Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Getting Old.....It will kill you.

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!

Sorry to hear about your woes Peter but glad you’re generally ok bar the ribs. Are you still ok to drive Tarka? Presumably this blood pressure thing is mainly simply something to be aware of in future and thus means have to give up eating your BigMacs and pizza in the front seat of yer beautiful Mog before taking a drive???
Take care, erm, old chap! I mean old bean. I mean old fellow. Oh crap just get better soon Mr J
HB

Blimey... that must have been quite a 'sobering' experience... glad you are 'ok'...

I guess the moral of the story is, if you are going to fall over, make sure you ARE intoxicated!

Just keep on 'getting old' btw... getting old IS good... much better than not!

Glad you are OK Peter. I wish you a speedy recovery.

- sorry to hear this Peter, but sounds as though not too much damage done.

It is important that you get it checked out though.It's funny isn't it ,if it was an issue with the car we would be straight on to it to get it sorted.....

James

I sympathise Peter and wish you a speedy recovery. Having just turned 70 this year it focuses thoughts on reducing mobility, stiff joints etc.

Having said that I took advantage of a neighbours offer of 1500 patio slabs allowing a new one from our kitchen doors and a hard standing for my LR to be layed. They were moved essentially by hand cart and laid on sand. Apart from occasional arthritis in a little finger my whole body felt more flexible, after the initial stiffness subsided. Presently on my narrowboat operating heavy double locks with similar advantage.

Peter's experience is a sobering reminder as age takes it's toll.

My fall progressed to what is described as a TIA or minor stroke that knocked out my speech for an hour or so.

Monitoring blood pressure plus medication are now essential.

Details too long for a TM message - email me if you wish.

How did you fall off the sofa you mad old thing?

Glad you're OK..... getting older is an interesting experience and doesn't have too much to recommend it. As you know. I've had 3 major heart operations - so have felt the icy fingers of mortality brush past me a few times! Still here though.

It's very odd, exactly the same thing happened to a friend earlier in the week. He was getting up out of his seat, next to me, and just keeled over. Not unconscious, but obviously couldn't move unaided - boy was he heavy to move. Luckily he didn't hit anything, but went down on one knee quite hard, which caused him some grief later.
The ambulance took an hour and a half to come, which I was very unimpressed with and could only feel glad that it wasn't a heart attack or stroke. They checked him over and took him home, close by. It comes as a bit of a shock when it happens though, as Peter can attest.

It seems that if BP related, even if it is regularly checked, it can drop very suddenly. Is there nothing that can be done?

Glad to hear you are reasonably OK. Any blow to the head needs investigating. Keep on Tarking.