On Monday, I had been thinking that I was in dire need of some time off work. Christmas, normally a quiet time in my business, had been unbelievably busy, and I was feeling stressed, tired, and in serious need of some down time. Never mind the fact that my blood pressure was heading for near-record numbers. Well, be careful what you ask for, eh?
While in the midst of my work day yesterday, I happened to step off a curb at a customer’s house. The next thing I knew, I was on my back and it felt as if my left ankle had been sawed off. Apparently, I rolled my ankle somehow, and while I was fairly certain that it wasn’t broken, something was clearly very wrong.
My initial reaction was more embarrassment than anything else. I still had about an hour’s worth of work to do, and I got through it as best I could. Eventually, though, I had to tell the customer that I needed to get myself to an emergency room. I called into my office, told them what had happened, and tried as best I could to drive with only one usable leg. Something was wrong, and though I didn’t know what exactly that might be, the ankle certainly wasn’t getting any better on it’s own.
Of course, I spent a total of about two hours walking around on my ankle before I even got to the ER, and I hadn’t looked at it until the nurse took my sock off. My first thought was “Wow, who attached the tennis ball to my ankle?” Then I realized, “Wow…instant vacation, eh?”
Yes, now I have the time off work that I had been wanting, though not necessarily in the manner I had hoped for. I have been instructed to relax on the couch with my ankle iced and elevated for the next 2-3 days. I’m supposed to rely on my crutches (which, I’m discovering, truly ARE the instruments of Satan) for getting around, but this house was not designed for someone on crutches.
As of right now, I’m off work until at least Monday. Of course, it’s not as if I’m actually going to be able to do anything fun or productive. I can read, write, and watch television, and that’s about it. It will be fine for a day or two, but after that I’m going to begin going stir crazy.
I’ll be the first to admit that I make a lousy patient, as Susan is in the process of discovering. I don’t deal well with enforced limitations. Outside of several concussions, this is the worst injury I’ve ever suffered. Yes, I’ve been very fortunate. I’m usually the one taking people to the ER. Being the patient, even for something as relatively straightforward as a sprained ankle, is uncharted territory for me.
It’s going to be an interesting few days….
