After a Nasty Fall, I Think of Those Who Came to My Aid

by Jean Mellano      April 23, 2019

“We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

Fallen, again

Not even two weeks after I put the finishing touches on my walking with mindfulness column, I had a very nasty fall. My first fall occurred in July 2017. Since my left foot tends to drag, I find I must focus on how I am walking so that I don’t trip. As I was heading to my car, my mind was going a mile a minute thinking about what I needed to do that day. I was not remaining in the present moment.

Lost in thought, I was not mindful of my walking, tripped, and did a face-plant on the sidewalk. As I lay on the ground wondering what just happened, I remember hearing voices asking if I was OK. As I sat up, blood poured from my face and I found myself surrounded by concern and compassion.

What do I remember?

Most of what happened in the moments surrounding the time I fell is still a blur. What I do remember is a few people crowding around me. There was a police officer, a local postal employee who also is an EMT, a man who gave me his handkerchief to stem the blood flow, and someone who ran to the drugstore to get bandages and peroxide. I am still overwhelmed with gratitude for the support of these strangers. I will say it once again, kindness matters. It was such a time of great vulnerability for me, and through the caring and concern of these strangers, I did not feel so alone.

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” –Scott Adams

Emotional and physical pain

As I drove myself to the emergency room, I broke down in tears. This was partly because of the pain, but more due to the fact that I believe my Parkinson’s disease may be progressing. Luckily, I only had some minor swelling, a few cuts and bruises, and a chipped tooth. However, my emotional healing is taking longer than my physical recovery from this fall.

Lessons learned

1. Practice what I preached in my previous column.
2. Remember the kindness of strangers that day, which has helped me to physically heal.
3. I am not alone.
4. I need to accept the fact that my mind moves a lot faster than my body and I no longer can multitask. I must pay attention to the task at hand.

“If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

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Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.

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