La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Daily stretches are important. I know this and yet some days I just don’t bother. And I pay. Yesterday morning, I awoke with a cramp in my left foot. Reflexively, I hopped out of bed to press down on my foot to relieve the cramp. Unfortunately, I got a cramp in my left calf at the same time. There was no pressing the foot flat with the leg cramp and I yowled (quietly) and, continuing to quietly yowl, I started to tip over.
There’s about a 3-foot space between the bed and the wall on my side. An ottoman sits to the right near the night table. Atop the ottoman were three pairs of folded jeans waiting to be put away. Atop the jeans were pajama pants, a T-shirt, and underwear to be slipped on when I got up. On the floor was a pair of Crocs monstrosities to slip my feet into to protect against cat throw-up. I can’t even say exactly what happened, but after I finishing moaning and crying out (still quietly), and my left knee began to slip out of place but slipped immediately back in, I was on the floor along with the jeans, pajamas, and underwear.
The Crocs had somehow been knocked across the room. The night table lamp shade was crooked. My mobile phone was on the floor. As I got myself up, I saw I already had a hematoma on the middle finger of my left hand, and a huge lump on my left shin. My knee seemed to be fine, but I had no idea what else I had done to myself. I can’t even tell you exactly how I fell or what went where.
I walked into San Geraldo’s office to tell him. He said, “I heard you making noises. I just thought you were not happy to be getting out of bed. Why didn’t you yell for help?” Ah well. I made my breakfast and read and commented on blogs. When I went to shower, I couldn’t believe the size of the lump on my shin and I saw I had a 2-inch-long cut and had been bleeding. I cleaned the cut and covered it with ointment and a bandage. The shin only hurt to the touch. I went out for a short walk and to run an errand late afternoon. I met Shannon and Stacey for coffee and we sat and had a wonderful visit for a couple of hours. When I got up from the table, however, my knee cried out.
The finger is tender to the touch but looks fine. The lump on my shin was large last night, but is much smaller this morning, although also tender to the touch. My left hip is tender. My knee hurt less after I spent the night in bed. That’s where I’ll be headed again shortly. I’m actually grateful to have an excuse to lounge today.
I was recently thinking I hadn’t had an accident in ages. I haven’t walked into a wall or door, haven’t fallen out of bed, haven’t hit my head. I didn’t say anything, afraid to jinx myself (not that I believe in that). It didn’t matter though; all I had to do was think it (again, not that I believe in that). But knock on wood. Touch wood if you’re British.
For some examples of my klutzy history, click here, here, here, and here.
Anyway, check out the artwork Dudo left for me on his treats plate. That was a tidy pile of wet food when I served him.
Los estiramientos diarios son importantes. Lo sé, pero algunos días simplemente no me molesto. Y lo pago. Ayer por la mañana, me desperté con un calambre en el pie izquierdo. Por reflejo, salté de la cama para presionar el pie y aliviar el calambre. Desafortunadamente, también me dio un calambre en la pantorrilla izquierda. No pude presionar el pie con el calambre en la pierna y maullé (en voz baja) y, sin dejar de maullar en voz baja, empecé a caerme.
Hay un espacio de aproximadamente un metro entre la cama y la pared de mi lado. Hay una otomana a la derecha, cerca de la mesita de noche. Encima de la otomana había tres pares de vaqueros doblados esperando a ser guardados. Encima de los vaqueros había pantalones de pijama, una camiseta y ropa interior para ponerme al levantarme. En el suelo había un par de Crocs monstruosos para meterme los pies y protegerme del vómito de gato. Ni siquiera puedo decir exactamente qué pasó, pero después de terminar de gemir y gritar (aún en voz baja), y cuando mi rodilla izquierda empezó a salirse de su lugar, pero volvió a su lugar enseguida, estaba en el suelo junto con los jeans, el pijama, y la ropa interior.
Los Crocs habían caído al otro lado de la habitación. La pantalla de la lámpara de la mesita de noche estaba torcida. Mi móvil estaba en el suelo. Al levantarme, vi que ya tenía un hematoma en el dedo corazón de la mano izquierda y un bulto enorme en la espinilla izquierda. Mi rodilla parecía estar bien, pero no tenía ni idea de qué más me había hecho. Ni siquiera puedo decirte exactamente cómo me caí ni dónde fue qué.
