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Keeping Balance

 


I was walking on the sidewalk when my cane slipped on the pavement and I fell to the ground. A strange sensation of falling . . . a momentary blackout of consciousness, then regained slowly with fear and terror. My right elbow bled, bruised by the concrete. I tried to raise my body, but could not get up. Did the fall crack my skull? Did I break my back? A woman and a man were walking on the other side of the street, and I called out for “help.” They came over and together, they helped me to my feet; the woman then called my home on her cellphone. How important it is that the healthy can help the impaired, and the young can help the old.

I had a flashback of a conference at Long Beach Veterans Hospital, conducted by Dr. Pat Quigley, a nurse consultant, who gave presentations about “Preventing Falls and Fall-Related Injuries,” such as, broken hips and knees. Two Filipino uncles of mine, after a fall, spent the remaining years of their lives bedridden in a hospital. A German gardener, pulling weeds from a wall, fell into the pool and drowned. My fear of ending my life like my uncles intensified, so did my care in keeping my balance when I move. I made sure that the hallways were clear of errant objects and throw rugs, including my side of the bed.

Kaiser Permanente, our medical health provider, has put together simple ways to improve your health through exercise, maintaining your balance, improving bladder control, and focusing on your mental health. At home, I have installed grab bars on the doors leading to the outside and in the two bathrooms. I lift weights to keep my muscles from getting flabby. I now use a walker to navigate sidewalks, medical offices, and the Sunday “Mass on the Grass” at St. Joseph’s.

Growing old is knowing what your body is capable of. Do you remember what you did last summer, but not what you ate for dinner last night? Do you still smell the jasmine in the garden, and the steak you broil? Do you still hear the flute high Cs in Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony?” Knowing the state of your body’s strength and senses—this you must accept with equanimity and grace.



o0o



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