The Injury Saga Part I--How it Happened (long and amusing version)

*Note: That is not my ankle but looks eerily similar to what it looked like a few days after injuring it

One of my childhood best friends was married back in the middle of march of this year. I was honored to be one of her bridesmaids. My friend insisted on wearing silver shoes in her March wedding. It was almost impossible to find shoes that were silver, let alone in a wide width, in a size 8.5, a few days before the wedding, that weren't outrageous. So I found a cute pair of open toed silver heels that were narrow, even if they were only 2.5-3 inches. I have issues walking in tennis shoes, let alone anything with height unless its a platform tennis shoe or chunky heel. I'm not graceful. I've fallen in downtown randomly on the sidewalk just walking in tennis shoes. So my first thought was literally "Oh God, I have to walk in front of a church full of people, in a short dress, in heels, please, DO NOT let me fall!"

And I did not fall. I managed stairs, running around, pictures, everything in my little heels. Sure my feet hurt by the end of the day, but I had survived. So when Kendel came back from her honeymoon a week later, I called her up. Turns out, she had to have all the stuff moved out of her place earlier than previously mentioned. I offered my help. She accepted.

I drove out to her place in the middle of the country on a bright sunny morning the last weekend of March, prepared to help box things up and move. I succeeded in helping box her son's toys. However, as I was carrying said box down to my car, my ankle gave, sending me sprawling down the steps, box flying, into the gravel below.

I moaned in pain. When my ankle folded underneath, I could feel the tearing. And I laid there in the gravel, face down, laughing because it hurt so bad. Eventually I rolled over, and Kendel sat on the steps appologizing that I sprained my ankle while I muttered a few curse words and appologized for injuring myself on the first trip. She checked for broken bones by prodding my swelling ankle. I told her not to give up her day job because nursing was not in her future.

We were faced with a dilemma. My mountaineer was loaded to the max and her husband was expecting us any minute. I decided to try to stand, and possibly drive the few short miles to her new abode. So, I did what any self respecting bigger girl would do when her tiny friend and short friend was unsure of how to help without causing pain--I crawled in the grass to the porch as Kendel laughed and tried to stand. Eventually I made it up after a few tries. And it hurt like a bitch.

Somehow, I made it to my car. And practiced driving in the field next to her house (did I mention its my right ankle?). And we decided that as long as we went slow, I could make the drive.

And I did, by some miracle. We arrived at the cabin like hunting lodge and I made it out of the car. Only to be greeted by steps of wood that were someone large. I grabbed the rail and hauled myself up. Her husband was amused but led me inside to his prized recliner and made me sit. And prop my leg up. It was rather nice.

Her sister entered and sat down next to me as did her cousin. While we were talking, a few friends were carrying things up the stairs to the loft area of the hunting like lodge--the place was adorned with several deer heads, including the SC record breaking Buck above me. And suddenly, it crashed down behind my head--missing me by inches. This was obvouisly NOT my day.

Eventually, I had to have her sister drive me home because my foot was insanely swollen and looked bad. It was a grade 3 sprain and the doctor thought I had ligaments torn. But, I had no insurance at the time so I couldn't see a specialist.

But it slowly healed, or so I thought. I was able to go to the gym and build it back up, while wearing an air cast. And I was able to wear a special sock at other times that provided stability. So everything should be healed right?

Wrong. Turns out I reinjured it a couple of weeks ago when I tripped over the cat and further injured it while cleaning house. It finally gave a loud pop and its been hard to walk since then. Another trip to the doctor and an MRI later (I now am insured) showed that I have fluid build up in my ankle and not one, but two torn tendons. Now they're throwing words like surgery and cast around. I guess I'll find out Monday what it will be when I go to see the orthopedist. Its still swollen from the injuries but its not severe. Unfortunately, I'm under doctors orders to stay off of it. This makes for boring days and a lack in social life.

Oops.