A dictionary defines an accident as an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.
On August 21, 2020, that is exactly what happened to me. We had our house staged, and the staging crew had just left. We were in the middle of having photographs taken professionally, both interior and exterior. And we were waiting for the videographer to arrive as well, who could also capture sky views using a drone. I was rather proud of all the details that went into finally putting our house on the market soon.
The day before, we had our exterior windows cleaned. Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, however, we were to be unable to get them cleaned from the inside – until October. While they looked much better than before the exterior cleaning, the thin film still on the inside that became pronounced under a certain angle of the late-afternoon sunlight bothered me.
Solution? Get up on a stepladder on the countertop – to reach and clean interior picture-window surfaces in the kitchen, facing southwest. I was convinced that I could take care of this quickly. In fact, I was almost done with the task when the doorbell rang. It was the videographer.
To answer the door, upon my urging, David let go of the stepladder, which had at least an inch of margin from the edge. But, apparently, it was his strength that was keeping it securely in place. He was halfway to the front door when the stepladder and I came crashing down onto the floor. Kaboom! Ouch! I was unable to get up on my feet. Uh-oh…
No accident ever happens at a convenient time. It is interesting, however, how quickly my mind went from, “ouch” to “well, it could have been a lot worse.” In fact, depending upon the angle at which I fell, I could easily have hit my head on a hard surface, which could have left me in a vegetative state and/or dead. Neither happened, of course. Nor was my tailbone injured which, I know from experience, can be excruciatingly painful for months.
In addition to multiple large bruises all over my body, which turned ugly purple, the x-ray showed fractures on my left-heel and sacrum bones. Both are hairline fractures, requiring no surgery. Thank goodness!
Sure, I have pain in multiple places, but I am too stubborn to take any pain killers. My routine has been disrupted. Instead of working while working out by being on a treadmill a minimum of five hours a day – to which I have been accustomed since 2008 – I’m having to sit while I work. Ugh… Since I have not owned an office chair for over a decade, I am borrowing David’s, with wheels, to get my work done and get around. I also need to rely on the uninjured foot in conjunction with a walker (which I prefer to crutches).
As usual, I had been going non-stop, working until I drop each day. I am my own boss, which means my work habit is to please no one else but myself. I have been juggling a schedule to (1) get our own property ready to put on the market and (2) help my clients find investment deals that meet their needs. It is as if someone, upstairs, decided to make me slow down a bit on purpose – without totally incapacitating me.
I am grateful that I have been able to accomplish both of the objectives, noted above, shortly after the accident – as if nothing ever happened.
