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A few weeks ago I was reminded of something which I sincerely and vehemently believed for a long time: Which was that I was cursed with a terrible case of life-long bad luck (if you have ADHD then you know what I am talking about). In my imagination I figured I must have done something terribly wrong in a past life and; therefore, I was paying the price for it in this life. Well, I was later diagnosed with ADHD, just as awful, I thought at the time, but not as unmanageable as pure, cross-a-black-cat, break-a-mirror, step-on-a-crack, bad luck.
Let me tell you what happened, and feel free to let me know if something similar has happened to you. Nobody wants to be alone in their follies, right?
I was checking text messages on my iphone, while following after Joan into a local McDonald’s. She was gaining some distance ahead of me and went in before me. Without looking up I opened the door and the edge of it caught me just above my left eye and on the ridge of my nose! It hurt so bad that I saw black for a few moments. My hands shot up to cover the area (dropped my iphone!) and I started saying a few choice words, you know, to help dull the pain, and when I took my hands away they were covered in blood (good thing I dropped my iphone). To make matters worse, I noticed three little girls looking up at me pointing, two had their mouths open in shock and the third had her other hand over her mouth, clearly trying to stifle her giggles! Worse still, the employees just stared at me without asking if I was okay or needed, I don’t know, maybe a napkin, or an ambulance perhaps?
Finally, I realized this was more serious than a bump and dashed into the bathroom and spent about 45 minutes cleaning myself up and getting the blood to nearly stop, it was an insistent bleeder. Meanwhile, Joan was searching for me everywhere, freaking out, especially after finding my iphone (yeah, think about that a moment). She finally knocked on the bathroom door and looked in. When she saw me, she was horrified and wanted to take me to the hospital (I had to calm her down), but all I wanted was some coffee and a salad – oh, and an extra large band-aid would have helped.
When we made it to the counter the staff still did not offer me any condolence or assistance – it is a good thing it wasn’t as bad as it looked or worse. I know it was my fault, but Jeeze, maybe a couple band-aids could have been offered. I was too embarrassed to ask, and wouldn’t let Joan ask either. I used a couple napkins to cover my wounds (I was a spectacle), we ordered our food and ate – I mean, I have ADHD, so this wasn’t my first run-in (pun intended), I knew what to do and it wasn’t going to stop me from eating.
The whole incident left a mark, in more ways than one.
Before I was actually diagnosed with ADHD, I did this sort of thing all of the time. Diagnosis didn’t cure me of such mishaps, but they are less frequent now and they usually do not draw blood, well, not as much.
Darn, my bad luck! er… I mean, my ADD – Duh!
~Bryan
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Youch!
Reply to Renee AdamsSounds really horrible – and seems like you should have gotten some help form the staff. Pretty unbelievable.
btw, I call myself “the Original Klutz” if that means anything to you
Remember that song on Hee Haw: “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”? Story of my life.
When my son was probably 8 or 9 I was trying to rush him and pulled at him. His face went into the corner of a store shelf. I just asked for a tissue to stanch the blood and took him home. I still feel like the world’s worst mom when I think of it years later.
Another time, I stopped on my way to work to flick my windshield wipers which had crusted with icy snow due to the severe snow storm. I was close to 10 miles down the road when I realized my finger was bleeding all over my clothes. I had to have someone going in to work let them know I was going to go buy clean clothes at Walmart before I came in. He told them I looked terrible and was covered with blood so they were really concerned.
I went in to Walmart and total strangers were asking me if I was ok. They let me change in the dressing room and then go pay for the clothes. Its a good thing we live in a fairly rural area. A larger city wouldn’t have dared let someone do that.
BTW, the cut that had me “covered in blood” was about 1/4 of an inch on the tip of my finger. lol
Reply to BarbBuddhists that subscribe to “mindfulness” would have you walk, when you are walking, and checking your phone, when you are checking your phone. Today’s digital, multi-tasking world has people operating on a different wavelength. Just check the statistics for all the car accidents due to cellphone usage while driving. Unfortunately ADD, coupled with multitasking, leads to…well you know. Try to incorporate more mindful living each day.
