I have a label. Not really the label I would’ve liked, but it’s mine. For the one or two times I’ve been in the emergency room I have the bracelet labeling me a fall risk. On my nursing assessment I’m labeled a fall risk. My recent aid agency evaluation I have bright neon yellow stickers on all my papers.

I’m a fall risk and I have the cuts and bruises to prove it. I’m always bruised somewhere, usually my knees because I slide down a lot in my falls (I’ve learned how to do things more gracefully). From there I need to flop over on my knees and crawl to an appropriate place to stand up again. My knees are permanently purplish.

I was asked if I fall more with the aid or without, well duh, let’s see…of course I fall more without the aid. I’m always doing things when no one is around. My dogs aren’t going to feed themselves. Ok well they would but I’d have really fat dogs and an extremely large pet food bill. They certainly wouldn’t clean up after themselves, well maybe Zoey would she thinks poop is a delicacy. I’m not using good examples here but you know what I mean.

My falls are usually for dumb things. Like I was holding on to something and lost my grip and couldn’t get it back fast enough. My biggest falls reason is my walker goes forward and my feet go nowhere. Sometimes it’s just because I pivot too fast and misjudge my own balance. No matter why I fall, I’m a fall risk with my big yellow sticker or wristband.

I guess there are worse labels to have. I’m glad it’s not an orange one with a closed case file