Coconuts, The Fall, Car Rental Fiasco

 Mama always used a coconut, fresh in the shell, for all cooking at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I did, too, until I discovered canned coconut. However, I only find it sweetened these days. So, on Wednesday I was going to buy one at The Pig. No, it was about the size of a softball. Today, Thursday, I looked in Publix where they were about the same size. 

In The Pig, Tommy shook them as did I. We found most had no liquid inside. At Publix, same thing. The best coconut had a crack. Nope. So, I bought one. It was small, too. I hope the meat is delicious. Tommy has never had fresh coconut, straight from the coconut.

Okay, the tale of car rental and my fall. 

Tommy's car was shaking like there was something happening with fuel delivery. At one point, I could not ride in the car unless I leaned forward so my back would not touch the seat back. You can imagine how uncomfortable that was. After that, I declared it had to be repaired and we needed to rent a car. 

Tommy called and rented on over the phone. We were told we could get a Rogue or something comparable. Not so! A Rav4 was what we got. I hit my head and just about knocked myself out...twice. We drove it to my doctor's appointment on Tuesday. 

That was rough, so we got another car. The next one was an Expedition. It was so high that a step/runningboard came out for easy entry. We brought it home, came in the house to use the bathroom and head out again. 

I went to the car first and struggled to even step up to the helper step. As I was trying to hold on and twist body into the car, my hand slipped. Tommy said he heard me scream and turned to see me flying through the air. I was crying after I landed. He said, "DAMN!" And, he was frantic to call 911 as I lay there crying loudly. Finally, I gave him my phone to use. 

He told 911 I was hurt. So, the huge firetruck came with sirens and horns blaring. Three firemen came to me with equipment. 

My greatest fear and my concern when I spoke to them was....

FIRE ANTS

The yard is filled with fire ants, as is the whole city of Hueytown. They got me sat up. I had landed on my left side. I begged them to get the fireants off me. They assured me that there were no fire ants on me. How could they know??? 

One guy sat by me or on his knees and gently cleaned all the leaves and dirt out of my hair and sort of pushed my hair the direction it need to be. The other two guys were brushing stuff off my legs. I kept asking about fireants, never mind I had hit my head and the rest of my body. 

As they sat me up, one guy had his arm around me, holding me around the shoulders to lift me. I was softly yelling because he was holding me in a place that hurts from the torn rotator cuff. I told him why he was hurting me after I could talk. 

They took the wicker lawn chair and told me they would put it behind me and to sit when I felt it behind my knees. Walking backwards is something that is difficult for me to do. All three held me while I walked backwards. 

They wanted to feel my knees. Well, no. They hurt but I knew it was not bad. I actually had my knees bent when I landed. Both hurt when I fell. But, since I had bent them more in the effort to sit up, I knew they were not injured enough to be touched and make me hurt more. Since they could get me onto my feet, I suppose they knew the knees were not injured more. 

I was very dizzy and off my feet for a few minutes after they got me upright, feet on the ground. We were going back to turn in the Expedition when I fell. I asked them if they would let me go to the bathroom and help me get into the car. They said they would. One fireman walked me to the door since they were being cautious with my condition. 

In the bathroom I was 'squeee oh oh" because it hurt to pee because of the uti that I was sure I had. The one fireman was coming down the hall because he heard me. Tommy did not! 

So, a couple of the guys were right behind me when I was trying to get into the car. I felt sure I would not fall again with them there. The closest guy was going to put his hands around my waist/just above, like a person would help a baby. Well, I knew that would not work without hurting me. So, I told him to push my bottom. He just froze. I said I was asking him to hold my bottom to get me in. So, he did. 

I was in the car trying to get straightened out and told him I was not into him and he was not into me, but that move was necessary. He said he would not forget my asking him to hold my behind. It was the first time for him. I weigh almost 300 lbs, so he needed to grab a solid place.  I thanked them profusely.

After I fell, I told Tommy it was going back! Now! So, back to rental place. We tried another car and neither of us could get in. Tommy never can get into his car without hurting his knees because with osteoporosis his knees don't bend. 

We went to rental place and told them we wanted another car. The employee was understanding. We did accept the last car they had, one just turned into the office. However, it hurt my back. 

Monday--piccked up Rav4, went to doctor.

Tuesday--returned Rav4 at noon, got Expedition, fell, returned at 4 pm, looked at Rogue, drove Equinox away. That is three cars we drove and tried to get into one.

Wednesday--shopped

Thursday--returned Equinox, picked up repaired Rogue he owns.

His Rogue cost $1581.00 for replaced mass air flow sensor repair and valve cover gasket was replaced. I told him I was so relieved to pick up his raggedy, old car. And, that I like my raggedy old man...lol. Later, he said that even though I was hurt, I was still funny.

He had to return the car to rental company and then retrieve his car to come home. I did not feel I could drive safely. So, he was going to take a lyft home. Garage paid for that.

Tuesday night, I hurt all over. Wednesday, my left kidney hurt, still does. My left arm is still in pain up near shoulder. My left ear is more congested. My right hand hurts from hitting the ground. Both knees hurt. Tommy said I flew far and from a height. Tommy said I looked like the person falling in VERTIGO. 

I still know I have fallen. I have no trouble getting into Tommy's car. Now, I do. The fall made my back problem worse!

Oh, the cars were nightmares. I whacked my head, could not get knees bent enough to have no pain. Who knows how to work the ac and heat and adjust seats? I wish they would take the huge cargo area and give passenger and driver more room. The back seat in one car was more roomy than the front seat! 

His car is in the driveway, and I want to go hug it. 

We ate what was in the refrigerator, and we are happy. Now, I need to go start the dishwasher and come back to watch a movie.

I will talk about the doctor appointment at cardiologist tomorrow.

So, that was my car rental saga and the fall from the step/running board of the car. I still hurt. I will call doctor about the kidney I fell on tomorrow. I have never fallen from a height since I fell down the concrete side steps in 1993 during a blizzard. As a matter of fact, those are the only two times I have fallen from a height ever. I have mostly done my falling with feet on terra firma. 

The fall was not on account of my sandals. They are firmly on my feet, aided by swollen feet.

Oh, forgot about the uti. Wednesday, I called my primary doctor. Nurse said he would not prescribe without a specimen, which I knew. I asked if Tommy could pick up the specimen jar, and take it back to her when I had supplied them with a specimen. She said it was okay. So, Tommy brought me a specimen jar and a top hat in a plastic bag with drawstring. Doctor prescribed me an antibiotic I have never hear of before. The best part is it did not make me sick, dizzy, make muscles or joints hurt. I tolerate it well and felt better immediately. Of course, I will finish it. The drugstore only had half the amount prescribed, so I will get the rest tomorrow. 

EDIT: In the fall I broke my nail on left index finger into the quick. My middle finger on the right hand was broken so that there was a point on the nail. Plus, when I fell, I hit the lawn chair and left a nasty looking scrape/gash which broke the skin. However, it is all better and not infected now.

Do you find newer cars are difficult to get into and to find the right buttons for use? Do you ever whack your head? We will get another car for both of us. We have a list of cars we will not even get into. 

Have you bought a coconut that was tiny and not large this year?