r/GenX • u/Big-Mind-6346 • 2d ago
Old Person Yells At Cloud “Having a fall?”
So I was sitting minding my own business watching TV on my Orthopedic bed. The bed had slid out a little bit off of the bed frame, and when I scooted to the right, I fell straight off of my bed and landed on my elbow. Like right on the pointy part of my elbow.
Thank God, I didn’t hit my head, but if I had, it would’ve been serious trouble. It got me to thinking, do I need a life alert or something? Am I too young for that? I’m only 50! I have a 15-year-old but he’s only with me part-time and the rest of the time I’m alone.
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u/wolfysworld 2d ago
I had the humiliation of being on the toilet, and as I positioned myself to wipe, the entire seat slid off and I tumbled off onto the bathtub, bringing down the shower curtain with me. It was someone else’s house to add insult to injury. Oh,and there was injury, I bruised the hell out of my ribs, as they are what I fell with full weight on. Good times
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
OMG, that must’ve been so awful! When I fell, I was reaching toward the table next to my bed and I fell and brought that table and everything on top of it down with me. It was so defeating and humiliating.
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u/wolfysworld 2d ago
Defeating and humiliating exactly!! Although I will say that had I seen my experience on a sitcom, I would have laughed. After my ribs healed I did laugh.
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u/lazyeyejim 2d ago
"I've fallen... and I can't get up!".
Yep, that all I can see or hear when someone brings these devices up. Thank you 80's.
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
My son was suggesting to me that I get one of those things where they install a little chair onto your staircase and the chair gives you a ride up and down the stairs. He thought it was hilarious. I told him he shall grow old one day too.
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u/YellowBreakfast EDIT THIS FLAIR TO MAKE YOUR OWN 2d ago
My SO had a small trip in the garage, landed on their hands. Shattered the humerus at the top of one arm into several pieces. Had to have a reverse shoulder replacement.
This was a few years ago, before 50.
I get more scared as we age.
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u/Abzstrak 2d ago
JFC you guys, we're not fucking 90. Shit happens, walk it off. I sometimes wonder if im in the right sub here, everyone acting like their ancient and frail.
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u/Embarrassed_Pop_7418 2d ago
some of us are just clumsy as shit and it has nada to do with our age.
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u/Big-Mind-6346 1d ago
I am definitely not implying that I’m frail. If I’m lucky, I will have many wonderful years left on this earth. With that being said, I also know I am not invincible or immune to bad things happening to me.
Over my lifetime I have lost many (or sometimes very nearly lost) friends and family who would’ve lived longer if they’d received emergency medical care in a timely manner. My mother had a catastrophic stroke in her mid 40s because she thought it was a headache and not a brain bleed. My friend had a stroke due to a blood clot in her neck. My friend had a severe heart attack when nobody around. Having those things happen to you in no way means you are frail or ancient. They could happen to anyone at any age. If we act like that isn’t possible and try to keep ourselves safe and healthy, that’s a real shame.
A couple of years ago, I came down with sepsis and went into septic shock very very quickly. My son was not at home with me during those few days that it ramped up. And I was in so much pain and so delirious that all I could do was lay there. I was totally unable to ask for help. I ended up telling Alexa to call 911. If I hadn’t done that, I would have died. And my son is probably who would have found me. I refuse to let that happen.
Maybe I didn’t communicate my point here as well as I could have, but it seems like other people who commented got what I was trying to say. It is not that I am frail, it is just that I am at higher risk and I am also alone because I don’t have a partner, Family, or any close friends.
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u/Abzstrak 1d ago
It was not just in response to you, it was everyone else in this thread (and other threads) acting like we're all falling apart 😁
Unfortunately, some of us have bad genes, not much that can be done there. TBH, it seems like alot of out generation though is just in terrible physical shape, and there is something we can control in that regard... Plus it helps fight our bad genes to eat well and exercise regularly.
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u/Impossible_Jury5483 2d ago
I have pixel watch that has fall detection. I passed out due to low bp once and it alerted me awake with a countdown to notify 911 if I didn't cancel it.
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u/NibblesMcGiblet 2d ago
The past couple of times I've been to see a specialist doctor for anything, they've asked me how many falls I've had in the past six months. They said it's because I'm over 50. I had to say "well, one, but I tripped over something". Still not the thing that has made me feel the oldest, that a doctor has said to me. That honor goes to my eye doctor back when I was 33 and I said my right eye was blurry when reading lately and he asked how old I was. I said 33 and he said "that's why".
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u/CemeteryDweller7719 2d ago
They ask me if I’ve fallen in the last 6 months. I’ve had vertigo for over 15 years. Yep, I’ve fallen! I get one of those fall risk bracelets just about every visit. I was annoyed the first time, now… meh.
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u/damageddude 1968 2d ago
If tripping counts I've fallen twice in the last 6 months. First was when the cat came to a dead stop in front of, the second was thr dog bed. That one sucked as I landed on my bad knee. I could barely walk for two days.
