Accidents can happen. How many times have you heard that? How many times have you heard that most accidents happen at home?! Well, you may have noticed I’ve been pretty silent at least blog post-wise these past few months. All it took was a simple slip and fall on March 31st to totally change my life these past few months. I knew as I slipped on the damp floor at home, that I’d broken my ankle. After all, I broke it 14 years ago (in the same spot no less), and it is interesting how your body remembers! And I won’t even go into the 4 times I have been rear-ended this year by people who later admitted, they were all day-dreaming! Really?!

What a broken ankle has taught me:

1. House repairs: You probably have many repairs in your house that you have been meaning to fix but haven’t. Take the time, get it done, and please let a professional do it. Don’t be like a friend’s husband who decided to go up on the roof to do a DIY repair and fell 16 (yes, 16) feet! Amazingly, he came out of it with only a few bruises. Do you have pets and or kids and are their toys scattered around the house, ie. a tripping hazard? You may want to rethink that.

2. Do a house inventory of hazards: I did, and one of the biggest was a loose throw rug next to my bed with no anchors! What was I thinking?! It is no longer there because I plan on never breaking a bone again!

3. Is your house earthquake-proofed? If you live in California or any earthquake zone, do it. I live near a fault line in the Bay area. Big bookcases, etc are anchored to the wall. There are companies that provide these services. Is your house retro-fitted? Again, if you haven’t, do it! It’s not a sexy repair and no one will ever see it, but it will give you peace of mind.

4. Do a garden/yard inventory as well: Is there a hose or something out there that is never put away and could be hazardous? Anything falling down that needs fixing? Take care of it before winter comes.

5. Are you expecting a baby or take care of young ones? Get your house child proofed. I had it done when I was in China adopting my daughter years ago. It was a fabulous gift and it was wonderful to come home and know the house was safe. One less thing to worry about.

6. Self-care: Maybe a funny thing to write about in a VA newsletter, but taking care of yourself and being strong is on my mind a lot these days as I continue to recover and rehab my ankle. Been meaning to join a gym and or an exercise class and keep putting it off? Don’t! I started working out with PamG Fitness in May and although what I can do is still pretty limited, it feels great to actually be stretching and getting stronger. I can’t wait to get the okay from the doctor to get in the pool, get back to Pilates Mat classes, and walking my dog while socializing with friends! Ah the things you miss when you can’t do it!

And if you need some extra help doing any of these tips and or need service provider referrals, just give me a call at (510) 710-3917. Let’s keep you and your loved ones safe!

P.S.: A huge thank you to all of my clients, (and family and friends) who have been so understanding of me, my ankle, my various boots! and cane these past months. Can’t wait to have a bonfire for the boots and cane!