Ouch!

Today after the painters left I went to the market to buy some groceries.

I had 3 bags so I took a rickshaw home. I asked the rickshaw driver to take me through a side road which I know is in a state of disrepair. It is broken and pebbly , full of pot holes ( but a shorter route). Many of our city roads are in this condition.

(web photo of a rickshaw)

The rickshaw lurched on a stony patch and one package started to fall. When I leaned down to get hold of it I could not balance myself and fell right off the vehicle onto the road, with all my bags flying around and my handbag under the wheels of the rickshaw.

I took the impact of the fall on my left elbow and shoulder and was in such pain, I could not get up. Two very kind gentlemen (family people) immediately came to my rescue and helped me up. They picked up my things. I was worried for my handbag as it contained my cell phone , ATM card and cash, but it was safe. I thanked the men profusely, they were so concerned about my well being.

When I got home I did not tell my Mom about the fall , she would get very disturbed. Good she did not notice my muddy clothes with ketchup on them. A small sachet of ketchup had torn open and stained my jeans. There is big gaping wound on my left elbow where the skin scraped off. I washed it off with Dettol. But I could not apply the bandage all by myself . I had to take Mom 's help.

I told her I had scraped my elbow 'on ' the rickshaw.Please God forgive me for not saying 'under it '. She was very alarmed and asked me a few questions like Did you slip ? I could honestly answer ;"No ".

I have pain in my left shoulder, elbow and arm also back, but I am glad no bone is fractured or cracked. I can swing my arm up and down , I have movement, although its painful. I have taken a painkiller and rubbed a pain ointment. Got to grit my teeth and bear it. Both my knees hurt too.

Praise God I am in one bruised piece. This is the second time I have fallen off a rickshaw. Once Sonia and I were in a rickshaw with my then 9 or 10 year old nephew (he is 23 now) , the rickshaw wheel broke landing us on the road. But no one was hurt in fact we got up laughing to hide our embarrassment.