With a brief run this morning, abruptly ended by a faceplant on a dirt and gravel downhill. First time I've ever had to abort a run and walk home. However I'm not as brave as Linda, and since I was dripping blood I figured more running probably wasn't a great idea.
Pharmacist told me to go to A & E, where they confirmed I have tetanus antibodies so no booster needed, nothing's broken, and patched me up. When I arrived I looked like an ancient low-budget domestic violence poster (see photo, taken five minutes after I fell.) Now I have dressings all over the shop and look like I'm auditioning for a Hammer Horror pirate movie.
Won't be running for a few days as I've pulled something behind my right knee. All my own fault for trying to run in Ghosts on slippery, uneven terrain that needs hybrid or trail shoes.
Could've been much worse though, and I'm thankful I live in a country (France) where you don't have to produce a credit card and valid insurance policy before healthcare professionals look at you.
Wishing everyone safe, happy running!
Written by
Cmoi
Marathon
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Oh bless! That looks sore and is going ro be soectacular as it bruises up. Be really, really kind to yourself today and tomorrow. Heal fast. Take care xxx
Hospital prescribed me loads of dressings plus wound cleaning and healing stuff, so picked that up at pharmacy on way home. Glad I did, as I doubt I'll be able to drive tomorrow. At least I won't be out there frightening the public!
My leg's definitely ouchier now than it was this morning. Think painkillers might be in order so I can sleep. Ointment is already helping to get the gravel out, so that's good 😀
That's horrible ...heal well and give yourself time to recover .If you had to fall then France was a good place to fall.They really do take care of you.
Thanks Oldfloss . We've lived here 16 years and I've never had to go to A&E before, in fact I rarely go to the doctor at all other than to get antihistamines and allergy treatments. I'd not normally have bothered after a fall, only this time I'd banged my head and got lots of dirt and gravel in the scrapes, so was concerned about tetanus.
I'm glad you are not too badly injured....but a fall like that..ouch!I fell off my cycle once in the rain in Le Bugue...opposite the pharmacy...and they all rushed out..wouldn't let me move until they were sure I hadn't broken anything...and patched me up...then and there!!!
They're lovely in our local pharmacy. I once went in and asked for eye drops, because the day before the doctor's receptionist said the first appointment was in over a week - I was working at the time. Dispensing assistant looked at me and insisted on phoning the doctor to get me seen immediately, between two other appointments. Doctor then told me off for not consulting him earlier!
There's plenty about France that drives me crazy but here I feel more at home, and generally less out of place in the world, than I ever did in the UK. xxx
Me too...! My other little tin tent home in Wales makes me feel like that too. I so miss France. It has been too long since we were there! Maybe in the Autumn... sigh!
Thanks Frenc . It was so weird, I sort of fell twice - tripped and lurched to the right, bounced up, then hit my head and left and and shoulder. This will not be featuring in a Strava video!
I really did feel grateful for the healthcare. Everyone from the local pharmacy staff to the A&E receptionist, two nurses, junior doctor and consultant was professional and caring. I think I'll pop back with something for them when I can get back there again.
That’s a smashing idea, I think they’d really appreciate it. I sent a card and some chocs to A@E a while ago - I had an ear plug stuck so far down my ear I honestly believed they’d have to operate to get it out! Thankfully they had a supersonic sucky machine that did the job but they were so kind. When I could hear what they were saying that is 🤣.
Thanks nowster . I wasn't going to bother with hospital until the pharmacy said that my GP was unlikely to be available and they thought I needed to be properly checked over. I kept apologising to the A&E staff for taking up their time when they had other more serious cases to deal with.
I'd decided I wouldn't do anything memorable for my second anniversary of C25K graduation, just a low-key, no-tech run. Well that worked well, didn't it! 😜
Thanks HeavyFoot . I don't think my leg's going to let me drive for a couple of days, let alone run, so I'm hoping to catch up on all the life admin I've not had time for. Other than getting a haircut and new ID photos, that is!
I doubt I'll even be leaving the house today as my right leg won't let me! From memory the ID photo regulations ban all sorts of ludicrous stuff such as fringes too near the eyes and large earrings, but not giant white gauze dressings 🩹😈
Thanks aliboo70 . Things hadn't really started to hurt at that point, about 5 minutes after I fell. The whole situation felt so ludicrous a smiley selfie seemed like a good idea. 😕
I mean, if Linda can post photos of her smashed gnashers and gloriously restored smile, surely the world needed to see how beautifully my gravel rash co-ordinated with my top!
Hey! Welcome to the Bruisers Club! That’s 3 of us now! You look like you got more places than I did though. Well done walking back home again, how Linda carried on I’ll never know. Hope you’re not too sore this evening x
I've no idea how Linda carried on either. When I've fallen previously I've picked myself up and carried on, but this time I was close to home, bleeding a bit and only had one paper hanky with me. When I tried running again the bleeding - obviously - got worse so I went back to walking instead!
Since we perform in Renaissance costume it takes a *lot* to get them to take any notice! Though I could sweep in with my Scottish Widows style black velvet cape, hood draped over my face, then fling it back dramatically to reveal either the dressings or the excuse for a face.
