Stupid, Stupid Me

So I was on my way to work friday morning. Did my usual slurp a few sips of coffee before grabbing the backpack (with laptop), purse, and car keys. As usual, I was thinking of a thousand things at once--my patient schedule for the day, the items on my 'to do' list, which phone calls were priorities for returning. I stepped from my front door to the front stoop and twisted my right foot. The next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the stoop, my right foot trapped beneath me. Just before the pain hit me, I processed the terrible crunch/grind noise my foot made as I collapsed.

Not good.

Bad.

But shock is a wonderfully protective thing. I corralled the pain into a little box and lurched back into my house. Into the kitchen for ibuprofin, up the stairs for the ankle air cast and the emergency ice packs (squeeze and shake) I knew we had in the medicine closet. No cane or crutches, but I knew I had a pair of them in my office.

See--I'm a physical therapist. I know all about how to treat injury. I know that what I *should* have done was get myself right to the Emergency room. But I had a patient waiting for me in my office and no way to reach her.

So I stumbled to the car, drove to the office, praying all the while no one would stop short in front of me. If I had to stomp on the breaks, I'd be in big trouble. Luckily, it's only a 2 mile commute.

Walking from my car to my office was interesting. Every step reignited the agony and it was funny--I was surprised by it every time.

Got to my office, my initially annoyed patient (by now I'm about 20 minutes late for her appointment) took one look at me and offered to drive me to the hospital. I guess my face was quite pale.

She helped me get settled in my office. I grabbed the crutches and propped my now swelling ankle up on a chair and plopped the ice pack on it. I figured I could sit to do the kind of treatment I offer. No problem.

Wise patient told me to reschedule and go to the ER.

Long story short: What I (wishful thing alert) figured was an inversion ankle sprain is a lovely fracture. Physical Therapist heal thyself. Now I get to be non weight bearing on crutches for the short term future.

While I'm cranky and ticked off at my own stupidity, I do realize it could have been far worse. In the grand scheme of things, just an annoyance. And the silver lining--more writing time.

When life gives you bananas, don't slip on the peels.