I Think I Busted A Rib (Above My Heart) AGAIN, Yesterday (-- 2nd Time In 14-Years).

Click to ENLARGE. Just underneath where my fingers are.

I fell, forward, & hit my chest on a rock. Simple as that. I lost my balance! No excuses. Just lost my balance. Yes, I was scrambling on some rocks, but, by my standards, this was easy/flat terrain. I think it was PLAIN old age. I had scrambled down to get this picture (below). This is within 1/4-mile of home. I know it well. So, all my fault.

At least this time I knew what happened.

Not so last time. Yes, again I had fallen, this time, however, while shovelling snow. I fell forward onto the shovel. I hit my chest on the handle. Didn't think much of it -- continued to shovel. Yes, had some pain. I would take 2-3 Aspirins. That was it. Aspirin is my favorite & preferred pain medication -- & has been all my life. I prefer Aspirin to most though I will take Aleve IF things get bad.

Well, last time around, I forgot about the fall ...

A couple of weeks later (& it was now late winter) I was still having chest pains & my blood pressure was unusually high. Those days, much heavier & much less fit, I was considered HIGH heart risk. To make it more interesting my cardiologist, an Indian, was a FRIEND. He insisted that I come to see him. This was in Laconia, NH. He then sent me to ER. They did an EKG. That looked fine. So, they then decided to do a X-ray. I was told to hold a 'marker' to the spot where the pain was worst. I did that.

While waiting for the results I actually heard the X-ray technician laughing! He comes out with a BIG grin on his face & says 'no wonder you have chest pains, you have a broken rib'! The ER staff found it hard to believe that all I had taken for my pain was Aspirin. They gave me a prescription for some strong stuff, but I did not bother.

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So, yesterday, I was better prepared. Yes, I took my Aspirins. Haven't taken any today. I was eventually nagged into using ice. That actually helped. Then I used a ice pack for most of the evening.

Still hurts BUT I am functioning.

We had snow today, BUT I will not shovel. That, I know, is not good for my rib.

It is OK. Over the years, mainly from playing very 'rough' rugby & cricket -- not to mention near-suicidal skiing -- I have broken quite a few bones. I have been that every knuckle, in both my hands, have been broken at least once! Crazy thing is that, to-date, I have never been in a fist fight. Most of the knuckles, I think, was from my skiing.

I am also known for not getting broken bones fixed! I have a big bump on my right hand from a broken bone that was never set! 😇

Well. This was mainly for the record -- so that I can recall, in the future, that I again broke a rib.

😇