MAY 28, 23 .. Saturday, May 27th, 2023 .. STUNNED .. I COULD BE DEAD

By Cap Chastain May 28, 2023 DRAMA, Falls / Falling down, Life and Death, We NEVER know, When Does It Get Easy 14 Comments

Saturday, May the 27th 2023

I am not able to fully convey here how much fear, paranoia, concern, I have about falling. I use a cane inside of our Condo simply because I have first hand knowledge of, and the experience of, friends falling in their own homes, hitting their heads, and dying dead, on the spot, inside of their home. Or falling down a flight of stairs in their home and dying as a result.

I have fallen a number of times myself. I have fallen and broken both knee caps. I have fallen and broken my left hip. I have fallen and seriously injured my right shoulder.

This afternoon, around 3pm, Patti and I went for a walk to our beloved Sitka Street Park.

There was a large picnic in progress.

And then, we headed home to our Condo.

– – – – – – – –

My Side of The Story : As we two were walking on an asphalt paved walkway, a young man, age about 12 or 13 years old, was coming our way on a skateboard. Patti stepped to one side of the paved walkway onto the grass to get out of his way and I stepped to my right but not off the walkway.

How this happened I will never fully comprehend.

Suddenly his skateboard was under my left foot and in an instant, as I unwittingly stepped onto his skate board, my weight upon the skateboard caused it to shoot away from me..

I FELL !

And I mean..

I FELL !

And I mean..

DOWN I WENT !

It is amazing, it is absolutely, positively amazing, how fast a fall takes you to the ground. One second you are standing vertical and in a nano-second you are on the ground.

I did not feel my head hit the paved walkway. Patti said my head “Snapped Backward”. My left palm took part of the fall as did my right knee. I struggled to sit up. I could not get up. The skateboarder and a friend of his helped me up. The skateboarder was apologizing profusely. Patti was crying and very upset! Then we walked home. I did not feel like anything was broken and I had no headache at all. At the Condo I read to Patti to assist her to settle. 

– – – – – – – –

Patti’s side of the story : I had noticed when we got to the park that there was a young man who seemed to be “trying to learn” to ride his skateboard. We dodged around him, went to rest on a bench, and Cap took off across the park to do a “speed walk”. I rested on the bench and we waved back and forth to each other as he walked. Shortly after Cap returned, we set off to walk back to the condo.

The young man was still on the same walkway, seemingly struggling with his skateboard. As we approached him, I stepped off the walkway onto the grass to avoid any encounter. Cap stepped to the side of the walkway. I was watching where my feet were going, and the next thing I knew Cap was screaming at the top of his lungs. I turned and saw him in mid-air, flailing.  He went down and as he did, his head snapped back. The young man began to profusely apologize. He and another young friend reached out to help Cap up and were successful. There were many adults around the park, many in the process of enjoying the picnic. In hind sight, I wish I had called to a few of them to come and help Cap up as I was not sure the boys would be able to accomplish that. As Cap got his bearings and we began to walk away, heading for home, I started to fall apart from the scare, my heart racing. Cap comforted ME with a hug! He’s the one who had just been through the trauma!! Took a while for my heart to stop racing!

– – – – – – – –

I have always “Heard” that if one experiences a “Head Trauma” one should NEVER lay down immediately! At 4:02pm I telephoned my health provider’s Nurse Hotline and identified myself as a member and told them what had happened. I was told a medical professional would call me back. At 4:32pm a nurse called me. She did an exceptional job of questioning me as to my overall heath issues, medications I take, etc, and then we got to the fall. Because I had no headache, I was not vomiting, my eyes were O.K., I could walk “Normal for me”, I was not disoriented, she said for the time being I sounded O.K. However, concussion symptoms can arise later, much later, even a few days later. So she said the first time I lay down, after two hours, Patti is to awaken me and check me out as to how I am feeling (headache? sick? eyesight? walking? disorientation?).

It is somber to think that, at this instant, I could be dead. This instant, I could be in the E.R. or in the I.C.U. And why am I not? I have no answer for THAT question! My natural agility? My Creator? I AM very grateful that, as I sit here, I able to write and publish this Post.

