OW!!!! I FELL!

 Hard.  I was walking from the wee shed to the car this morning so I could go in and get a shower at the gym before work.

I had my lunch (in jars) in a bag with an empty gallon jug to fill with water at work (unfrozen water...) to cook with tonight.  And a backpack with clean clothes to put in my gym bag which lives in the car.

I'm following some animal's tracks, trying to figure out what it is and generally just walking to the car.

THEN at the bottom of the hill like 6 feet from the car and also right next to the car, the animal tracks are all smeary like it was slipping and sliding.

THEN I'm on the ground, on my back, with a jar of lunch jammed between me and the icy path, apparently, my hat and head lamp (it was still dark out) are somewhere, my glasses, which had been in my hand are somewhere else.  The jar of lunch under my back REALLY HURT.  IT was just outside a kidney location and FORTUNATELY DID NOT BREAK.  Because, that could have been really bad.  I was wearing a pretty thick coat.  I have not idea why the jar didn't break.  I hit hard.  And there isn't much meat there.

My back is wonked on the left side now.  It took a couple of minutes to find my stuff, and get up.  And old-lady flatfoot shuffle to the car.  VERY CAREFULLY and PAINFULLY.   Once my butt was in the seat, it was better . As long as I didn't move at all.  which is awkward when you need to steer and brake, etc.

I took a 30min hot shower with the massager right on my owie mid-low-back.   I didn't see a bruise.  

The shower helped.  Getting sox on with half a stuck back was an adventure.  Compression sox.  I had to sit down  Usually don't have to.

Once at the office I walked VERY CAREFULLY across some slick sh*t into the office and got my chair reset to the most supportive option.  And cranked my belt down like it is a weight belt.  If I jam my fist into the sore spot on my back, I can walk a bit more.

FORTNATELY I had forgotten some arnica salve from a previous Santa Fe trip at the office.  That is good for strained muscles and bruises so that's on there.  I may rig up a heating pad of some sort later.  Not sure how.  I have a date with a hot water bottle once I get home.  

This was my first fall of the winter and it was full on Bugs Bunny.  I wasn't even facing the way I was walking by the time I hit the pavement.  It's like I jumped up and body slammed myself.