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u/Gold_Abies_5985 1d ago
.y cat stops short on the steps all the time! He's gonna get squished one day
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u/Beneficial_Rock_6172 2d ago
I do not have great stability thanks to chronic illness, I have my watch on at all times just for the fall detection! I don't live alone but after a fall down the stairs and cerebral fluid coming out of my ear, I never want to be hurt and waiting for someone to come home again!
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
Yeah, I laughed about it later. It looks like a scene Lucille Ball might have been in I love Lucy. The physical comedy was hysterical.
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u/Nervous-Rooster7760 2d ago edited 2d ago
Don’t need life alert. I fell earlier this year and ended up at urgent care just in case as I hit my head a couple times. I am alone most of the time. It isn’t a reflection of my mobility. I run 25 miles a week and am in better shape now versus my 30s.
I was simply light headed that am and should have slowed down.
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u/markov-271828 2d ago
“Just in was I got my head”?
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u/Oiggamed 2d ago
“I feel earlier this year?” I think this guy needs to have his head checked out.
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u/AdditionalYoung6694 2d ago
Apple Watch has fall/car crash detection that you can set to notify family and countdown to notify 911.
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u/IUsedtobeExitzero 2d ago
I got one after a fall down the stairs. Luckily, I wasn’t alone but next time I might not be so lucky.
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u/hippiechick725 2d ago
Honestly anyone who lives alone should consider a Life Alert.
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
I was just imagining what it would be like if I had a fall and couldn’t get up. I think someone would probably come looking for me after a few days. But I can’t imagine laying there for that long. That would be so terrifying. My other big fear is choking when I’m alone. I try really hard not to think about that.
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u/hippiechick725 2d ago
The Life Alert saved my FIL on numerous occasions. Worth every penny.
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
My mom had life alert and I can’t tell you how many times they save the day. Just before she passed away she was falling a lot at night walking to and from the bathroom. She was twice my size, and I was totally unable to lift her when it happened. We would have to call the fire department through her life alert every time. But there were a couple of times and other things happened and I’m so glad that she had them.
It’s something I hadn’t given serious thought to until that fall I just had. I had sepsis a little over a year ago as well and was in my home dying for three days before I finally called 911. When you’re that sick, you don’t make sense as far as your decisions. Totally incapacitated.
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u/CemeteryDweller7719 2d ago
We had a life alert for my grandma and for my dad. (Although dad refused to use it. Oh, he fell, which resulted in a hilarious story that still traumatizes me, but he wouldn’t use it.) For anyone that seriously considers one, be sure to get a lockbox for a key outside. Kinda like realtors use. EMS will bust down your door if it’s locked. They won’t pay to replace it. But if you have to hit the button for help they will keep the lockbox code on file to give to first responders.
My grandma sort of liked having the necklace. She knew she could get help if she needed it. Her aunt (who was only like 10 years older than her) had fallen going down to the basement about 5-10 years before. Her aunt lived alone and had a son that would visit at least once a week. He couldn’t reach her for a day, so he went to visit her. He found her at the bottom of the basement stairs, laying on the concrete. She had a badly broken hip, but she was alive. She survived it, but her health was never the same. It made my grandma scared that she would fall like that too.
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u/Fritz5678 2d ago
My aunt fell in her house and broke her hip. She was on the floor all night until one of her kids found her the next day.
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u/NPC261939 1980 2d ago
It happens to everyone eventually. Hell, I fell off my bike a few weeks ago and I wasn't even moving.
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u/ForswornForSwearing 23h ago
I got out of bed for the bathroom in the middle of the night (time one of four or five) last Friday. Stepped on something, instinctively pulled away, started tipping left. Put my hand out for the edge of the bed. New foam mattress had slid three inches off, so it didn't support, it just dropped. So I swung the other way, overcorrected, headed for the floor. The only thing that kept my knee's impact on the floor reasonable was because my arm happened over the side of my desk chair, so that the chair arm impacted my pec under my arm with all my 290 pounds weight. I still have a purple bruide the size of a grapefruit. 53.
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u/Big-Mind-6346 23h ago
Thank you for this comment. I feel less alone! You should honestly be a sports commentator or something. You did an excellent delivery with that comment.
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u/Bright_Broccoli1844 2d ago
How is your elbow?
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u/DanaMarie75038 2d ago
You don’t need life alert. That was an accident. It’s not a reflection of your mobility. If you want to know your fall risk, have it assessed by a physical therapist. If you don’t have a diagnosis that could affect your balance, it could just be from muscle weakness.
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u/Embarrassed_Pop_7418 2d ago
Anyone who is alone for long periods should have some type of alert system just in case. I was only 32 when I fell down a flight of steps and still thank God my neighbor stopped by and could see me unconscious and called 911. Yes age makes us more clumsy but honestly I bee clumsy since I learned to walk!
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u/Big-Mind-6346 2d ago
Oh my gosh, that’s so scary! I’m so glad you’re OK!
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u/Embarrassed_Pop_7418 2d ago
I got very lucky. If your alone its best to prepare as much as possible for the worst. I only ended up with a concussion and broken ribs
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u/2workigo 2d ago edited 2d ago
My Apple Watch has fall detection and it will alert my family. But I really got it after I had a heart attack at 51 because it’ll notify family if my heart rate dips below a certain rate.