Apparently, falls are the "downfall" of many of us as we get older. The guys in my singing group are 65-80 years old. One of them fell just as you describe - ice on the driveway getting his newspaper. A couple of months later, with a new artificial hip, he was doing much better. He recently fell again, but had no injuries.

Personally, I don't use the ladder much any more - except the lower rungs to replace a light bulb in our 10 foot ceilings. I won't get on my roof (never did like heights) and am generally much more careful about exposing myself to potential falls, as are most of the guys in my group, particularly those over 70. I also do a lot of balance training exercises.

Here's hoping you heal quickly and those spinal fractures don't cause you future problems.

OUCH!!