THE TROUBLE WITH GRAVITY

By Dan Miller
April 3, 2007

What do David Brinkley, William Holden and Laura Ashley have in common?

The answer is.... they each died as a result of falling.
And you can add to that list Ray Coniff, Karl Wallender, Dr. Robert Atkins, Katherine Graham and Chet Baker.

And there are many, many others.
Falling is the leading cause of death at home. It just beats out poisoning.
It is also the leading cause of injury at home, with nothing else even close.

I started thinking about this about 3 weeks ago when I stumbled down the treacherous back steps at my home.
Fortunately, I managed to catch myself against the back (stone) wall, though something did cut the pinky on my left hand.
It's healed nicely now, but I probably should have gotten a stitch or two.

Singer/songwriter Verlon Thompson -- the fiance of my co-anchor Demetria Kalodimos -- fell about three years ago after stepping from his roof onto a ladder.
He went down almost head first and severely shattered both his wrists.... but it could have been -- oh so easily -- a truly devastating injury.
Happily for Verlon, with time and treatment, he was able to resume his impressive abilities as a picker.

Most of us remember a few years ago when Music Row executive Tony Brown fell down the staircase at a restaurant in L.A..... went into a coma.... and nearly died.
We're all grateful that he has recovered.

My fall down the back steps marked the third time I'd fallen since we moved into our present house about six years ago.

One of the falls happened on the main staircase inside the house.
I quickly learned that cotton socks can be very slippery on a wooden step.
After that one, my right foot was sore for several months -- but, thankfully, nothing more.

But my most potentially damaging fall happened two winters ago.
It happened on the incredibly slippery, ice-covered steps on the side of our front porch.
Not only did I slip and fall.... so did my (then) six year old, who was walking right behind me.
Luckily, I didn't fall on her, and she was fine, other than having a sore behind.

The good news for me was.... I somehow managed to safely hold on to the Christmas gifts I was carrying to a neighbor's house.... and I didn't scream too loudly as I slammed my fingertips on the frozen concrete.
The neighbor we were taking the gifts to is a retired doctor, who came outside and checked my fingers, which were ringing with a painful numbness.

He's a nice man and I appreciated his concern.
But he's a retired gynecologist, and I thought the stirrups were unnecessary.

Bottom line to our lesson today.... ALWAYS use bannisters and hand rails!
And don't follow too closely behind me.

________________________________________