My Traumatic Experience

True Life Story

First, to get the story going.., I am coming up to my seventies next birthday and I reside in a 'Sheltered Residence' that has all mod-cons for the elderly, including a 'pull-cord' in every room should I need emergency assistance.

You know, when one goes to bed at night, they often turn and turn in their sleep. This has often been shown in sleep documentaries: they first turn left, then right then back to left again.., and all during their sleep without even purposely knowing it.

As if it is just our nature.

Now my bed is 'King-size'., I can't be doing with a single bed: it would be like standing to attention whilst I sleep. I like to have full spread and often slumber diagonally within my comfy bed.

However, when I went to bed the other night, all theories or possibilities went wrong..,

I began in the centre of my bed (usually first on the right-hand side curled up in the prone position). I have a habit of first checking I have enough space on either side to ensure I am well in the centre of my so very large bed.

Yet something went wrong during my deep slumber. Instead of turning left and right and left again as is normal, I somehow did a double-turn right and fell out of my bed. It was around four in the early morning.

I once heard a long time ago that somebody else did the same whilst sleeping on the grass after a picnic and a few glasses of beer or wine " and on the edge of the White Cliffs of Dover. Poor sod went right over the cliff-top.

There's more..,

Now my council 'Sheltered Home' bedroom is small so there is not much room between the edge of my so large bed, the window and the comfy chair in between: about twelve inches or so in-between.

I not only fell into this so small gap, I also took my twenty-tog duvet with me.

Once, after coming around from my so rude awakening " not to mention that I bashed my face on my bedside locker on the way down.., I began to review the situation.

There was I on the floor at four in the morning, pain in my head, a twelve inch gap to lie in and done up like a sausage roll in my duvet that I could not move my legs or my arms.

I began to take emergency action (I have been in the Military you know).

Okay.., cannot move legs, arms or even body. Plenty of 'Help-line' cords and in every room but cannot reach one of them.

Mobile phone?

Not just out of reach but probably out of charge because nobody bothers to phone me.

Okay.., lets revalue the situation..,

Who's going to knock my door next?

It's Bank Holiday!

Nobody.., not even the postman!

I am here to stay.., wrapped up like a prisoner for the next two days or more (and that is only if the postman comes to my door to deliver his usual 'junk mail'.

Hang on.., I might need to pee or even do more during those long hours or days " not to mention needing some kind of food or other substantives like water. Not so bothered about all my favourite television soaps or series I might be missing as I got them all on record.

Phew!

I thought.., 'Hang on Chris.., this is serious s**t!'

I could end up dead, suffering from malnutrition, hyperthermia or even complete boredom!

I just gotta do something..,

So with all my might that God has left me with, I pushed, I shoved, I wiggled and finally broke free. I got up and dragged my duvet back on my bed.., then went back to sleep again.

Be fair.., it was still early in the morning.

I can now look back at this event with some humour as I write here, but when I really think about it, many so elderly people might also be caught in the same trap and unlike me, not get out of it.

It, to me, would be such a great shame if somebody who had once lived their so long life in such an adventurous fashion, suddenly perished in such a simple, stupid but most traumatic way.

Christine Peters

Reviews

[KT-B]

sounds like a frightening experience, have you got an alarm by your bed or maybe you could get one for around your wrist - that is terrible that something like that could so easily happen - I enjoyed your story and hope you stay safe :)

[Christine Peters]

Thanks for your reply KT..,

As said in my story, I got alarms in every room of my Sheltered Home but as I was done up like a kipper (sausage roll), I could not reach any of them.

True. I could have a wrist alarm but I have never yet thought that so necessary. I mean I am not that vulnerable as proved when I finally escaped.

Yet as I said at the end of my story, it creates great concern for maybe family with an elderly parent living in a Sheltered Home such as I do, that despite many alarm systems around, they could still find themselves suddenly trapped and unable to call for help. A wrist alarm would surely help prevent all but in my five year experience as a home-care worker, many elderly people take off their wrist alarm at bedtime and put it on their bedside table. Would have been no use in my situation.

As a home-care worker, I had one client that I did not often have to visit. Her single bed laid adjacent to the wall and at the foot of it was a heavily laden wardrobe. She fell into that trap and laid there unable to move for four days until she had her next visit.

That experience of mine in which I was fit and able to finally get out of just made me think of many not so able who possibly could not.

What a stupid way in which they could possibly die.

Think on.., take more concern over your elderly parents and daily check on them.

Chris

[KT-B]

I always did when they were alive, my parents were well looked after by a loving family - some people aren't so lucky as you say. It's a great concern you have pointed out, good for you. take care :)

[Christine Peters]

Take care yourself.

Love Chris

[KT-B]

look forward to reading more of your work Chris, x