I Did NOT Fall Off Of A Ladder

CORRECTION: I Did NOT Fall Off of a Ladder

It being Spring Break for most of our students, I thought this the perfect time to re-paint the school and to do some much-needed spring cleaning.

The paint job had been going along nicely, until yesterday when I had to get on a lader.

I’ve watched about every video I could on ladder safety and I’m borderline paranoid about them because I’ve read all about the dangers and frequency of ladder-related injuries to homeowners.

So, to be 100% accurate, I did not fall off of a ladder yesterday.

I wasn’t being reckless, I wasn’t leaning out too far or concocting some non-OSHA approved makeshift ladder scaffolding.

Just a ladder against the wall.

I was dusting the walls and fixtures and had completed two walls; everything was moving along smoothly.

Then, I put the ladder up against the garage door wall, and as I moved it I had to maneuver it under the garage door track before setting it against the wall.

Now, there’s a certain angle to safely lean a ladder against a wall (about 75 degrees) to keep it from collapsing, and as it turns out I set the ladder slightly shallower than that as I was maneuvering it from one wall to the other.

AND, it was on the canvas tarp, which was on the slicker-than-I-remember wood floor.

So, I did not fall off the ladder, the ladder slid out from under me.

Short Story: I’m OK. Lots of pains all over, especially my tailbone, but nothing broken.

Longer Story: Had I been standing on the ladder rather than climbing the ladder I could have ridden it down without incident.

But, I was in the middle of a step as I felt it slipping and my foot had no purchase. I also had a duster in may hand.

I couldn’t jump off of the ladder because there was no support, no base/platform to push off of.

As my left foot extended, I somehow twisted as the ladder was sliding.

I wound up facing the opposite direction, cut my right arm on the ladder as I spun, and landed square on my tailbone.

It was a fascinating experience from a martial artist perspective.

I routinely explain to students that when you train enough you will be able to take in more of extreme experiences, you will experience time slowing down, a calmness in the chaos, and the ability to see yourself going through the situation.

I had time to think,”I shouldn’t have put the ladder on the tarp; of course it would slip,” before I hit the floor.

And, as I hit the floor I was aware enough to tell my whole body to relax on impact and to disperse the force; I made myself rock backward as I hit because I knew it would help.

Another thing I tell students is that when you train enough, the whole stress response and its attendant bodily reactions get pushed back until after the threat/situation has passed.

I had no emotion, no fear, just a sense of “this is happening, what to do.”

I thought I was going into shock because my teeth started chattering so I used my breathing to control my body and the pain until I could move.

Again, I’m so thankful to my martial arts teachers for this training.

I just knew my body would be going throught the trauman and I didn’t need to add any emotions to it.

All day yesterday I was recovering while monitoring my body for signals — what hurt, where, how did that body part get hurt — as I rested.

This morning I feel lots of different pain points, but overall, I’m ok.

I tell students that when they fall to get up quickly, lest they stay down.

So, I’ll be getting back on that horse, er, ladder, ASAP.

But this time I’ll have someone holding it.