Whew Huh!?

We never EVER know!

Cap and Patti

14 thoughts on “MAY 28, 23 .. Saturday, May 27th, 2023 .. STUNNED .. I COULD BE DEAD”

  1. Gullible

    What do you mean by”my head snapped backwards”? I’m having trouble picturing this. Did you hit the front or back of your head?

    Nonetheless, you’ll probably have some sore neck muscles tomorrow. Glad it wasn’t worse than that.

    Good for the boy to stick around and assist.

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain

      Thanks so very much for your comment Gullible. I am not able to, in any way, accurately explain this fall. I stepped on the skateboard and was on the ground. Pure and simple. It was bad. I could be dead. This morning I sure am feeling some after effects but, so far, none related to a head concussion. It is amazing how fast you go down!! There is nothing slow or gentle about a fall!! What a FREAK accident!! Whodda Thunk?? An afternoon walk in the Park and Kerpowie!! As super, paranoid carefull about NOT falling as I am!! Go figure. Patti was beyond frantic!! Lucky (or you come up with a term) to be alive this morning. Cap

      Reply ↓
  2. Michael

    CAP and Patti! What a utterly frightening accident! And Thank you Lord for gifting both of our precious friends to move through this nightmarish encounter with as much dignity and grace as you can muster each and every second. Can you imagine this gift? Sure you can. ABOVE GROUND…STILL BREATHING FRESH AIR. And conscious and your mental skills and motor skills, although slightly bruised, still intact. Cap, from what I can conclude with your re-creation of this nasty accident you are still firing on all 8 cylinders, so to speak! And that my friends is an absolute miracle! And you were kind and mentally oriented enough to call me last night (after that heart-stopping win by the Celts I took Little Bit for a walk). I will still offer both you and Patti prayers of Peace, Light, Love and continued healing! We all need each other. I’m grateful God has kept you in our lives to this very moment.
    Love you both till the ends of time….
    Michael

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain

      It was an extremely bad fall Michael !! This morning I can REALLY “feel” after effects. So far no “concussion type effects” and that is a very good development. Thanks so very much for your faithful and ongoing support Michael. Your Ally .. Cap

      Reply ↓
  3. Ginny

    My dear Cap and Patti, what a terrible experience! But praise God, He was watching over you! Praying always for you! Much love Ginikins ❤️

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain Post author

      Thanks Ginny! Thanks so very VERY MUCH for your caring and support with all you have going on there. Smiles Cap and Patti

      Reply ↓
  4. Tom

    Hi Cap – Tom here, posting from Ginny’s phone. Sorry to hear you fell, glad you are 👍 ok! I am headed to Detroit Tuesday. All is going well up there as my folks will gather for a Celebration Mass @ moms local church Friday. I will call you later on the week. Hugs to Patti love Tom

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain Post author

      As busy as you are Tom, thanks for taking the time to leave us a comment here. We send our best wishes on your upcoming trip back to Detroit and other Michigan environs. So far so good here. Cap and Patti

      Reply ↓
  5. eArThworm

    So scary to read about what happened to you. I’ve had a bad fall (broke my arm) and can totally relate to that “nano-second” in which it happens! I hope all continues to be pretty much OK in the next few days.

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain Post author

      Thanks so very much Linda. We really appreciate your support for so many years. So far so good. We’ll just take it one day at a time. Cap and Patti

      Reply ↓
  6. Daniel Boone

    Wow Cap and Patti, that is some “walk in the park” story… So glad everything seems to be going OK now and thankful – grateful that nothing worse happened. Moment by moment life unfolds…
    Love, Danny

    Reply ↓
  7. Grant

    Cap, it was great talking to you on phone yesterday. I’m so glad that you’re OK! Please take care of yourself. God bless you my dear friend and ally! Grant

    Reply ↓
    1. Cap Chastain Post author

      Thanks Grant. Thanks so very VERY much for reading about my fall last May the 27th. YOU Grant, with Steve and Nicky, were “there for me” back in Hong Kong in late November of 2016 after I fell in the Dubai Airport and broke my hip there. I will never ever forget about all of your help and assistance Grant. Your Ally .. Cap

      Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.