This weekend was all about outside decorating on Saturday and indoors on Sunday.  But throw one trip to the ER and the whole schedule is caput!

It started out as a nice idea, hanging icicle lights on the roof of the front porch overhang. Simple right?  Early afternoon, I ventured outside with my ladder, lights, lights clips an a good attitude.  All I really needed was a little help, but the husband was off working and the 15 year old was in no mood to assist his mother.  Fine.  I’ll do it myself.

Now, I’m not really the stubborn type, maybe a little.  I just like to do things my way because it makes sense of course.  Ladder.  Check.  Hooks. Check.  Climb up ladder.  Sure, it’s a little wobbly.  Just a little.  I climb to the top and place in about 3 clips.  Banging on the window to get my son’s attention, remember, he was too tired to help? Well, I got his attention all right.

6 feet up in the air, and as I was making my way down, to “re-adjust my son’s attitude”, I felt myself beginning to fall.  Needless to say, I fell, and hit my head.  I felt ok at first, but then I couldn’t really get up as I felt dizzy.  That got the 15 year old outside.  “mom?”  “mom?”  He found me.  Lying on the ground.  With an extra appendage on my head.  (The lump the size of an orange).

Nice.  That threw off my itinerary completely.  He called my husband who recommended calling 911 to get me to a hospital to get checked out.  His response?  Her crying is annoying.  Nice bed side manner.  A doctor he will never be.  Lawyer maybe.

The only request I had of the Fire Department was not to have the lights.  Oh well.  I was in so much pain it didn’t really matter.

The toughest part for me was they had to cut my maroon shirt.  Damn, a good shirt ruined.

Ok, here are the positives:

No blood.

No broken bones.

Honestly though, the scariest moment is that you are in total pain, they are taking you away in an ambulance and you don’t know where your kids are.  Of course my son is extremely responsible and the neighbors are amazing.

Finally, when I get to the ER, alone, I realize I have no shoes on, no purse or phone.  And my head is throbbing.  And, did I mention they had me in this neck-brace thingy, that was pushing on my big bump?  Yeah, I’m all for caution, but that hurt.

Not being a big fan of pain killers, I asked for a very low-dosage.  It was just enough to take away most of the pain.  Then my husband appears and I was so relieved.  I didn’t even know what time it was, how long I’d been there, nothing.

I did remember the fall.  So that was good.  I never was knocked out.  that was good too.  But they wanted me to take a CT Scan to make sure I hadn’t fractured my skull.

Now, I will tell you, I have never, ever, broken a bone in my body, and I was not going to break one at this point either.  I knew it hurt, but I also knew nothing was broken, but my pride.

I’m fine.  A little “concussed” as my husband likes to say around the house today.  Kids are fine.  Annie is back in rare form, and, I got back up and got my lights up.  With no help.  This time, I went up on the roof.  And I have to tell you, they look pretty damned good.

Here’s my lesson.  Ask for help.  If you can’t get it, demand it.  And when all else fails, get up on the roof instead of an unstable step ladder!

Stay healthy, be fit and have fun!