Reply to DavidPoor you!! Sounds shockingly painful! And no offers of assistance? What…have they been warned off by the lawyers?
I blame it on the iPhone — too addictive, I hear.
And re this: “Meanwhile, Joan was searching for me everywhere, freaking out, especially after finding my iphone (yeah, think about that a moment).”
Did she think you’d been Raptured?
Reply to Gina PeraIndeed Gina, it is addictive! Usually, in a non-painful way
Ruptured? Not sure, I will have to ask her – have you seen the movie Vanished? It’s about a true story where the wife goes missing from one minute to the next at a French gas station while the husband is paying and she is never found, or she was found buried alive… can’t remember exactly. It’s scary, though and a true story. We watched the movie recently but I couldn’t finish it (another story), but I know Joan did. lol
David… whatdya say? Just kidding. Actually, with the diagnosis of ADHD and understand the truth of distraction, it has helped me be more mindful and consider my actions better with regard to distraction; however, like Gina said, it must have been the phone – therefore, I am free and clear of blame… right? Yeah!
Barb, I think the sight of blood kind of freaks people out. I know it freaks me out – could never be a surgeon!
Indeed Renee!
Reply to BryanI do not know, I have seemed to had bad luck before and after my finding I have ADD. Now at least I can say I am more focused on it. Ha!
As far as service…an employee that worked at Mcdonalds saw an old lady being mugged the restaurant so he went to protect her. he was hurt very bad. The company did not want topay the hospital bills because their company policy states that you are not to get involved…The employee was a hero and saved the ladies life…So we need to say no more about that.
Reply to MindySo its not just me? Awesome… As I type on my blackberry and walk
Reply to timYeah, Mindy, I think our ADD behavior can make us act a certain way and the repercussions can make us think we have a lot of bad luck, but for me at least, recognizing those traits and working to improve them has helped me reduce the ‘bad luck’ in my life… I find when more than one person tells me something, it’s probably true and I need to improve it – whereas before diagnosis I’d ignore such advice… being a klutz though… keeping my mind on the moment is what’s important!
No, Tim, your not alone, but I walk even slower now…. just in case!
Reply to BryanErm….with all respect, Bryan, I did giggle when reading your story. But, at least I would have given you assistance if I were there
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I also tend to bump into or experience bizarre things that do not usually happen to anyone. I never consider it bad luck, though. I just didn’t realise that people don’t get crash into something more often that I do. I thought it was normal, just like my tendency to zone out
I am glad that it didn’t stop you from eating. That’s what I call spirit!
Reply to RiriRiri, there’s very little that can get me to stop eating! I am very luck that I do not put on weight, or maybe it’s because of my food allergies that I am eating food that doesn’t put on weight… ah well. Trust me; if I had written about this several weeks ago, it probably would not have been so amusing to read
The pain was crazy painful, just lucky I didn’t break my nose. I do feel sorry for whoever had to clean up the bathroom, though… head wound’s bleed insane amounts of blood!
Reply to BryanI can’t wear clothes that have a lot of extra stuff on them, or I’ll get it ripped. Either the cloth gets ripped, or I get it ripped off of me. I still have a nice overcoat with an extra flap on the back. I got out of my car one day and shut the door and ripped that back of the coat from my neck down. I get caught on door handles, knobs, and other things with my belt loops. I still actually consider myself a lucky person though. I do get very lucky with many things in life. I thinks it’s because I try a lot of things and if some of them “hit” them I feel lucky. I don’t think other people “gamble” in life as much as us ADDers do. They’re just not playing the game as much as we are.
Reply to SteveI can’t believe nobody tried to help you! I know it wasn’t their fault, but it seems like its just a matter of being a human being… if you see someone injured and bleeding, you should at least OFFER to help!
Reply to NickiSounds like the kind of thing that would happen to me, anyway… A few weeks ago as I was walking into the kitchen, my niece opened the freezer door, and I walked into it and bashed myself in the head! My family is still making fun of me for it!
