Help I've Fallen and I can't Get Up!

Living in Michigan we're accustom to dealing with weather issues, even the issues of heavy snowstorms. As much as I loved the snow as a child, now that I'm an adult it's become more of a love-hate relationship. Especially for those of us who occasionally (OK more than occasionally and less than all the time) have mobility issues.

We've all seen the TV commercial where an elderly person slips and falls either in their kitchen or bathroom and yells: "Help I've fallen and I can't get up!" Someone always comes to their rescue and then they purchase the necklace for a help line service. I'm not THAT old and never gave much thought about purchasing one my for myself at this stage in my life. Then Murphy paid me a visit.

You've heard the adage that says: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." While I don't know exactly who this Murphy Law is, I'm sure he must be a relative of mine. My mother quoted him for years and that crap happened (and still does) to us all the time. (Drat my Irish heritage!!!)

For example: My daughter and I had gone out together. When we got home I pulled into the driveway and she jumped out and headed into the house. I got out of the car, turned to shut the door and BAM! You guessed it, I fell backward into the very large snowbank at the side of the driveway.

My purse and the cell phone it contained went in one direction and I went the other. I leaned sideways to try to reach it and my glove less hand broke through the ice crusted snow up to my elbow. ( No, I don't know why I had left them in the car) I then rolled sideways trying to reach it, and broke deeper into the snow. What I was thinking? Or more accurately not thinking, because now I  am laying  in the snowbank and of course the purse is still just out of my reach.

Then I moved to get onto my knees, another dumb idea. Intense pain in both knees and now the front of my jeans are wet. I yelled: "Help I've fallen and I can't get up!" Then just as Uncle Murphy Law predicted, no one heard me or came to my aid. Although I'm sure that a few cars did slow down,  look, point and were laughing as they drove by.

So what could I do? I  returned to my former sitting position with my bottom in the snowbank and my feet still under the car. As much as I was tempted to cry out of the sheer frustration of my peril, my brain kicked in to remind me that it was cold enough, and with my wonderful luck, my tears would probably freeze!

I sent up a prayer for rescue knowing it would probably lead to more embarrassment on my part. Then, when all else fails, try doing something else. So I pulled my legs out from under the car and up close to me. Then I scooted on my bottom until I was close enough to touch the car. I reached up, grabbed the door handle, which thankfully I had locked the doors, and pulled myself up. I  got my footing, gathered up my purse and would have done the same with my dignity had there been any left.

I stomped into the house madder than a wet hornet, which technically I did resembled at that moment. My daughter was coming down the stairs and asked what took me so long. Hearing a long silence pause on my part, which is very unusual for me, she looked my way. Then she noticed that I was wet from head to toe and she broke out in a fit of laughter. So what's a mother to do? Using much self-restraint on my part to not cause her bodily harm, I started laughing too. It got funnier the more I described my icy adventure to her.

Deja Vu of my childhood kicked in as I peeled off the wet layers of clothing. Thankfully I didn't have to depend on sitting over a heat duct to get warm as I used to do. Instead I turned on my electric throw, sat in my favorite chair by the fireplace and waited to thaw out. As the cold subsided and the warmth returned to by body, I couldn't help but wonder what it would costs for one of those pendent necklaces after all.

Wishing you warmth when the days are cold, wisdom when you fall into the snowbanks of life, and someone to come to your aid with a helpful hand. Always remember to live, love, laugh, and watch out for Murphy Law.....he can be a difficult one!

Blessings! :)