Entré en la oficina de San Geraldo para contárselo. Me dijo: «Te oí hacer ruidos. Pensé que no te alegraba levantarte de la cama. ¿Por qué no gritaste pidiendo ayuda?». En fin. Preparé el desayuno, leí y comenté en blogs. Cuando fui a ducharme, no podía creer el tamaño del bulto en mi espinilla y vi que tenía un corte de unos dos centímetros y medio y que estaba sangrando. Limpié el corte y lo cubrí con pomada y una venda. La espinilla solo me dolía al tacto. Salí a dar un paseo corto y a hacer un recado al final de la tarde. Quedé con Shannon y Stacey para tomar un café y nos sentamos y pasamos un par de horas maravillosas. Sin embargo, cuando me levanté de la mesa, la rodilla me dolía.
El dedo está sensible al tacto, pero se ve bien. El bulto en mi espinilla era grande anoche, pero esta mañana es mucho más pequeño, aunque también sensible al tacto. Me puse pomada y una venda en el corte. Tengo la cadera izquierda sensible. La rodilla me dolió menos después de pasar la noche en cama. Ahí es donde volveré pronto. La verdad es que estoy agradecido de tener una excusa para relajarme hoy.
Hace poco pensaba que hacía siglos que no tenía un accidente. No me he estrellado contra una pared ni una puerta, no me he caído de la cama, no me he dado un golpe en la cabeza. No dije nada, por miedo a gafarme (aunque no creo en eso). Pero no importaba; solo tenía que pensarlo (de nuevo, tampoco creo en eso). Pero toco madera.
Para ver algunos ejemplos de mi torpe historia, haz clic aquí, aquí, aquí y aquí.
En fin, miren la obra de arte que me dejó Dudo en su plato de aperetivos. Era un montón de comida húmeda cuando le serví.
• Hemos tenido nubes, y algo de lluvia y truenos. Y cielo azul.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
I have a working theory that I get leg and foot cramps at night when I haven’t consumed enough fluids during the day…. Join my experiment if you like? 😀
Anonymous,
Fluids are important. I consume more than enough. So my problem now is stretching. If I don’t do so everyday day (and I like to do so a few times), I get night cramps. All my walking tightens the leg muscles and they need relief.
I have always had cramps in my feet and as I got older got them in my legs. The other night a deep leg cramp got me up for medication so i know what you are dealing with plus in moving a dead log I fell over and grazed the back of my hand. That wound has finally healed but now I feel like I am wearing a bracelet on that hand – the nerves will probably never recover. My husband has been doing the same sort of ridiculous things with wounds here and there. You are in our (unwelcome) club.
Anonymous:
Ouch. So sorry about the dead leg experience. SG’s leg fell asleep on the toilet once and he didn’t realize until he tried to stand on it. He immediately went over, but was lucky to not hurt anything or hit anything as he went down.
Dear Mitch, on a message like this one, where you are so honestly about what you’ve experienced, I cannot press the “like”-button. But I feel connected ;-)!
Jan and Dean from Perth:
Thanks so much for your message. I would have understood the “like” but it’s always nice to see a comment from you!
That cramp situation is too familiar. And the puzzlement about what exactly happened. I hope you’re doing better now. Boud
Boud:
So much happened in a matter of seconds that I don’t think my brain could keep up. I know I must have slipped my left leg under bed to have hit my shin like that. Don’t remember hitting my hand either. The only thing I clearly remember happening was the knee and my relief when it quickly slipped right back into place without dislocating completely.
I will join in the Cramp List. Every so often I get them in my calf while sleeping and bolt upright in bed and try to both massage it away and straighten out my leg.
I have yet to have the Double-Cramp-Topple-Over but I’ve no doubt it’s in the future.
Glad you’re healing from it all, both physically and emotionally!
Lastly ……. crocs? Oh Mitchell, you know Maddie is gonna come for you!
Here’s another night cramp sufferer – though in latter years by acting quickly every time I feel it coming on I’ve not let it proceed to ‘climax’ in what must be over 30 years by now. Just the recollection of that dire, extreme pain – a terrifically unbearable agony I know like NO other I’ve experienced – is enough to rapidly get on my feet to stop it progressing. I can’t even begin to imagine what a worse pain can be like! I could never stop myself crying out! So if yours, Bob and Mitch, can be described as being like what I can potentially experience you both have my most sincere sympathies. Oh, just the thought of it!
Raybeard:
Like you, if I feel it coming on, I know what to do to make it quickly OK. This time, the two cramps together took me by surprise. Fluids and stretching actually cure it for me. I’ve been doing the fluids, but not the stretching.
Bob:
Oh, yes, I was afraid to mention the Crocs. There’s an outlet at Plaza Mayor in Málaga and they seamed like a good idea at the time (for around the house). I have grown to hate them even for that. I just haven’t bought something to replace them yet. The double-cramp was a first for me. Major ow!
