Earl's mother, Opal

Opal, Earl's 91 yr old mother, fell twice Friday afternoon within about two hours. First time in her living room. Second time she fell in the bathroom & hit her head on the bathtub and got a knot on back/top of her head where I would call the crown. She had just fallen right before I walked in from work. She was laying with her head/neck cocked up on the bathtub. Wonder she hadn't broken her neck.

She couldn't hold her head up straight for last two days. We have been so torn about taking her to the hospital. She keeps saying she is ok, that her neck is just stiff/sore. I know she doesn't want to go, but we'll feel terrible if she has injuries that need attention. She was already feeble, so it's hard to know what is "new" feeble.

She's had a fever last 3-4 days, not feeling well. Barely eating. She got a flu shot on Tues. this week & thinks this is a reaction to the shot. I doubt that, since she has had flu shots for years with no problems before. But, she sure seems to have flu like something. Says she aches all over, which could be from the falls. Earl had a fever Wed, so I guess they could have picked up something at the Dr. office.

Then, she fell again last night about 8 p.m. She was in bed but wanted a TV remote. I'm not sure where it was. Probably on her dresser. Anyway, she fell and her head was wedged between her bed and the night stand. I had a time trying to get her out and into a sitting position. She was on her side and didn't bend the way I needed her to in order to sit her up. Every time she fell, we called my Dad to help pick her up. I shouldn't try and Earl isn't strong enough. Lucky Dad was here.

She had a dime size raw place on her forehead and scrape place across her forehead. Scrape, more like redness or bruising on the side of her neck from below her ear almost to collar bone. No idea how that happened. Or even which fall it came from. She has a big bruise on the back of her left elbow. No telling where all she is black and blue. I'm amazed she doesn't seem to have broken anything!

Last time she was up about 5:30, she said she wasn't dizzy anymore. She didn't feel like she still had fever. When she wakes again we can try to assess the situation and decide what we're going to do. Call doctor or take her on to the hospital. Maybe both? Maybe nothing! She can be one stubborn lady!