Hi Bryan – I also have bad luck sometimes – mostly cluminess but this to me seem to be more of a cell-phone incident.
I have yet to use a whistle I got as a freebie at a lecture but I intend to be on citizen patrol to remind people that walking and texting is a bad idea.
people where i live will be walking on the sidewalk and texting, looking down, instead of where they are going and then I have to make an effort to get around them.
I don’t think so. If you are in the DC/MD area I recommend for your own safety to watch your step. People are not careful when driving. I agree with the person who commented about mindfulness. You can check your phone when you sit down to eat or better yet, when you are not doing something else.
Kerry:)
Reply to kerryOuch Nicki!
Yep, Kerry, phone issue, I know! lol However, I must say I have done this before, there was this time at ‘band camp’ (just kidding), but about a decade ago I walked into a pole and actually did break a finger!! Back then there was no such thing as a cell phone… Actually, I haven’t done this in a long while and used to do it too frequently, not just doors… toes anyone?
–telling a person with ADHD to be more mindful is kind of funny – it’s like telling a swimmer not to get the water in their mouth
Reply to BryanBryan, I send my sympathy for the painful and humiliating experience that left you thinking that you must be cursed. I do relate to that McDonald’s incident since I have had more than my share of crazy and embarrassing situations that left me wanting to crawl into a dark cave to never return.
Before I share my own sad saga of ADDer moments that left me mortified, I wanted to mention that the employee’s at McDonald’s were so insensitive and inconsiderate to not at least inquire if you were alright or not. What ever happened to compassion?
All of my life, I have always considered myself uncoordinated, unathletic and rather clumsy. No wonder I never got involved with sports! Perhaps, that is why I went the complete opposite direction and became a girly girl?
When I was in 8th grade, the gym teacher planned an obstacle race for all of us students. In the beginning of the obstacle race, each student had to dive through all kinds of hoops and then we had to jump onto a small trampoline to jump over a large garbage can to continue weaving through all the other obstacles.
Once it was my turn, I began diving through the hoops and I jumped onto the small trampoline.
Just as I was attempting to jump over the large garbage can, I must have not jumped high enough because I literally landed right INSIDE the garbage can!
Instantly, ALL eyes were on me and immediately everyone in the gym class was laughing hysterically at me! Udg! Thankfully, I was not physically injured, but I can guarantee that my ego was hurting!
I was so embarrassed that I refused to complete the obstacle race. Gym class was always a sore spot for me, especially when I had to live down the comical reminders of my landing inside a garbage can.
It was not, until many years later that I was eventually evaluated and diagnosed with ADHD.
Once I started researching ADHD, it became apparent that one of the symptoms of ADDer’s is “accident prone.” (Gee, that explains all my clumsy accidents, falls down flights of stairs and that I accidentally spilled nail polish remover all over my kitchen table, which left the wood table with a BIG white blemish in the center!)
Personally, I can look back on all of this and smile knowing that it was not intentional and I did eventually recover from the humiliation. If nothing else, it sure gives me new idea’s to write another comical story about ADDer’s!
Reply to DanaThank you Dana!
Isn’t that the most interesting thing about ADHD, that once we start researching it, learning and understanding, then we start to correct behavior, become more ‘mindful’, because, even as odd as that sounds, it is part of the process to improvement and overcoming our innate traits.
Reply to BryanGood suggestion, David.
Reply to AnneI do not see any of that as bad luck as I have shared in similar mindless self destructive experiences as you have. It is by no means a pattern of bad luck as it is a pattern of a failure to pay attention to details or a failure to control ones own impulses when walking.
Reply to C.J. MacKechnieI tell my son. That it is not wise to hyper focus when walking across the street or you may become smashed, bashed and crashed.
I remember once. When I was doing something rather sneaky and silently in the dark. I had payed attention so much on the target in question. That I forgot about the diagonal guide wire on a power pole. I hit it in a dead run. Me and all of my gear came to a dead stop. The air in my lungs loudly came out. The power pole loudly shook and I was on my back.