Have you considered a padded room? For persons prone to falling out of bed, some recommend placing the bed on the floor, so they don’t fall so far.
He’s just soooooo helpful! 😉😆
wickedhamster:
I think I remember David suggesting the padded room in the past. I should have listened!
David:
I would love padded walls and floors and furniture. Of course then I’d be bouncing off everything just for the hell of it. As for the bed on the floor, I’d then need a swing hanging from the ceiling to pull myself up… or maybe put to other uses.
Dudo has some real talent; he must get it from living with you. Nice flower pic! And I loves me some big, dark, ominous cloud–the universe sends them to remind us we’re not in charge.
wickedhamster:
As you can tell, I also love big dark dramatic clouds. And thunder was rumbling as I took the photos, which I also love. SG was not happy.
OH OH…. two artists in the house!! How cute Dudo is!
Now, Mr. Klutzy, take care and be in the moment at all times/well, at least half the time. Living with a fellow Klutz I know your ‘pain’. Take care.
Jim:
I nearly knocked my coffee into SG’s lap this morning when we were out! I like to believe Dudo intended that heart just for me. And there was almost a second heart within the first.
Oh, no… cramps are the WORST… the WORST. And, then, to end up having them cause you to fall and get so banged up … terrible! Did icing help the hematoma?
Those sky photos are crazy. That beautiful hint of blue, though…. yes… spring is springing 🙂
Judy C:
The hematoma on my finger disappeared very quickly. I should have iced my shin, but I was NOT IN THE MOOD. It’s not as swollen as it was. Lots of fog and clouds again recently, but the blue sky has been peeking out at some point. It’s brilliantly blue right now.
Sorry to hear of your mishap — I hope everything heals up quickly! I love your exercise-in-perspective photo of the Christmas cactus. Did you have to get down on the floor to take that shot? And the heart-shaped message of love from Dudo — adorable!
Debra:
Quickly (at least I think so) improving. Thanks. The flower photo is a selfie although the flower didn’t take it. I set it on selfie, held the camera way down low to focus, and snapped. I loved the heart from Dudo. He has been adorable again lately. I think the increased dosage is making a big difference. I hope we’ll begin to notice him filling out a bit. Cuddling with him can be heartbreaking right now with just skin, hair, and bones to stroke.
Falls are just the weirdest thing. One second you’re an upright homo sapiens and the next you’ve become some sort of inert mass, wondering how you came to be on the ground. Or floor. Whatever. And before we’ve even had time to start to take inventory of our possible injuries, we’re saying things like, “I’m fine! I’m just fine!” The last time I fell, flat on my face, that’s what I was saying as I was spitting out dirt and realizing I had blood running down my nose.
Glen gets bad cramps too. Tall men…
Yes. Definitely take the day off and let your body start to sort things out.
I think Dudo is sending you a message.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
Who you callin’ a homo? Yes! I always yell “I’m fine. I’m fine!” Even when I’m not. I remember you eating dirt. THAT would be awful. I’m so glad it didn’t damage your beautiful nose. I’ve walked face-first into windows and doors, but have never gone face first. Oh crap, another KNOCK ON WOOD!!!
I can’t imagine how you fell and hurt so many places in 3′ of space! I’m hyper aware of the dangers of falling at my age (soon to be 76) though I have never fallen, just losing balance or something giving out and keeling over. I’ve tripped over things but not for a long while and I practice balance almost every day. Nevertheless I make sure there is nothing in my pathways, no discarded clothes, no dog toys, rolled up the area rugs long ago but mostly because I got tired of vacuuming the dog and cat hair off them.
I hope nothing serious got damaged.
ellen abbott:
My left leg must have slipped under the bed and hit the edge. That’s all I can figure. But I have no recollection of all the choreography. My knee is improving. The hip is fine. I’m hardly aware of the bruised finger. The shin is purple and ugly and still has a bump (but smaller than yesterday) and only hurts to the touch and then not horribly. I’ll be fine. Until I do something else stupid.
I empathize completely, Scoot!
Deedles:
I know you do. And you have even “better” stories.
Thirty years ago I was waiting at the top of our deck stairs for my little dogs to do their business in the rain. I was wearing an old pair of Birkenstock clogs that were worn down at the heel so the cork was exposed. I shifted my weight and my left foot shot out from under me and I bounced down the steps on my butt and landed sprawling on the concrete pad. When I crawled upstairs to show my husband my purple/blue backside, he said “I heard something but just thought you dropped some books.” Hubby, meet San Geraldo. (And after all these years I still have a crease in my left buttock.)
