Add one more to the count - Part 2

I happened again. Not long ago I wrote this post... Should I mention that 2 weeks ago while jogging, I stopped to press the "walk" button to cross the street and proceeded to step on uneven ground (half sidewalk, half garden that was still mud), slipped, resprained the right ankle and banged my left knee on the concrete which left a humongous bruise?

Oh, but that was 2 weeks ago, of course. Ages ago, right? Enough time to find a way for yet another injury.

Somehow I was still surprised that while playing volleyball on grass courts on Saturday, I tripped, fell and hurt myself. Again. This time, my left ankle/foot.

Having a tremendous supply of stubbornness (or plain stupidity), after sitting out for less than 5 minutes, the pain had subsided, I jumped back in, finished the game, then proceeded to play two more games of 4's. By the end of the last game, I was starting to feel a bit of pain. Decided to go home.

Did I mention I was biking? Biked the 8 miles or so home. It was wonderful, the weather was great, had a blast.

Got home, took a nap, with the obligatory ice wrap on my ankle.

Got up, put my foot down, and ouch. WTF? Realized that wearing a bit of heels made it less painful. So got ready, went out for the night. Standing on my feet the rest of the night, trying to do the version of dancing that was the least painful.

Woke up on Sunday. Got out of bed. Almost fell straight down. Could not put my foot down on the ground at all. Started crying, because at this point, the pain was unbearable and I was just feeling sorry for myself. This is not a "shake it off and it'll be ok" sort of injury. How many injuries can one person have???

Called my friend for a ride to the ER, didn't hear back from her so sucked it up, and drove myself to the ER.

After X-Rays and being escorted around on a wheelchair and even a medical bed (felt kind of undeserving of that -- isn't this just for really sick people??? Am I hurt enough for this?), I was told that no, nothing was broken. There's a big ligament on the top of the foot -- that's what you sprained. Here are meds for pain. Here are tips (the now very familiar R.I.C.E. treatment). Let me wrap this up for you. Do you need crutches? Oh, you already have them? Ok.

Limped my way back to the car and back home. I'm totally against taking pain medication for injuries like that -- if you haven't figured it out, if it doesn't hurt, it won't stop me. Only pain will keep me down.

Spent the rest of Sunday feeling sorry for myself, bumming on the couch, with my foot elevated, alternating between reading A Thousand Splendid Suns and napping. If boredom killed, I wouldn't have lasted until Monday. Don't get me wrong, the book was good, the napping was much needed, but being forced to do those things when you have energy to do anything else?? ARGH.

This morning, limped my way to the bus (there's no way I'm ever asking for the favor of a ride again, after it was clear how much I was imposing last time). But somehow, now this is the strangest part, wearing 3" heels = walking is bearable. Flats or barefoot = can't even walk. Doesn't means that heels don't hurt, but definitely limp less.

Next step? Figuring out if I can still bike to work. Less walking involved that way, somehow it sounds less painful. Plus, I just started biking to work last week (100 miles total last week!), and I already miss it!!