La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
As I approached the low wall separating the Paseo from the beach, and the flimsy wooden box intended as a step, I thought, “Don’t do this.” But it was just a box and just a step up and then a few steps down, although the steps were sandy and offered no traction. “This is nothing,” I thought, pointedly ignoring the fact that the three meds I’m currently on have all made me feel a bit dizzy and unsteady on my feet at times.
I managed the step, wall, and steps with some unsteadiness and anxious breathing and nothing more. Then I approached the haphazard paving stones leading to the make-shift plank bridge across the little creek that separates Fuengirola from Benalmádena. “Nothing to it,” I said to myself while thinking, “This is a really bad idea.”
I wasn’t steady on the sandy paving stones and felt myself tipping. Hell, I’m not steady lately on solid ground. What was I thinking? As I began to fall to my right, I thought “Oh, it’s just sand.” But then I realized I was going over the start of the plank bridge. I flew through the air, turning my body as I went, and landed on my back in the creek (on the rocks) below. I lay there in silence and don’t think I even swore. A man on a balcony saw it happen. He called out to a man sitting on the nearby wall who ran to help me. I told him that, other than feeling stupid, I was fine (I had no idea really how I was). He got behind me and helped me slowly rise. He clearly knew what he was doing.
Someone else came running over from his job at a nearby beach club and asked me where it happened. I told him it was completely my fault but he angrily tore apart the make-shift path and footbridge.
I inspected my own damage without appreciating how extensive it was. I had at least a half hour walk home having actually reached the end of the Paseo this time. I considered phoning San Geraldo but didn’t. (Oh, yes, I heard about that.) Figuring if I sat down at any point, the soreness would kick in, I headed home (walking first along the beach to avoid the steps and wall) stopping only briefly half way at a chiringuito toilet where I dabbed some of my wounds with a wet paper towel. I still had no idea what a mess I was. I’m not as sore today as I expected to be.
Funding was recently released to continue the official walking path along the coastline connecting a series of towns. That disastrous little path and footbridge will soon be replaced with something permanent, and more stable for idiots like me who refuse to accept their own [even temporary] limitations. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Mientras me acercaba al muro bajo que separa el Paseo de la playa y a la endeble caja de madera que pretendía ser un escalón, pensé: “No hagas esto”. Pero era sólo una caja y sólo un escalón y luego unos cuantos escalones más, aunque los escalones eran arenosos y no ofrecían tracción. “Esto no es nada”, pensé, ignorando deliberadamente el hecho de que los tres medicamentos que estoy tomando actualmente me han hecho sentir un poco mareado e inestable a veces.
Logré el escalón, la pared y los escalones con algo de inestabilidad y respiración ansiosa y nada más. Luego me acerqué a los adoquines desordenados que conducían al puente de tablones improvisado que cruza el pequeño arroyo que separa Fuengirola de Benalmádena. “Nada de eso”, me dije mientras pensaba: “Esta es una muy mala idea”.
No me encontraba firme sobre los adoquines de arena y sentí que me inclinaba. Demonios, últimamente no estoy estable en tierra firme. ¿Qué estaba pensando? Cuando comencé a caer hacia mi derecha, pensé: “Oh, es solo arena”. Pero luego me di cuenta de que estaba cruzando el inicio del puente de tablas. Volé por el aire, girando mi cuerpo mientras avanzaba, y aterricé de espaldas en el arroyo (sobre las rocas) de abajo. Me quedé allí en silencio y creo que ni siquiera maldije. Un hombre en un balcón vio lo sucedido. Llamó a un hombre sentado en la pared cercana que corrió a ayudarme. Le dije que, aparte de sentirme estúpida, estaba bien (realmente no tenía idea de cómo estaba). Se puso detrás de mí y me ayudó a levantarme lentamente. Él sabía claramente lo que estaba haciendo.
Alguien más vino corriendo desde su trabajo en un club de playa cercano y me preguntó dónde había sucedido. Le dije que era completamente culpa mía, pero él, enojado, destrozó el camino improvisado y la pasarela.
