I'd been putting off assembling that bed but with no particular reason. Today the reason became obvious - because it was an accident waiting to happen.
While bolting pieces into place and feeling quite pleased with myself (pride does indeed come before a fall...) I tripped over a leg of the bed with my big feet. Well my big right foot to be honest. It was one of those comedy falls with flailing arms and attempts to recover but then the moment of inevitability arrives and in slow motion you plunge head first first towards the nearest object - in this case a console table that I use as a dressing table. I thought my hands would break the fall but it was my forehead impacting on the edge of the table that did that - accompanied by a loud bang and a strangled groan slash scream of protest. I slid onto the floor and sat up quite quickly, palm of my hand pressed to my forehead. I took it away and looked in my palm - yes there was blood -but not a huge amount. I sat there for a few moments before picking myself up and heading to the kitchen for paper towel to stem the flow. Shock kicked in and I lay on the sofa for half an hour dripping wet and feeling faint until it passed. It was only when I stood up to look at my head in the mirror that I started to discover my other injuries. I'd been completely unaware of the pain in my ankle until I stood on it, or my wrist til I opened my phone. I laid down for another half hour (after dressing my head wound) and then decided to drive home before my foot got any worse. I arrived home without incident and have been resting since.
I was very, very lucky. No broken bones. The cut was shallow and I was able to patch myself up and get home safely. There were other items I could have landed on and narrowly missed - a large picture frame that would have gone straight into my chest, and a couple of inches to the left and the corner of the table would have gone straight into my eye. This has all made me think. I have to be more careful. I could have been in a very different position tonight. As a person alone it makes me fearful for the future. I was young enough and fit enough to take care of myself today - but in a few years - or even tonight - I could have been laying there waiting to be missed in a day or two. None of my neighbours came to investigate despite the noise and my cry. Home wouldn't have missed me until Friday evening at the earliest and work not til Saturday. I guess I feel vulnerable and that's a new and uncomfortable feeling. I don't like it. I've always been so independent.