Or at least make you suffer.
I fell, getting up from the Settee on Thursday evening. Not something I've done for years, and that was when I was at Uni, and probably rather intoxicated.
I went down hard, landing on my left side and hitting my head on the TV table, a nice solid oak one.
A lot of blood, I was as white as a sheet, so my Manager called out the emergency services.
They arrived 10 mins later, obviously a quiet night, and cleaned up my head wound, checked me over.
The head wound was trivial, seems that they bleed wonderfully. The real only anomaly was low blood pressure, 117/65. Normally it is about 155/75.
Told me go make an appointment with my GP, to investigate: it seems that in older people blood pressure can fall suddenly when getting up, especially whilst digesting an evening meal. A sudden drop of 30 points in BP can cause a faint or even a black out.
They also suggested older people should eat earlier, rather than 7 to 8 pm which has been our norm for years.
I'm left with cracked ribs, which hurt, especially if I sneeze or cough, and a sudden realisation, reinforced by their multiple references to "older people" that I'm not 50 something anymore.
It could have been worse, I suppose.
Be careful out there, it could be you next!
If its any consolation Peter, I've been through almost identical issues in the last year. With yet another dose of food poisening, I became dizzy on the toilet, fell sideways onto the bidet, laid myself out cold and SWMBO couldnt lift me up. So she called 999 and I was coming round as they arrived only to flake out again when they got me sitting up. BP was down to 90/55. Few days in hospital on a drip and then after I got out, I tried to catch the dog, got knocked sideways onto a planter and broke three ribs.
The ribs took ages - I can still feel the soreness after 6 months, The hospital repeatedly told me to make sure I coughed despite the pain - apparently the risk at our age is fluid on the lungs and pneumonia
Bu66er me but 2 months ago I had a TIA (mini stroke) despite being a teetotal non smoking gym goer with a BMI of 25, BP normally 130/70 and cholesterol just below 5 before statins. And yes, when I go to see the day clinic its the "care of the elderly one".
There is a message in all this and that is that at 74, however "correctly" I live, I am near the exit door. Might be 10 years, might be 20 but its nearer the exit than the entrance by a long way.