Inspeccioné mis propios daños sin apreciar cuán extensos eran. Tuve que caminar al menos media hora hasta casa, habiendo llegado esta vez al final del Paseo. Pensé en llamar a San Geraldo pero no lo hice. (Oh, sí, escuché sobre eso). Pensando que si me sentaba en algún momento, el dolor aparecería, me dirigí a casa (caminando primero por la playa para evitar los escalones y la pared) y me detuve solo brevemente a mitad de camino en un chiringuito. baño donde me sequé algunas de mis heridas con una toalla de papel mojada. Todavía no tenía idea del desastre que era. Hoy no estoy tan dolorido como esperaba.
Recientemente se liberaron fondos para continuar el sendero oficial para caminar a lo largo de la costa que conecta una serie de ciudades. Ese pequeño sendero y puente peatonal desastrosos pronto serán reemplazados por algo permanente y más estable para idiotas como yo que se niegan a aceptar sus propias limitaciones (incluso temporales). Cruzaré ese puente cuando llegue a él. ¿Tenemos esa expresión en español? Significa, “Ya me ocuparé llegado el momento.”
• Y todavía hay retención de líquidos.
• I forgot to mention, I did this to myself in my sleep Thursday night.
• Olvidé mencionar que me hice esto mientras dormía el jueves por la noche.
• No tenía idea del desastre que estaba en mi camino a casa.
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WOW! Happy you were not more seriously injured. You guys (read Ron) who believe you can do EVERYTHING! What are we (read SG) to do?!
Now……watch your step buster!
Jim:
Do we never learn?
OMG, this is terrible. Please be careful. This is unfortunate.
Laurent:
Unfortunate and avoidable.
First off: Ouch!
Secondly: Feel better soon
Thirdly: Mitchell, you and I fall, often for no reason, so please be careful and stop listening to the first voice in your head that says it’ll be fine, and listen to the second and third voice that say DON’T DO THIS!!!!
Bob:
I really do have to start listening to the voices.
I am in your club – almost seven weeks ago I tripped against the edge of a box and put a dent in my shin – a big dent. Two doctor visits and an urgent care and finally I agreed to the Wound Clinic. The wound is healing but they insist it will heal faster if I have a compression wrap on my whole lower leg and half my foot. Bathing with this is an adventure. And it was all my own fault. We need to make better choices and single task!!!
sillygirl:
Ouch! That sounds awful. Hope the compression wrap is not needed for long.
YOUCH! Get out the antiseptic and the bandaids! Glad you didn’t injure your back when you landed on it.
Debra:
Unsurprisingly, we have plenty of bandages (of all sizes) and antiseptic on hand.
Take care of yourself, and please be careful. I will repeat Dr Wizirie’s words of wisdom, “don’t do anything stupid!” I loved him as a doc, he retired 5 years ago.
Mitchell, please be more careful. Seriously. You’re making your friends worry!
Jennifer
I admire your fortitude, Mitchell, but it always seems to get you in the end. From the picture it looks to me that you could have stepped right on the sand and walked around those stones, unless I’m not looking at it right.
You accident prone daredevil you! All you need is another hospital stay, so stop it.
Scary. Given your recent health issues, I would suggest for the foreseeable future you err on the side of “that’s a bad idea” whenever you need to make a decision whether “to cross that bridge when you come to it.”
Hope the healing is rapid.
Mary
Why? Why do we do things like this? Why do we not listen to the voice from our guts that tell us not to? And finally- why do we always deny that we are injured when we take a public spill? “Oh no. I’m fine. Thanks, but yeah- I’m fine!”
I always carry a walking stick when I walk. I remember my grandfather and his cane which he took on walks and claimed he only used it to poke things with. I use mine to protect myself from dogs…and, to steady myself in rough and uneven terrain. I need it sometimes. Perhaps you should consider carrying one too. They can look very stylish you know.
Ms. Moon
Ms Moon:
I was always told to ignore “the voices.” And just look where that got me! My mother was hit by a car when she was 80. She had two broken ribs and a punctured lung among her injuries. She said, “I’m fine and got on a bus to go home.” You’d think I’d have learned. I have a cane I bought in London in November when I had plantar fasciitis. It’s not stylish, but it might not be a bad idea.
I agree with Ms. Moon. I use hiking poles when I walk. Of course that’s off road and pasture, but it looks like you encounter some fairly “off road” obstacles on your path, too!
Kelly:
A “stick” isn’t a bad idea.
Ouch! What is that sometimes makes us deny our own gut judgements? My arthritic knee knows the consequences of denial.
Anon:
I really need to trust my gut.
