The day my life changed

Elaine Gould

It was Wednesday 20th June 2007. My husband was away for most of that week at a Law Conference in Skye, and was due to present his conference paper that day. My eighteen year old daughter was going out early to work; she was on placement at a local nursery. I was really looking forward to a peaceful day at home to get on with a number of different tasks before I started work in the late afternoon.

I woke quite early and was unsure if my daughter was up and ready for work. (A typical teenager, she regularly slept in, and was very ungracious if I woke her; also ungracious if I called her and she was already up, and downright unpleasant if she was not called at all!) I called through to her but there was no answer and no sound of movement in the house. I jumped out of bed to go and knock on her door, but because I don't remember it ever happening before, I did not realise that I was suffering from what I think is called 'dead leg'. My left leg buckled under me and I crashed to the floor. Instinctively I put my hands out to save myself, and all my weight fell onto my right hand. Immediately I knew I had done serious damage to my right wrist and my life had changed for ever, though I managed to crawl back to bed in the vain hope that I was wrong and it would be all right in a minute. ... (continues)