Don't stand on chairs.

My wife did that two days ago. Stood on a chair to reach a high shelf, fell off and got a nasty head wound with concussion. I had no idea what the after effects of concussion can be like but I'm learning fast. First lesson is "Don't eat if you start to think maybe you're OK". Home from hospital, cleared of any fractures etc and seeming to be largely recovered, she had some soup and threw up violently within minutes, then went into terrifying, choking, unconscious whole-body seizures. In a panic, I would have called the ambulance but was afraid to let go of her to get to the phone. She did come out of it after several minutes, utterly exhausted - and I was not much better. It's been another 48 hours before she could keep down just a little toast. Our present lifestyle involves not much more than sitting around in mostly silence. Even watching electronic screens is to be avoided as their flicker can affect the brain.

DO NOT stand on chairs and don't let anyone else do it. We all know that - right - but how often do we do it anyway, saying 'Oh, I can be careful'? - JUST DON'T.

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Really · 80-89, M

Thanks to all on the good wishes for my wife's recovery. She was released from hospital the same day as her fall, apparently safe to go home but warned to be very careful, especially about how she moved, etc. There was no mention of potential eating problems.

Since her nasty reaction to the soup she has virtually fasted, progressing slowly from hot water to ginger tea to a little toast & butter. We haven't gone back to hospital or seen another doctor. I've searched for info online. It seems that full post-concussion recovery is likely to take 2-3 weeks but can take much longer or even forever. She is usually quick to heal & get back to normal but that can have its hazards in terms of overdoing things. For now she is improving VERY slowly. We both risked a sleeping pill last night and that worked out OK - needed it badly!

So for now it's KBO (Keep Buggering On - Winston Churchill)

Cinderella1day · 31-35, F

😦 lesson from another learned!

I hope she’s ok, better.
Did they say the seizures (precautions) will go away or will she aways have to stay away from flashing lights?
So 1. don’t stand on chairs. ( how do you reach things?) and 2. don’t eat for a while after a concussion.

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helenS · 36-40, F

@Cinderella1day Yes – get a new one. It's really about safety. Falling from a dysfunctional ladder isn't fun.
Here are some facts:
– Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths all over the world.
– Every year, 37.3 million severe falls occur in the world that require medical treatment.
Source: https://housegrail.com/ladder-safety-statistics/

Cinderella1day · 31-35, F

@helenS wow the times I didn’t have health insurance and used my death kitchen step stool

helenS · 36-40, F

@Cinderella1day 😬

Blondily · F

I'm so sorry to hear about this. I hope she recovers soon. I can imagine the stress and worrying you've been going thru.
My husband fell in November. He tripped on a rock and it took him a month to recover and go back to work.
I'll take your advice. I've got a stool I use that really shouldn't be stood on. From now on I'll use the step ladder.
Thank you for sharing your story. It will help others to be more safety minded.

WaryWitchWandering · 36-40, F

That’s horrible 🥺

I hope she recovers quickly with no long lasting issues.

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