I really dislike blogging non sequentially, but my foot injury has taken a high priority in my life towards the end of summer and into fall.
I work front desk sometimes at the gym 5:45am-1pm. I actually love it- I’m up early, cheery, I have friendly regulars, and finishing at 1pm lets me do other things with my day (usually just go to nanny E). I leave for work a little after 5am- when it’s still dark out. I rarely remember to turn on my porch light, which leaves me clamoring down my front steps in the dark. Stupid? Yes.
So on a Friday morning as I was leaving for work, I made it down 4 of my 6 porch steps, and I don’t know what happened next, but I stumbled and fell to the ground at the bottom of the stairs. The pain I felt in my ankle and foot was so intense I couldn’t get up for a few minutes. I had fallen and rolled my ankle badly. I didn’t know what to do. Who can you talk to at 5am? It was 9pm in Tokyo and I tried calling Dan, but he was hosting our running club. I debated calling Kelsey or even my boss but I hate waking people up. There was no one at the gym. So after a few minutes I managed to get on my feet, and clinging to a retainer wall hobbled to my car.
Dan called me back and I told him I didn’t think I’d make it through the day. I got to work and felt a little better til I started walking- it was pretty tough to bear weight on. All I could really think about was the Disneyland Half Marathon the following weekend… I’d be able to run that, right?
My ankle didn’t look too injured. Just a little swollen. Personal trainers took a look at it and just advised I start RICE care. By some miracle, I did make it through the day. I came home and iced and elevated my foot. The next morning, I actually felt ok. And then I stood up and fell back onto my bed. My ankle had stiffened up over night and I couldn’t even move it. I (quite literally) crawled to the bathroom to get ready. Once again it was 5am and no one to call. I decided I was going to go to the doctor as soon as I could.
Got to work and took it easy. The sweet graveyard employee brought over a chair for me to sit on. My front desk coworker came in at 9 and I told her I might leave soon. She said no problem because she’s awesome like that. I made it through a couple more hours, but I was growing more irritable as my foot pain continued. The final straw was after my lunch, when I went to use the restroom (we have an unofficial employee bathroom with toilet and shower), and someone had recently showed and the floor was wet, and I slipped and fell flat on my back. No aggravation to my ankle but it knocked the wind out of me and my back was soaked. I said I was going to the doctor and everyone supported that, so I headed out.
In case we didn’t learn from that time I needed stitches in my hand, I really hate hospitals. I’m convinced that no matter what I’m there for, they will take me into surgery and I’ll never wake up. Or I’ll run into a dead body. Either or. I went by myself to an urgent care facility and boring story short, I tore ligaments in my ankle and foot, and left in an air boot and crutches. I only had to use the crutches for a week or two, but the air boot had to stay on for 6-8 weeks. I lamely asked about the half marathon the following weekend and was pretty much laughed at in the face. I crutched out and made it home where I slept amazingly.
Behold, the boot
The next day I attended a funeral and had another full day of work, and my ankle was finally feeling better. It was still incredibly swollen and tender, but in felt ok in the boot. I’ve had my boot for 4.5 weeks now, and my ankle is slowly but steadily improving. I’m pretty close to having full mobility back, and after visiting an orthopedic surgeon I have physical therapy exercises to do. My biggest concern is getting back on the running trails to prepare for Goofy in 2015. I’ve even hired 2 personal trainers to help me out. If it kills me, I’ll be at that starting line!
Oh no! That sucks! Glad you went to the doctor and are on the road to recovery!