Expect the Unexpected

Hello from Mile 13,890 at Jefferson University!

After sharing my story with these wonderful first-year medical students, the unexpected happened.

I almost fell.

Almost -- because a quick-thinking young woman in a brand-new white coat stepped in and caught me.

I stumbled backwards onto my prosthetic leg, and for some reason it buckled.  With a microprocessor knee like mine, that doesn't usually happen.  I stumble sometimes, but I expect it to catch me.

This time, something went wrong. 

I didn't expect the unexpected. I lost my balance and couldn't regain it.  

I was in free fall.  

It felt dramatic.  
And long.

Then that student grabbed my arm.  

And what we all thought was about to happen... didn't.

It must have looked like some kind of "trust" game.  I wobbled -- nearly toppled -- and she caught me, and we laughed it off.  

We went on talking.  The class ended.  The students filed out.   

Only now, hours later, my mind dwells on what could have happened.

I could have hit my head on the nearby desk.
I could have landed on my newly rehabbed shoulder.
I could have damaged my right leg.
I could have sustained a serious injury like when I fell in 2023.
I could have ended up in the hospital.

Day to day, I am a confident walker.  I focus on footwork, but more times than not, I forget how vulnerable I am -- how one false move, one slip of balance, one lapse in concentration could lead to months of immobility.

A PT friend once told me, "walking is a series of controlled falls."  

Not just for amputees, he meant, but for all humans.  It's what happens when we walk upright.  If our bodies work correctly, we take biomechanics for granted.

After today, I've got a new spin on this idea.

I think LIFE is a series of controlled falls.

Most of the time, it goes as planned.  How often do we drive to work?  Cross a street?  Arrive home safely?  

But in the unexpected moments, everything can change.  (That's pretty much the gist of my journey.)

So... Did you stay off the ground today?

Yes?  Consider it a win. :)

Heartfelt thanks to this wonderful group -- and especially to the student who hopped into action. Your future patients will appreciate your instinct and quick reflexes.  

I know I do!

Welcome to Jefferson, Class of 2029!  You're already making a difference.

Walk on,
Rebecca