New ground

For the past 62 months I have kept an accurate record of my falls, including an average of the past 10 falls (see Nov 25). I have never before made it this far into the year without a fall.

Last year I set a new record by lasting until March 4, but it was a hard fall. I slipped on some water on the bathroom floor. It was only one foot that slipped and only a few inches but I lost my balance. Another would have caught his balance but with my weakened back and leg muscles I couldn't. I aimed for a controlled fall, going down into a couching position, but as my knee muscles are gone there was no way to slow my fall. When I landed on my haunches I was thrown backwards by the force and I hit the toilet, breaking two ribs on my right side.

I sat there until I had recovered enough to struggle up onto the toilet and then up to a standing position. Foolishly I headed to work thinking I had just bruised myself but by the end of the day I was in incredible pain. Fortunately I suffer pain well, so well I kept forgetting to take pain killers.

Everything healed well, luckily. By the time I realized the ribs were broken it was already past the point of being in danger. I didn't even see a doctor, knowing that he would only send me on painful trips around town to get x-rays done in the pretense that he was helping me, knowing that he couldn't do anything for broken ribs but let them heal on their own.

So I am 6 days past March 4, and now also breaking records for my 10-fall average, which is now at 103.9 days between falls. I won't set any goals here, just thank my lucky stars that I am doing so well for now.