Andy doesn’t want me to fall! Who’d give him “scritches” and Greenies?
Here’s what I must cross to get to my car…at night!
This is how much darkness envelopes my world a bit after 4:00 AM when I leave for dialysis. The view is from my car driver’s seat, looking toward the streetlight on the next lane over. There isn’t a lighted streetlight on my end of the lane, though there is a streetlight next to my parking pad: it’s turned off for some reason!
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I wear a jogger’s LED light headband, now, because I had a fall back on the 30th of December when my oxygen tank airline tangled with my walker wheels when I was putting my walker in my car.
The poor lighting conditions contributed to what could have been a serious situation. I landed on the walker pouch. Fortunately, there was a heavy neck pillow in it or I would have landed on my knees on concrete. Broken concrete, of course…!
My head bumped onto the side of the seat inside my car. A bit to the right, and I would have hit my head against the side of the car. That would have been wonderful! Knocked out, stretched out on the parking pad in subzero weather till I froze to death or “just” suffered frostbite…!
I took the two night photos yesterday when I was going to dialysis.
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On a “it’s-funny-now-but-not-then” note, I recently accidentally hit the panic button on my car key fob. It is really dark just outside my front door at night and I hadn’t turned on the LED light headband yet. In the dark, I couldn’t find the panic button to turn it off.
(For those who don’t drive, the panic button is a safety feature on the car key fob. If a bad guy tries to assault you, you hit it, and your car horn loudly goes ~honk!honk!honk! ~ till you scare the bad guy away.)
I made my way as fast as an old guy on a walker can possibly, safely move to a slightly more lit spot, finally located the panic button, and ended the noise.
I hoped my new neighbor wasn’t awakened by the din, but…!
Later, my neighbor who shares the parking pad was coming out of his apartment when I was getting out of my car. I apologized for the noise. Amazingly, he hadn’t heard the racket, so we had a nice chat instead.
This is how I met my new neighbor, Bret.
I am glad you are using a light up headband. I have a friend who used to collect Flashlights so at least I won’t have to worry about him getting stuck in a situation like yours. I’m sure Andy doesn’t want to lose you and not just for those reasons
One thing that’s encouraging is that if I didn’t show up for dialysis, they’d try to call me. If I didn’t answer, they’d send someone to my apartment in case there was an emergency.
Wow they really need to fix the pavement and lighting. Cute photo of Andy.
The paving’s been that way going back to before the time I moved here in November 2004! The lighting situation is a new one.
Thanks! He’s an unwilling subject.
Glad you and your new neighbor had a friendly meet-up. So much can go wrong when you live alone and your kitties can’t call 9-1-1.
How true! I have several people who read my blog to assure themselves I am OK. There are days I would like to not post for lack of a creative thought but try to put something up anyway.
You escape and had the right gesture, but that must not happen. Can you call somebody responsable ? But you made the acquaintance of a nice neighbour; himselm may need you – amitiés à Doug et Andy – take great care 🙂
I’ve notified the landlord of my falls. of course, this being America, next is to notify the federal agency that deals with issues affecting disabled people.
That really doesn’t look safe. Around here, that pavement could be cited as being unsafe and they would be forced to fix it.
It has caused others besides me to have falls. I’ve lucked out and haven’t had more than a bruise or two.
Wow Doug, you really need to get these photos and others to the proper authorities. You shouldn’t have to deal with dangerous conditions like this. This could turn into a serious lawsuit for the owner(s) of that property. Be safe, please!
They have photos from my 22 December 2023 blog post. I haven’t dealt with the lighting situation yet.
You live under some hazardous conditions, Doug. Maybe it is time to send the photos to an investigative reporter and them write it up and make it public.
A person is looking into requirements met/ not met by my landlord to meet Federal standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
https://www.ada.gov/
I was thinking the same thing!
I do.
Accidentally hitting the panic button on the key fob is a lot more common than one would think! [Looking at the mirror in embarrassment.] Though it might be a good way to call for help if you fall again! That is long, bad stretch to get to your car, Doug. I’m surprised a tenant hasn’t already sued the landlord for maintaining (or not) a hazardous obstacle course on their property. Stay safe!
I never thought about using the panic button that way. Great suggestion!
As for a suit, I’m surprised, too. The problem of the pavement goes back to before I moved into this apartment 20 years ago as of next November 20th, 2024! It’s been a retirement “village” for those 55 and older since the mid-1970s. Before that, it was WWII and mid-century low-cost housing for post war people before they built or bought regular housing when it became available.
That is good that you didn’t wake your neighbor. 🙂
Gad! It was 3:30 AM in the morning and I probably would have taken trash out closer to sunup on most days. I just took a notion to do it and I know best to do chores I hate doing when I take a notion instead of at specific times. I’m still red-faced about it!
Meeting Bret was, I suppose, the silver lining. You do amazingly well, my friend
It was, Derrick. He noticed how sloppy things are around the parking pad after snow and volunteered that he’d scoop it in future. Of course, where I park has a handicap parking sign, so he’s aware I’m disabled to some extent. I’ll be more than pleased for anu improvements in the situation there!
Yikes Doug, they really do need to improve the lighting there! That fall could certainly have been even more serious than it was. They need to pave over or somehow smooth out that concrete, too. That could certainly cause a fall. Andy’s looking mighty handsome!
There was a serious fall there that left the woman with a broken ankle that required several surgeries, months of pain and rehabilitation to heal. That really rough looking broken up pavement in the top photo is where she fell.
Sad to hear that. They really need to fix that road!
Money, of course….