Forever more after that, I was teased when the general warning was offered for being on the look out for expletive power poles.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe nobody tried to help you. We have the opposite problem at our house. I’m the ADDer and I seem to be pretty coordinated (at least in that way, let’s not get into my mental chaos though, HAHA) and my allegedly non-ADD sweetie is constantly accidentally injuring ME! He tries to sit next to me on the couch and his elbow bonks me in the face, tries to hand me something, overshoots and it cracks into my knee, drops things on me…it happens ALL the time. But you know, I wouldn’t trade him for anything, he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever known, and certainly the nicest one I’ve ever dated. We all have our gifts and our curses
But I’m sorry you injured yourself…OUCH.
Reply to KatyYou know, Bryan, Spazatron needs a side kick. Maybe you should apply for the job. What was it Cesar Romero as the Joker used to call Robin? The Boy Blunder?
Seriously, I completely sympathise with your head wound. I bet you lost at least five gallons. At least that’s what it looked like, right?
In that book I was mentioning the ADD character Miriam always panics for a few minutes during an emergency and then handles it competently. I tend to do it the other way around: handle then panic.
A lot of people in our society don’t seem to handle it at all. They just do the deer-in-the-headlights thing and hope that the situation goes away or someone else handles it before they actually have to do something. It’s sad.
There’s only one way to defeat Spazatron and that’s to do those things we as ADDers are so terrible at. Not a very good answer but it’s the best I have.
Reply to GaryThanks for sharing your klutz moments with me! But, like I always say, we all share ADHD tendencies, it’s just when all or most of those tendencies get together and have a party that we actually may have ADHD!
Gary, – Your Spazatron articles on our ADHD Social Network are priceless – keep them coming, I always enjoy reading them and laughing out loud with you!
Reply to BryanYou’re right, Bry. I was one who agreed about being mindful…………..if I could only remember to do it. For me EVERYTHING is a distraction.
Reply to AnneI was diagnosed in 2nd grade.
4 out of the 6 ADD types, with 3 other learning “disabilities”.
my mom would say that I didn’t run into walls, they jumped out in front of me. thank you mom!
I’ve also found that the friends that I’ve told and stay around after, will be friends forever. I’ve been blessed with some really awesome people.
AND my IQ is on the genius level. it took years to figure that one out. since test aren’t exactly my thing and because of that, they tried to fail me several times in grade school. but I’m a college grad now.
I take a bow when I walk into things now. just to let people know what’s up.
Reply to AshleyHi Bryan,
Just saw this post & the messages. So, its’ not only me? For years, I would say that ‘grace’ was not even in my name. I was always bumping into something and feeling pain…not anything deliberately destructive, just bad coordination and hitting things because I was also focusing on doing something else. Thumbs stuck in van doors, hitting a pole so loudly with my forehead in Jr Hi that it went bong! and having the kids imitate the sound the rest of the way with other poles–just 2 examples that readily come to mind.
Now married, my coordination is somewhat better. However, that’s only because of a loving husband who honestly prides himself in the fact that after 10 years I have many fewer bruises on my body. Funny, that brings up jokes when friends ask, ok-so, ‘When did you stop beating your wife?’ Hubbie can handle it–thankfully.
I’ve also worked on being more mindful…. still if I could ‘grow out of’ my ADD-ness I would..
Just now its’ sometimes more scary at the more rare times the clumsiness does happen. Like almost falling down the stairs last month and remembering it with a nice bruise on the bumm. I was carrying too much trying to clear things away in a burst of energy to finish ‘organizing.
What’s new? Hello me… no matter where you go—there you are.
I guess I’ve come to believe that it’s God’s way of keeping me humble…and listening.
Reply to C_artAwesome Ashley!
Ouch! C_art! You are so right, when we are fortunate enough to find that person who ‘understands’ and helps protect us from those polls, stairs and doors, it sure is nice
Bests!
Reply to Bryan