Even then they'd probably just go "Oh right, what've you gone and done now?"
Of course there was the run in February where I was frogmarched to get patched up at a local school after tripping up near a bus stop. That was (thankfully) just a superficial scratch.
Yes, and quite right too! The hospital was very thorough checking that with me - I only had a bit of a headache, nothing else, and didn't knock myself out when I fell. That was the positive thing about falling on a rough path, not a pavement.
Thanks Decker . Messy and ouchy rather than serious, but yes, would be nice to think that's my 2022 quota done. I fell twice during a trail run at the start of the year, and had to take a couple of weeks out, so I'm pretty annoyed with myself for wiping out again.
Thanks skysue16 . I somehow tripped, seemed to rebound, and managed to mash up both my right knee and left side (face, shoulder, hand) in the process. Off to neck some painkillers before bedtime!
Thanks sparky66 . You'd wonder how I managed to make such a thorough job of it without even trying, wouldn't you? At least it happened after all my speaking examiner duties, so I haven't traumatised any poor young students!
Thanks Irish-John . Not quite how I'd planned to celebrate, but at least I won't forget it in a hurry! I'm oddly intrigued to see whether or not I end up with scars as a pemanent souvenir. 😕
Yessss...it probably would leave your examinees a bit lost for words.... lol
Ever see the 1997 remake of 'The Jackal'? Valantina Koslova - and proof that being eminently desirable attractive does not rely a whole hell of a lot on how a lady looks
Anyway - despite the thinner skin on faces, it's surprisingly rare for them to scar anything like 'badly' unless a whole lot of force and/or penetration is in play. You would think it harder to scar say the stomach or thighs, but I vaguely remember a Medic years ago droning on about something like a more rapid and interlinked blood supply to the face and the elasticity of the skin being more easily healed and drawn together than other areas of the body. So - looks good that you will have an 'interesting' souvenir rather than 'Call me Scarfacella' when healed
Thanks runningdad . The gravel rash is mostly less sore today than yesterday, the knee's acting up a bit more. Think it's jealous because it's not had as much attention!
Thanks RunWillie . If I measure in pace, distance and PBs etc everything's gone backwards since the trail marathon, but I've learned a lot about keeping going and ploughing my own furrow. Just a shame that I did that a bit too literally yesterday! xxx
Thanks again - my right leg's currently sulking. I can weight bear, it's just that walking's a bit limpy and stairs are proving challenging. At least that means I'm not tempted to try and run again too soon!
I didn't have a buff with me either misswobble ! If I'd planned a proper run I'd have had first aid kit with me, but not, I have to go and splatter myself all over a track during what was supposed to be a gentle little local pootle. I was quite pleased I managed not to drip blood onto any of my kit, just my phone! 🩸📲🤣
Thanks SueAppleRun . You're so right, and It could've been much worse. I'm not good at rest, but there's no choice. There will be other runs, hopefully not quite as messy!
I literally jog backwards from time to time! It's usually views that trigger it, though sometimes it's about challenging myself, or just sheer daftness!!
Ohhhhhh Cmoi …I’m so sorry you’ve had a fall…I’m feeling your pain…I’ve gone down once in 5 years…at park run…but only onto my knees..my face managed to stay in the air!! Sending a hug & I’m sure you’ll be back out there in no time at all xxx
Thanks Mummycav . Only one fall in five years and managing to land on your knees is impressive, must still have hurt though. I'm still keen to get out there again though!
Very impressive…I bet it was quite graceful too 😉 I’ve fallen twice…once at park run running round three runners taking up the whole path, just landed on the edge and down I went…managed to finish though…the other time it was black ice…I went down like bag of spuds…my head bounced off the floor and I saw stars…I was in the cemetery too! Ran home after I dusted myself down but Daddycav wasn’t impressed that I’d , ran somewhere so isolated in the ice and 2, that I’d run home and not rang him!
Wishing you a speedy recovery Cmoi. Whenever I return to the spot of my fall over 3 years ago, I go and tell the trip hazard off. Do look out for infection though and get dressings changed by nurses if necessary. Luckily my nurse was a runner so she understood!
Thanks Dexy5 . I run that track a lot so it will definitely be shown the error of its ways! I've managed with the dressings so far and they're drawing the grot out of the skin, so hopefully it'll heal OK. It was the combination of concern over tetanus, infection, and having banged my head that took me to A&E, though I did feel something of a time-waster.
Thanks Sandie1961 . It's lovely weather here right now and I can walk better than yesterday, so yes, will try a short stroll later. Hope you're having fun! xx
Thanks Cowladyrunning . I'm starting to heal up already, so hopefully I'll be able to remove the dressings before too long, and look less Phantom of the Opera scary!
Thanks Curlygurly2 . Yes, as per photo, I somehow managed to mangle both right and left, though didn't roll. Fairly sure I initially tripped and caught my right knee, then sort of bounced up before going headlong on my left side. I do remember thinking Oops, I've tripped and then, separately, Argh I'm going to fall! before I hit the ground. Strange how time can slow.
Funnily enough, not much of a black eye, though the left side of my face was initially very swollen and it took a few days to go down. I've been swearier since the fall than I was at the time, out of sheer frustration!
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