Embarrasibg falls

I had a fall at the checkout of my local sainsburys on wednesday. Putting shopping from trolly on to the counter my left knee went and there I was on the floor. An ambulance was called but after being checked over was aloud to travel home on my moblity scooter. Has anyone got a story to tell? lol take care all of you , you never know whats going to happern next.

Health and safety has gone mad these days, I fall over several times at home but dont call an ambulance out. I guess businesses are so scared of been sued by people trying to make money from less serious accidents and fake insurance claims etc.

I’m afraid in the end its people with genuine disabilities that tend to suffer the consequences. I always use wheelchair away from home unless I’m only going into brothers house or somewhere thats only a few steps between car and next seat, but usually have someone there walking at side of me.

How did your knee go from under you if you was sat on mobility scooter? or was you standing up at time?

I just put a basket on footplate and use my front basket also to put stuff in, i remain seated whilst taking things from baskets to counter and just pick asda basket up when theres few light things left in it and empty onto counter.

Maybe you just need to find another way of doing it if standing is getting too risky?

That sounds so traumatic - I do sympathise.

I dont fall outside, now that I walk carefully with walking stick although my husband has ‘caught’ me a few times.

Before I was diagnosed I had two significant falls - one was in the middle of a side road and although it was my finger that was broken, I was in such agonising pain, I couldnt stand up so the traffic had to wait for two men to carry me to the pavement and then call an ambulance.

It was my ring finger that was broken in two places. They contacted my husband and he took the opportunity to take my car in for service as I wouldnt be needing it that day!

That time I was out alone but the other time was when I fell on my face and put my bottom teeth through the of inside my top lip [took it on the chin!] and my husband suddenly realised I wasnt behind him as he went into the store and came back to pick me up!

My left kneeis my wekest point assofar as ataxia goes I go to move and then its as if its not there. I managed to hit my head, knocking off my glasses, got a lovely bruise the size of my hand on my thigh I,m sure it was for my own good they called the abulance, as there there was a nurse doing her shopping come to my aid. As for another way do my shopping, its only at the counter I would need assitance, which I will do in the future. lol

Kati said:

Health and safety has gone mad these days, I fall over several times at home but dont call an ambulance out. I guess businesses are so scared of been sued by people trying to make money from less serious accidents and fake insurance claims etc.

I’m afraid in the end its people with genuine disabilities that tend to suffer the consequences. I always use wheelchair away from home unless I’m only going into brothers house or somewhere thats only a few steps between car and next seat, but usually have someone there walking at side of me.

How did your knee go from under you if you was sat on mobility scooter? or was you standing up at time?

I just put a basket on footplate and use my front basket also to put stuff in, i remain seated whilst taking things from baskets to counter and just pick asda basket up when theres few light things left in it and empty onto counter.

Maybe you just need to find another way of doing it if standing is getting too risky?

Oh dear sorry to hear that Carol. It's something I always dread but mustn't let it stop us going out eh.. at least you were taken care of. We were talking about 'falls' at our group meeting, You just dont know when you are going to go.. but still people will say 'What were you doing... you must be careful!'... I hope you didnt have to spend too long at the hospital. x

Ouch!

I sometimes feel stupid when at the supermarket checkout! I'm still relatively young and, though I have made adaptions to the way I do things, I still try to do things as I used to before ataxia took a good grip on me from time to time. At the checkout I do lift heavier items up to the belt or bags from the bagging area to my scooter. I have, on occassion, dropped things to the floor, spilt bags or hurt myself lifting. Luckily the two super markets I normally use 'know' me now and all the staff are very helpful. If I ask for help or if staff see me in need of help, I get good help. This is not so much down to the professionalism of the staff but because they really do, it seems, understand that disabled folk sometimes need help. A good thing is that if I let the potential helper know that I'm OK and do not need help they back away but are still always ready should I later need help.

Someone wiser than me once told me that I am not so much disabled as differently able and that it's not about what I cannot do but about what I can! All that in consideration, I do sometimes push myself too much and this can (and does) lead to frustration, disapointment, embaressment or injury.

Do continue to do things as best you can but allow others to help when needed too.

As for another way of shopping, you could ask about: bag packing help or help to get your shopping to your car if you use a car. Maybe, you could ask about a 'personal shopper' (assistant) available to help you in store. The last option that I would consider is shopping through the supermarket online shop and having your shopping delivered. This last option is, for me, a very last option as it would kind of defeat part of the object of me going shopping! For me, the few visits a week to the supermarket(s) gets me out in the 'fresh' air, helps me socialise and is just generally good for me!

I hope your bruises heal soon along with that little dent to your pride (meant in a positive way). Take care, be safe and try to stay active without putting yourself in danger. :)

Kindest regards,

M.

I now have a mobility service dog who keeps me safe. I used to have spectacular falls. Once I was at a relative's house and was using the bathroom. I backed into the tub and boom, fell in. I hurt my back and it took about six months to heal. Another I fell on my bedroom floor and as I laid there, I was able to see all the toys and treasures my chihuahua hid under the bed. Now with Cooper people don't think I'm drunk anymore. He's a huge Collie and there's enough weight to him that I can't pull him over.