Echoing many of the above comments. Was anticipating a wrenched back outcome. So glad that didn’t seem to happen. Yup, err on the side of caution for a while, please. Heal well! Olivia
Olivia:
Back is a little achy, but nothing serious. Another close call!
As soon as I read “and the flimsy wooden box intended as a step” I thought to myself TELL ME Mitchell didn’t do it with his famous track record of mishaps and accidents. I sure hope you don’t get any delayed issues from this and take it easy. Do I need to fly their directly and spank you????
And just WAIT, till the Duchess Deedles reads this.
Mistress Borghese:
Oh, yeah, I can hear Deeedles all the way from Sacramento.
Mistress Borghese:
As I wrote, I thought “Oh, Maddie is not going to be pleased with me.” But if it means you’ll fly here directly, then it worked (but, thanks, no spanking).
Dr boud checking in to say that as soon as I read about the flimsy steps I knew you’d go for it. Death wish approach. But I’m glad it wasn’t worse. No use saying don’t do that, I suppose. Hazards are a Mitchell magnet.
Boud:
I wonder if I do have a death wish. I sure make poor choices.
Glad you were not seriously injured. Going to tell you a brief story about Todd falling off his bicycle two summers ago and then getting back on the bike and riding eight miles back to his car. Long story short, he ended up with compartment syndrome and almost lost his leg – two weeks in the hospital, two surgeries. Fully recovered now, thank goodness, but be careful out there – you never know. If something seems like a bad idea………..
Carole:
Todd’s injury sounds awful. I’m glad he’s ok now.
Perhaps you should get yourself a stout walking pole, then you could be like Gandalf and wield it for balance and self-defense if needed, LOL! I emailed you a CBC news article about the benefits to walking backwards to improve one’s balance. Hope you heal quickly from all the cuts and scrapes!
Tundra Bunny:
A stout, stylish walking pole is a good idea. However, I pity anyone in the vicinity when I’m carrying it. I’m healing quickly. A bit achy but much less than expected.
Wow, Mitchell, this is not a blog-message for witch I press the “like”button. I hope you heal soon!
Anonymous is Jan from Perth
Jan from Perth:
Healing is going well. I keep giving you more than “likes.”
St. Christopher guide us – and protect us from ourselves!
Amen
Anon:
Now that’s a saint I could wrap my head around!
Scoot!!!! Give me a heart attack why don’t you! I stepped over onto this bloggy thing hoping against hope that it wasn’t going to be another tripping, falling, puncturing, injury post. Naturally, I was wrong. I’m thinking about coming over with Mads to hold you down while he does the spanking. Sheesh! One good thing has come out of this latest misadventure of yours, I now understand Balder Half’s knee jerk reaction of getting me a wristwatch doohickey that includes a phone to call him the next time I fall down. The worry can be, well, worrisome. SG needs to hook you up with one and you need to use it. You’re in your hip breaking years, man! Rant over. Forehead kisses, hugs and love heading your way.
Deedles:
I am SO sorry. Please, hop on your private jet, pick up Mads, and get your butts over here. No spanking, though. That’s never been of interest to me. Besides, there are too many sore spots you’d have to avoid. When I was little, our next door neighbor fell and broke her hip. She never recovered. My mother told me it was a terrible thing to happen when one is that old. She was 60!!!
Oh, my.
🙁
Patience above! I too sat up with eyes widened.
Only good thing out of something like this is ‘I get to blog about this”
Urspo:
I’m grateful for blogging. Otherwise these episodes might simply be upsetting.
Yikes! I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself worse! Those people were very nice to help you and even dismantle the bridge. (I wonder if someone else will set it up again.)
Steve:
I have a feeling the bridge path will be set up again (if it isn’t already).The guy on the balcony was very kind and concerned. The guy who helped me up was a gem. The kindness of strangers.
OUCH!!!!!!!!
Ron:
I hope it doesn’t bring back any memories for you!
Oh, Mitchell, you silly silly man. I am so glad you did not hurt yourself more than you did. I can barely cross my won living room without getting wobbly these days. I would have recognized that set up for the death trap it was. Please do be more careful! If risk and pain is your thing, decide on a safety word and find a friend to help indulge those desires in safe way.
Sassybear:
Risk and pain are definitely not my thing. And, like you, I have trouble simply crossing the living room lately. What a dork I can be.