TexasTrailerParkTrash:
SG always calls out from the other room, “Are you OK?” I always say, “Yeah, just welcoming the day.” This is the first time he didn’t call out. But I don’t know what he could have done at that point anyway. I would have been down by the time he arrived. I made the slightest noise this morning and he called out. He said he didn’t want to be annoying but thought he should continue that behavior. I agreed. He makes noises, too, and I always ask if he’s OK. For dramatic effect, he often calls back, “I don’t know.”
Well you’re a trooper if you still went out after that incident! And did Dudo seriously make that design?? I’m very impressed.
Kelly:
Gotta keep moving. But I barely hurt when I first walked out the door. And, yes, Dudo did that. There may have been help from Moose. They do often go from plate to plate. But that was Dudo’s plate. He’s so clever.
Ouch. That reads like an episode of Mr Bean or Laurel & Hardy, but not quite so funny for you… I hate cramp – especially the one that makes you leap out of bed to try and stretch the foot/calf/whatever, but also those really bloody annoying ones in the fingers or hand (which I get a lot, where a digit “moves by itself” and takes loads of effort to stop it spasming).
Arnica ointment helps, I find. It says it’s for bruises, but it also relives cramp. Jx
PS Lovely to see the cactus still putting on a show!
Jon:
Someone (much younger) just told me about their hand cramps. I’ve never experienced that (TOUCH WOOD!!!)
My two things are taking in enough fluids (I never fail now) and stretching often (which I have failed at recently). I was able to stretch my calves today (and will do so at least a couple more times). The knee is becoming more forgiving. The cactus has 6 more buds and the all dropped except for this one.
Me too. I am a martyr to cramp. It is extraordinarily painful.
Uh oh.
Stretching is like reading: fundamental. I have to do warming up and stretching every day, otherwise, I feel like I have not totally awake. Sorry about the hematoma!
XOXO
Sixpence:
I’m with you when it comes to stretching. Somehow I stopped doing it recently and I paid the price.
My ottoman is used incorrectly for stacks of unwanted clothes
Not my choice
Adam
Nekorandom.com
Adam:
At different times in the past, we had a NordicTrack, a treadmill, and an exercise bike in the master bedroom. SG loved them for hanging his clothes.
I fell down at work during the summer, bled all over the place (even though it was just a minor cut to the finger.) It happened so fast I barely remember it.
Kirk:
Sometimes, it just happens. Sad about all the blood, but so glad it just a minor finger cut.
Did you know that Magnesium Glycinate is supposed to help prevent cramps? Good for other things too, like helping sleeping. You could try it?
Frances
Frances:
Ah, thanks, but I already take too many things. I avoid these cramps completely when I consume enough fluids (which I always do now) and stretch at least once daily (which I haven’t been doing).
I call those “Fuck you!” mornings, where you wake up and the world goes, “Ha! Fuck you!” Mine usually involve trying to accomplish one simple task and multiple disasters get unleashed in the process.
FWIW – after YEARS of bouts of plantar fasciitis, I never get out of bed without stretching my toes and legs (and hips and lower back) first. Just a good, slow, relaxing stretches. Works wonders for when I then put the feet on the floor. Otherwise, I am walking like Frankenstein for the first hour or so…
Rade:
I have too many of those mornings. Sometimes I wake up and say “Ah, fuck” for no apparent reason. I also stretch when I get out of bed, but the cramps beat me to the punch that morning.
Dudo has clearly forgiven you for taking him to the VET. Such a cute wee message!
May your multiple bruises heal quickly! Charleyhorses in the legs and calves are so painful and scary, especially when they wake you up at night! After I introduced foods rich in potassium and manganese into my diet (i.e., bananas, sweet potatoes, nuts) and keep hydrated with water, I haven’t had any charleyhorses since! Since you walk and exercise a lot, Scoot, taking a nice hot bath with 2 cups pf Epsom salts will help eliminate lactic acid build-up in your muscles and you’ll have a great, restful sleep!
Tundra Bunny:
It was so nice to be forgiven the next day. I think he’s feeling much better with the increased dosage of meds, too. He‘s eating more instead of just begging as if he’s starving and then leaving it all over. His behavior is much more like it used to be, too. More social. More playful. More cuddly.
And, yes, I make sure to drink plenty of water which makes a huge difference. Added to the fluids, stretching completely solves the problem for me. So, it’s my own fault.
Tenemos que proponernos hacer más estiramientos que no nos pasen accidentes 😂
Merchi:
¡Nos lo recordaremos!