I have fallen many times over the years and had some that were memorable. I'm 55 and am a hold out from using any walking device. I know I should but to me it seems like giving in, anyway I was at a local steak house at the food bar and I was using tongs reaching to get the perfect piece of chicken and I ended up throwing the chicken and tongs with my head coming down and busting the glass on the food bar and then going on my butt to ultimately hit my head. The poor manager asked me if I wanted a refund and to leave and I said no I came here hungry and am not leaving until I eat.

Okay, that has got to be the best fall story!

Dear Carol, Glad you're alright! I was diagnosed with ataxia eleven years ago. I didn't start using a cane (when I left my home) until about four years ago, even though I should have! One day I was in a shop and fell, really injuring my back. From then on I started using a cane when I'd leave my home. Problem is, I SHOULD have used it in my home also, as I fallen a few times and hurt myself. A couple years ago I fell in my kitchen and hairline fractured my pelvis...,very painful! I've also fallen a couple times, hurting my knees and I fell backwards in my kitchen cutting the back of my head on the edge of the lower cabinets requiring 9 stables. I now have a quad cane in the kitchen to use, as well as a stool so I can sit at the counter if cutting things up, etc. I use to fall so gracefully and bounce....,not so much anymore! I also have a Access Active Rollator for pleasure walking, which I LOVE! ;o)

I fall all the time. While in a grocery store, not often now, I use my wheelchair. Motorized things I can not assure that I can handle safely. I have taken out many store displays. Always embarrassing. I feel more safe now in the wheelchair but I have on occasion fallen out of it. I do exercise on my 3 wheel recumbent street trike -- even this presents some difficulty.

So far I haven't broken a bone although I fear that will be inevitable. Before using the wheelchair I would fall at least once a day. Have also fallen off the toilet. Those falls embarrassing for sure. One moment I am sitting and in a nanosecond on the floor.

BTW it is the item on the top shelves in stores that award the most challenge. I have learned to ask for help.

Hang in there.

Owwwwwweeeee hope arn't hurting too much? I would feel highly embarrassed too. Let's see my memorable ones I was doing laundry for the family here and sadly live in an apartment complex with stairs something we had no choice in and a big worry for me. I was struggling with a basket and a door that has no way of being held open as went to step over the lil step kaplonk I fell forward and landed fall force on my knee ontop of the laundry basket my step daughter came running over to me and helped me up. I didn't cry or shout in pain but it hurt so much I ended up limping for 2-3 days. Everyone started telling me no more laundry for me that I wasn't to carry baskets or shopping anymore =0( it left my pride very bruised and when I get to the stairs step daughter comes running down to get the shopping even if a little trolley I have so that I don't trip trying to go shopping. The other one was few weeks back went to go to store for something I needed my step son was with me at the time my ankle just gave out I fell forward going down the hill and again landed on knee and hands. I ended up with completely muddied jeans, coat and hands carried on my journey and popped into a restroom to semi attempt to clean the mess up. He promptly told my fiance when he got home and I got a worried stare, I would happily have kept it to myself but the kids blab every time I have a fall leaving FH worried about me going out that he is now making his daughter do the local shop run. Another bruised pride moment for me, I now go to store when kids are at school as those 30 minutes of fresh air improves my mood or i'd ggo nuts

I too fall sometimes. Apart from one time I usually fall with “style” so my husband says. Just the occasional bruise however; one night I was sitting on the loo, finished what I was doing, stood up and went to pull up my pj’s. My fingers got twisted in the elasticated waistband and I landed smack on my head. I knocked myself out, don’t know how long for and came too in a huge pool of blood. I had a huge gash above my left eye and a smaller one below my eye, not quite sure how I managed both cuts with one fall, anyway I had to use the loo and the walls and the window sill to get up. I eventually managed to wake my husband and he asked what was wrong, I replied, I’ve had a fall and he said oh I thought I heard a bump. He came into the loo and there was blood everywhere it looked like a murder scene. Head wounds no matter how small are notorious for heavy blood loss. Needless to say he was shocked at all the blood and he felt really bad that I hadn’t woken him when I needed to pee. Anyway, he went out the very next day ang got me a commode and now I’m just waiting for my new downstairs bedroom and en suite wet room to be built. I do have a scar and have been known to use it to my advantage when I want something. A small price to pay for my extension.

My most traumatizing fall happened a few years before I was diagnosed. At the time I blamed it on just plain tripping. I was walking my baby grand daughter out on the sidewalk in front of the house. I was singing to her and when I went to turn around I fell. It was absolutely awful. The baby had to be kept at the children’s hospital overnight for observation as she had a tiny crack in her scull. She had to wear a padded hat and kept quiet for about a month. Thank God she has had no permanent damage. I have never felt more awful and guilty in my life. Obviously I had no idea I had ataxia, but that is around when I started falling frequently. At the time I blamed it on the ankle sprain I’d had a few months previously, that my ankle must have given out, but looking back of it seems as if the fall leading to the ankle sprain was a first sign. I’m crying just thinking about it.