Cracked Ribs

     My daughters asked me recently to tell the story of the time I cracked some ribs. They had not been born when it happened – so I guess it is a story they have heard from time to time over the years and remember – maybe because it is so typically me. I was married and working at the lab at Roswell Park, and I had come down with a nasty cold – probably a sinus infection. I had been home from work, having learned early in my post-college work life that when I am sick, folks appreciate my staying away and not sharing my germs.

     I think I had been home two days with no energy at all – which means I spent daylight hours lying down on the couch watching TV.

     When Guiding Light was over on the second afternoon – at 4PM, I thought perhaps I could take a shower. A few minutes later I was in the shower; I put shampoo in my hair and started to lather up. Suddenly my vision was starting to tunnel and I realized that I needed to get to sit or lie down.

     But I also thought I might have some time.

     I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair – quickly. Then I leaned down and turned off the water. Getting out of the tub could have been tricky – the tunnel vision was narrowing. I managed to get one foot out of the tub and then the other foot out. Vision was gone at this point. But I was still standing and I thought I might have more time.

     Two steps straight out of the bathroom would be needed, turn right, and a few steps to the bed in the bedroom. Once out of the bathroom, I started to run! How many steps to the bed? And I was sinking. I crashed into the nightstand and rolled onto the bed. I stayed until my vision returned – oxygen got back to the brain. I was sick and had been lying down for 48 hours – apparently I had pushed myself too far – too far to take a measly shower.

     But I had crashed into the nightstand – and because I was sinking while running toward the bed, my ribs met the edge of the nightstand. And I must have cracked one or more of them because my ribs hurt after that – for a long time – it hurt to take a deep breath, it hurt to cough, it hurt to laugh. That was the worst part – it hurt to laugh, for weeks!

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