Recovery Road
Getting old is not for the faint of heart. Over the Memorial Day weekend we celebrated my birthday. It was fun and fabulous, until one false move...
Doing the 'mom' thing, my hands were full and loaded down with food and beverages for the hangry children that were ready to keel over from starvation and dehydration. Said supplies were in the fridge of a friend's boat. Said children were at the beach area waiting impatiently.
I thought I could make it. I got this. Moms are basically super heroes. I am used to performing heroics. Not this time.
It is not entirely certain exactly what failed. Did my eyes misjudge the distance across? Or perhaps the depth of the drop? Did my leg and foot fail to execute the step properly? Did the boat move at just the wrong moment?
I did not stick the landing. I fell shin first onto the concrete dock. Then bounced thigh, shoulder, and finally head. At least the head hit last and didn't take any force. Pretty sure the feet never even touched the dock. In case you've never tried it, concrete is NOT a soft landing. Not at all.
Miraculously enough, the food and beverages landed nicely to my side and were spared for the starving children. Unfortunately my hat and glasses flew completely off my head into the water below. Hats float. Prescription sunglasses do not. It was like the scene in Titanic where Jack slowly slips away into the depths of the sea. I saw the glasses disappear in slow motion, but was in stunned paralysis and could not grab them in time. *cue the tears of agony*
Party pooper extraordinaire - that's me. The party ended (after the children were fed) and I was taken to the emergency room as the welt on my shin began to resemble a grapefruit. Thankfully the x-rays did not show any fractures. But it did not end there.
The next morning I awoke and figured I could just hop out of bed and make my way to the bathroom like I do every morning. Except I could not. On the third step I saw the 'birdies', then suddenly everything went dark.
I awoke to my husband frantically shaking me and calling my name. Unsure of where I was or what just happened I finally came to ... and began to feel new pains in areas that had been spared from the prior incident.
Another trip to the urgent care and multitudes of tests later all confirmed I still had no fractures (or brain damage) and I was going to be fine - after about a month or so of healing. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation have been the protocol for the last couple weeks ... along with a little side dosage of pain medication.
I never imagined a bump on the leg could be so debilitating, but I guess when it is on your tibia and the size of a grapefruit it is a different story. Pretty sure I would rather give birth all over again.
Recovery road is long and slow and seems to be winding and meandering in a different direction every day, but I am beginning to see there is an end. My mobility is getting better by the day and I am finally able to do some of the things I enjoy - like making beads.
I can only manage to sit behind the torch for short periods at a time before the pain outweighs the pleasure, but I was able to make these little lovelies that will be listed for sale sometime this week.
Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. I hope to be back to myself and on the saddle again soon.
Doing the 'mom' thing, my hands were full and loaded down with food and beverages for the hangry children that were ready to keel over from starvation and dehydration. Said supplies were in the fridge of a friend's boat. Said children were at the beach area waiting impatiently.
I thought I could make it. I got this. Moms are basically super heroes. I am used to performing heroics. Not this time.
It is not entirely certain exactly what failed. Did my eyes misjudge the distance across? Or perhaps the depth of the drop? Did my leg and foot fail to execute the step properly? Did the boat move at just the wrong moment?
I did not stick the landing. I fell shin first onto the concrete dock. Then bounced thigh, shoulder, and finally head. At least the head hit last and didn't take any force. Pretty sure the feet never even touched the dock. In case you've never tried it, concrete is NOT a soft landing. Not at all.
Miraculously enough, the food and beverages landed nicely to my side and were spared for the starving children. Unfortunately my hat and glasses flew completely off my head into the water below. Hats float. Prescription sunglasses do not. It was like the scene in Titanic where Jack slowly slips away into the depths of the sea. I saw the glasses disappear in slow motion, but was in stunned paralysis and could not grab them in time. *cue the tears of agony*
Party pooper extraordinaire - that's me. The party ended (after the children were fed) and I was taken to the emergency room as the welt on my shin began to resemble a grapefruit. Thankfully the x-rays did not show any fractures. But it did not end there.
The next morning I awoke and figured I could just hop out of bed and make my way to the bathroom like I do every morning. Except I could not. On the third step I saw the 'birdies', then suddenly everything went dark.
I awoke to my husband frantically shaking me and calling my name. Unsure of where I was or what just happened I finally came to ... and began to feel new pains in areas that had been spared from the prior incident.
Another trip to the urgent care and multitudes of tests later all confirmed I still had no fractures (or brain damage) and I was going to be fine - after about a month or so of healing. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation have been the protocol for the last couple weeks ... along with a little side dosage of pain medication.
I never imagined a bump on the leg could be so debilitating, but I guess when it is on your tibia and the size of a grapefruit it is a different story. Pretty sure I would rather give birth all over again.
Recovery road is long and slow and seems to be winding and meandering in a different direction every day, but I am beginning to see there is an end. My mobility is getting better by the day and I am finally able to do some of the things I enjoy - like making beads.
I can only manage to sit behind the torch for short periods at a time before the pain outweighs the pleasure, but I was able to make these little lovelies that will be listed for sale sometime this week.
Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. I hope to be back to myself and on the saddle again soon.
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