel better soon!
We are kindred spirits. Our struggle is the same and I use so much energy trying to keep my balance and avoid falling and it leaves me exhausted. I have fell many times and once I just sat there and cried for a long time. But I got up again.
I saw your lip and I cried for you. I hope you are better and healing. I know about this, I fell and got a tooth knock up and skinned up my knees and shoulder and arm and hands bad, and hurt for days. I was at the bus stop and the concrete sidewalk was not merciful at all. No warning, no dizziness, nothing. I move to take a step and went over and down. The bus driver got off the bus and tried to help me. Nobody else would.
Glad you are ok.
I love this post and I actually cried while I was reading it (i blame my MS for that).I can easily picture myself in your shoes. I haven’t actually fallen in the shower yet but I have had some close calls. Hope you’re doing well.
Nicole,
I am sorry that you fell but glad that you are alright. I fell yesterday as I was exiting the car and it seems as if time stops for the moment. This disease does make you have a heightened awareness of what is transpiring around you so that you can strategize how to make it from point A to point B. I look forward to you blog and pray for you! We need you in this struggle!
NICOLE….OUCH. I NO LONGER SHOWER ON MY OWN…TOO MANY CLOSE CALLS. WE BOUGHT A WHEELCHAIR TYPE THING FOR OUR SHOWER. IT HAS ARMREST AND A FLAT REMOVEABLE SEAT OVER A POTTY SEAT (CONVENIENT FOR THOSE TIMES YOU NEED TO PEE WHILE SHOWERING!). MY HUSBAND GETS ME ON IT & PUSHES ME IN UNDER THE SHOWER HEAD. SO MUCH SAFER.
Oh, Nicole, that’s awful. You didn’t break any bones, and the sore lip will heal. The chipped tooth can be repaired, and you’ll forge on. But oh, how those memories linger! Last week, I twisted my ankle in the shower, and now it’s a constant reminder of how I need to be ever vigilant in every move I make. Feel better soon!
I’m so sorry Nicole- that bites! I didn’t intend the pun but now that it’s out, I think I will keep it! I live alone and have fallen in the shower a few times. It’s frightening and I’m lucky there has been no serious issues. I tried to install make shift bars but they didn’t work. Part of me thinks, what’s the point since we try to be so careful anyway. I’m glad that you are taking the standpoint that this is an easy thing to fix but dammit, MS makes it so that even when we are careful there could still be an issue and something to fix! Not many people fall when sitting down and then have to visit the dentist. It is just beyond frustrating and I am sorry that happened to you.
Ouch! I am so glad that it was not worse and that you were able to get your tooth fixed so quickly. I have fallen before and wondered, “how did that happen?” Take care of you.
I have fallen sitting down too. I wasn’t even in the shower lol – but I did manage to fall out of a chair. Needless to say we worked on staying in a seated position at physical therapy that night!
I am so glad that you are okay. This disease sure does throw hurdles at you, but you are so strong and overcoming them in leaps and bounds!
Wow, Nicole. I’m glad it wasn’t worse. So many times I have lost my balance on the shower bench, but I’ve always managed to grab the bar before I full-on hit the floor. Sometimes I wonder if I should find a way to attach a seatbelt to the shower bench. More dangerous, though, is the transfer from the shower bench to the wheelchair when my hands and feet are wet and slippery. I’ve had a lot of very near misses.
I have where my legs fall asleep and I don’t know till I go to stand up.. Face plant.. Now I have this crazy droopy foot.. Like insult to injury. I know I have it better than most, but as it creeps along I never know what is next to go!
You ask who falls sitting down? Well I am also in that club. So sorry that happen to you. I’m glad that your injuries were not any worse. I fell 13 times last year (yes I kept count) half of those falls were on the cement. Fortunately nothing broken. Just a lot of pain, scrapes and bruises! I’m glad your hubby was home for you. Take care, be safe.
I too have fallen while sitting down. It’s such a shock. Lucky it was only some big bruises.
some days my whole day is how not to fall i feel for you