Casey vs. The Stairs

Posted bycasey coombsPosted inToo lazy to label.

I was coming off the Orange line in Downtown Chicago on Friday night headed for my hotel heavy with baggage. I had a large backpack containing my camera, an insanely large duffel bag with enough layers to keep one warm for ten straight hours outside in the middle of March in Chicago and my purse.

This is what I would have looked like had I made it down the stairs upright, I give you this illustration because it’s really hard to draw luggage on stick figures falling down the stairs :

(Oh yeah, I was wearing really kicky boots with tall pointy heels. I believe this to be what led to my downfall, pun intended.)

The Baggage

About halfway down the stairs it happened. How I’m not sure, I’m blaming the boots, but I knew I was going down and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The Fall Phase IThe Fall Phase IIThe Fall Phase IIIThe Fall Phase IVThe Fall Phase V

The first thing that should have gone through my head as I was falling is “GOOD HEAVENS DON’T BREAK A BONE AND KEEP YOUR HEAD FROM SMASHING INTO THAT REALLY HARD CEMENT.”

But instead it was “DON’T YOU DARE LAND ON YOUR CAMERA OR THIS WHOLE WEEKEND WILL BE A BUST, IT WILL BE MUCH CHEAPER TO FIX A BROKEN BONE THAN YOUR CAMERA.”

My first thought as I got up should have been “THANK HEAVENS I AM OKAY!”

But it was actually “WHO SAW ME?”

My response to the nice man who said “YOU CAN’T BE OKAY AFTER A FALL LIKE THAT. Can I call someone for you?” should have been “OW THAT HURT LIKE HELL CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE ME TO MY MOMMY AT THE HYATT?”

But instead it was “Oh, I’m fine, it just ripped my jeans.”

Dumb me and my pride.

So what did the fall really do to me?

Flesh Wound

My Battered Leg

I also have several gigantic bruises in places I can’t photograph, either because I can’t reach them or because my underwear covers them.

I still walked around with my mom taking pictures for over 10 hours in the freezing cold the next day.

I wasn’t about to waste the opportunity that was being in Chicago childless with my mom and a brand spanking new camera. Busted up leg or not.

78 thoughts on “Casey vs. The Stairs”

  4. OMG Casey!! And you continued to go around with an ankle that looked like that?!?! And bruises…um…elsewhere?!

    But I can’t blame you…with a brand new camera and no kid I very well may have done the same…

    Then again, maybe not. I’m such a wuss 😛

    Sadie’s last blog post..What walks on your grave?

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  6. So glad nothing is broken! You are a super star to keep going on your bum leg. I would have curled up in my hotel room and been pitiful and ordered room service I couldn’t afford!

    heather’s last blog post..Weekend Fun

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  15. I do not know how your stick art could possibly be any funnier. You made me LOVL (laugh out very loud).

    But I’m sorry you got hurt.

    I think you should get rid of your boots that tried to kill you.

    And you deserve that smurfy camera.

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  17. SO GLAD to see that you’ve put ads up. You’re so popular, you work so hard to entertain us all, you deserve a little cashola to pad your pretty purse.

    PLEASE tell me that you saw Oprah! 😀

    PS: Glad that you semi-survived the fall!

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  19. I think it’s the stairs fault. I mean, women have been wearing boots for years. You would think that they would have invented stairs that allow us to gracefully go up and down stairs in boots, high heels and platform shoes without risking life and limb (and expensive cameras.) It must be cheaper to invent new stairs then to change the entire Western World’s view on fashion.

    That being said, I am glad you are ok, and your illustrations rock.

    Mandi’s last blog post..Male Search for Physical Perfection

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  29. Damn those kicky boots. They should be arrested. If it makes you feel better, ER was filmed in Chicago and there is one episode where Nurse Carol Hathaway takes a tumble down a flight of stairs that look suspiciously like the one in the picture. With a pie, in the snow, and pregnant with twins that she later gives birth to.

    If it makes you feel any better, you can embellish the story by adding that info…

    Antonette’s last blog post..Here’s Something to Dog-ear

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  31. Wowie, owie!!!

    That’s gonna leave a mark! Oh, it did.
    I hope you’re on the road to recovery. I had JUST written a post about my clumsy family before I read this. 🙂 You are a trooper! (And that pride? Gotta have it. Otherwise, we’d look like fools. Yes, it’s the PRIDE that keeps us from looking foolish. MmmHMM.)

    Mandy’s last blog post..Clumsy

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  32. When I read that you fell – my first thought was, “I hope her brand new camera is okay. Because that would be really tragic if it wasn’t.”

    And then I thought about your bones 🙂

    Glad both are okay.

    Erika’s last blog post..Free HBO Free Showtime

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  35. I’m glad your not badly hurt, other than the pride. What is it that demands we be independent in the face of humility? I never take anyone’s help, preferring to limp off on my own to snivel in a corner for a bit. Take care of those bruises and get better soon.

    Mary Beth’s last blog post..THE TOUR

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  42. Wow….good to know I am not the only one who does things like that in public. I still remember my first day in DC on my way out of my first interview I fell down the escalator…….It ruined my hose and seriously dented my pride. Lol!

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  46. Kristin and Casey,

    To clarify, I never said that Kristin had a Britney moment. What I called it was a GRACE moment, as in we don’t have any when we fall down on our butts — even if it’s the stairs/boots/gravity/ice’s faults. I’m blaming DST for anything and everything for as long as I can, including PMS and the state of the economy.

    Feel better Casey. So sorry for the pain and aggravation, but LOVE the stick figures and the comments. Every day with a new entry on mooshinindy.com is a good day! Keep on posting.

    Auntie Nettie’s last blog post..The Amazing Adventures of … the Peeps?

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  47. Kristin and Casey,

    To clarify, I never said that Kristin had a Britney moment. What I called it was a GRACE moment, as in we don’t have any when we fall down on our butts — even if it’s the stairs/boots/gravity/ice’s faults. I’m blaming DST for anything and everything for as long as I can, including PMS and the state of the economy.

    Feel better Casey. So sorry for the pain and aggravation, but LOVE the stick figures and the comments. Every day with a new entry on mooshinindy.com is a good day! Keep on posting.

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  50. I know I don’t really know you but I gotta say… At first I felt bad for you that you fell down the stairs. Then I became sort of jealous that you were in Chicago childless with a new camera. I’d consider breakage for that. Does that make me a bad person?!

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