There’s definitely something wrong. Unfortunately, my appointment to the fall clinic isn’t for another three months. This time, I was walking up the driveway after taking the trash to the street for the morning pickup. I had a thought about checking for mail, when bam – down I went. At least I was able to get back on my feet without too much trouble.

I’ve been practicing getting up. It might not seem like a big thing, but I’ve been practicing different ways to get myself off chairs, and the couch, and how to get up off the floor/ground without flailing like a turtle that’s been turned on to its shell. It’s tricky with two bad knees and a bad shoulder. But I’ve been managing. At least this time, I didn’t bang my head on the pavement.

I suppose I should keep a fall log that gives the time, what I was doing and if I was distracted, or tripped over something. I think there’s a glitch in my brain, but I don’t know if it’s related to my eyes or ears. I do have bouts of vertigo, but they’re like lightning flashes rather than the hours long brain circles I used to have. They may be the cause of the falls.

I don’t bother to inform the kids when I fall. So long as I don’t need medical assistance, I’m fine. They don’t need to know. They’ll want me in an apartment, or my son will want to move in, or worse yet, my daughter will want me to put a trailer on her other lot in the wilds of Pennsylvania.

There’s no amenities in that town. No bus service. I guess there’s a transport service you can call if you can’t drive. The mall is 26 miles away, there’s expensive imported food – Wisconsin cheese and bratwurst – in the “Gourmet” section. If I remember correctly, there’s a Dunkin Donuts about 6 miles away and the fast food places are two towns away.

So I’ll stay living in my house, where I’m two blocks from a bus stop and my annual pass is less than $50. My house payments, even with the property taxes and utilities, is still cheaper than rent. I still have my car, but I’m perfectly fine traveling by bus if I can’t drive. I have a cane for when I leave the house. Actually, I have a house cane and a car cane. The house cane isn’t used in the house and rarely in the yard, but I use it when I take the dog for a walk or walk over to a friend’s or neighbor’s house.

As long as I’m not falling daily, or down the steps with the laundry, or when crossing a street, I’m good.