The ART of Falling Down

Yes, you read it correctly. I have mastered the art of falling down! And trust me it hasn't been easy. Due to so much spasticity in my legs and such poor balance, I know falling very well. I would say out of 7 days a week, I fall at least four of them. Notice I didn't say all of them! I fell a week ago while going up the stairs. It was as if someone waited until I was half way up and turned the escalator on! I wasn't really hurt at all. I scratched my knee and bruised my wrist. I have done far worse in a fall. I use to be embarrassed by falling. If I fell in public, I would actually cry. I just felt humiliated! I am not big on ATTENTION seeking so it makes me uncomfortable when a lot of people stand around trying to help. I have fallen just about everywhere, so I think people know when they see me coming,....it could turn out to be an eventful visit.

Okay so back to my MASTERING the skill of falling. The first step is this.....LET IT HAPPEN! I have hurt myself far worse when trying to Stop a fall than I ever did just following through with one. I know what your thinking,"Falling hurts." Yes it does!! but trying to brace yourself or catch yourself can lead to furniture on top of you, broken things, and even someone else being hurt from your fall.. I have a great example of this. So I am at Walmart, I feel my legs giving out and I just did not want to fall in Walmart. I reach over and grab my nephews shoulder, I caught him off guard. We both fell. He actually was hurt worse than I was. I felt terrible!

I know that some people will be bothered by the idea that I am encouraging people to fall. But the truth is I am just saying, if it is going to happen, I just go with it. I am not saying go out and fall down gracefully every time you get the chance. We live with these symptoms 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We have to figure out how to deal with the symptoms the best way we can.

Now this doesn't mean people that don't fall should push the rest of us over, LOL :) It means that most of the things that are GOING to happen, will happen easier if we just go with them. Yes there will be consequences and there will be an aftermath to some degree. Do not feel obligated to fight that next fall. You will be fine. you will get up. You will fall again,......sorry I couldn't resist.

Life is full of falls, physical and emotional. We try to prevent them but that can make it worse. Falling down  in any way is not a trait of the weak. It is the trampoline of the strong. We fall and we bounce back up! So the art of falling is based on two principals. (1) I am probably going to fall. (2) I am probably going to get up. I mean let's face it, we use canes, walkers, and wheelchairs to aid in our mobility. We walk slowly and we walk knowing that we might fall down. We probably can not control when we fall but we can control what effect the fall has on us. I plan to fall beautifully and get up gracefully!

Blessings