I am a little embarrassed to say this... but after taking three weeks for my back to finally heal enough that I felt I could move around and get things done, I managed to fall on some steps and break my foot! No kidding!!! I was walking down our stairs and missed the last step while I was looking down at my phone to see a text that went off. I didn't even read it, just looked at it, and suddenly fell, landing on my left foot which twisted under me.
My son was sitting at the computer nearby, and he rushed over to me to see what help I needed. I scared him to death, because even though I didn't hit my head, after I fell, the pain in my foot was so excruciating, I put my head down on the ceramic tile and sort of dug into the floor. I said, "My head is ok. My head is ok... ankle.... ankle...." As my husband came out to see what happened, I explained likewise and called for one of them to grab an ice pack to put on my ankle. All this time I was still lying face-down on the tile because I didn't feel I had the strength to endure sitting up.
After the foot was iced awhile, I finally pushed myself up to a seated position and then started to chill vigorously. I asked for a blanket, and pointed out that I was in a shocky state, which I knew, didn't bode well for my foot. I wouldn't let anyone move me for quite awhile. I took some ibuprofen and sat there at the bottom of the stairs with my back leaning against the front door . Another son came out and had missed all the commotion. He asked me why I was sitting on the floor as if I sat there all the time, and I filled him in. He said, "Seriously, Mom?" Oh, yes... quite seriously.....
I struggled quite a bit with making the decision to go to the ER. My husband assures me that he had no other intention, but to take me there..... When I am making the decision for someone else, sometimes I will forego the ER, take a wait and see attitude, and usually I am right in doing so and able to care for the injured myself. Not this time! I honestly think I knew from the beginning that it was broken, but I wasn't positive. I had never had a sprain, so I didn't have anything to compare with. When I was younger, though, I broke two of my fingers at the knuckle, and I thought this felt very similar. At that point, too, I thought it was in the ankle joint, and I was worried about having a break that could later limit my mobility if it didn't heal right. I decided that an x-ray would be the only thing to help me have peace of mind about it, and I reasoned that I wasn't even sure I could wrap it correctly if it was a sprain. A late night ER trip made sense.....
I'm not sure how long I sat before finally asking my son and my husband to help me up. I definitely could not bear any weight and taking the ice off gave an immediate throbbing effect. I sat in a chair and tried to focus and breathe through the pain. My son got his old crutches out of the attic for me to use, but it was much more difficult than I imagined. Still, I have no idea how I would've gotten to our van if I hadn't had them.
When we got to the ER, it had been one full hour since I fell. I was fortunate in that I wore my extra firm support hose when this happened, and I didn't remove the stocking as I knew it would compress and keep swelling down. I think this made a huge difference for me, as I had much less swelling than would be expected for a break. I was thankful that I had these stockings and not any others because I don't think the others would have worked as well. And, I only had these stockings because I got 8 loads of laundry done on the two days that I was feeling back to normal and able to do it.
It would be another two hours before the doctor came to talk to me, and another hour from then before the results of an x-ray showed a fracture. And, not just any fracture, but he said it has a name.... a "Jones fracture." A lengthwise crack of the 5th metatarsal. So, finally, I was outfitted with a lovely large black boot and a new pair of crutches adjusted just for me.
We headed home and, of course, the wind and snow began to pick up. After we got home, my husband who had done such a great job of helping me and supporting me throughout this situation slipped on a patch of ice and fell, hitting his nose and lip on the pavement. He was already dealing with sinus issues and a runny nose due to a virus we had go through our family, so was already feeling miserable. In fact, when I fell, he had just gone to bed.... so, I was horrified that he now had to deal with a bloody nose! But, as unsympathetically as anyone ever could be... I laughed hysterically... I just couldn't believe it! What a pair we made!
He helped me get into the house, which was no small feat. In fact, I was quite stymied on how to get up the one step on our porch. I had to stand there for quite awhile thinking about how to position the crutches the right way to keep from putting any weight on my left foot while catapulting my right foot up the one step. I realized right then that I had no idea how I would ever get to the second level of our house. My husband said I wouldn't and that I had to sleep in the (uncomfortable) recliner in our family room. (sigh)
I went straight to the bathroom, and in my desire to balance myself, I leaned heavily upon the plastic towel bar, which immediately broke in half under my full weight, causing me to fall onto the dryer. I was trying to balance myself and deal with the pain of that situation when he asked me, "Did you mean to do that?" LOL! Yes.... yes,... I meant to break in half the towel bar that was holding me up! He then offered, "I think the windowsill would work better." I recalled a comedy routine by Tim Hawkins and then said to him, "Good advice-- too late." LOL!
So, after I was situated in the recliner, I then told Tony I was trying to figure out how to make myself something to eat. He told me to sit and he made me and egg and toast. I was SO hungry.... I don't know if it is the fact I was injured or burning more calories trying to use crutches or what, but I felt like I was starving, so it was quite good. He went to bed and it took me another half hour to fall asleep.
I slept only 2 hours and realized this morning, the enormity of what I have done... as difficult as it was to move when my back was out... now, I not only had difficulty moving, but I can't carry anything while I am trying to do so. I can't go upstairs... at least not yet.... and trying to get to the bathroom was way more challenging than I like to admit. I knew I couldn't go back to sleep, so here I am writing about my experience so I can process it. Yes, this post was more for me than anyone else, so if you actually read it, thank you for any prayers and support! I am going to need it!
My children have been waking up, one by one, coming down to discover what happened after they had gone to sleep. They haven't understood, yet, the full impact of what has happened or what extra work it will mean for them. They do have some idea, I guess, due to my 3 weeks with back pain, but right now, they are caught up with the novelty of my situation and my new "stuff"! Each one has made a little comment here and there about my foot. One said that she had always wanted to see a big boot like mine. My youngest son said, "I bet I'll be the next one to break my foot!" My 3yo was just scared and it took a bit for her to come over to me. She was awake when I fell and saw me lying on the floor. I had to reassure her that Mommy was ok. And, my oldest daughter said, "Hmmmm...... the things that happen in the night!" LOL!
Indeed!
Under His Wing......
I haven't read this in three years, but since we just talked about it the other day, I had to read it... and I have to say, even though I wrote this and even though I caused this.... this is hysterically funny! :-)
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