Monday, December 13, 2010

MFA Monday: The Girl With the Broken Foot

Doesn't that thing look nifty? If someone just handed me a picture I might be tempted to say, "Cool ski boot! Let's hit the slopes!"

Sadly, it's not a ski boot.

And sadly, it's mine.

Last week, I broke my foot. In the afternoon I was running all over town towing my kids to choir practice and running errands; in the evening I was running up and down the bleachers at my son's middle school for his annual Christmas band concert; and at night I was sprawled out, half in the house and half out in the 12-degree cold screaming in pain while the puppy ran laps around me.

I stepped out into the dark on the stick he'd brought me to throw for him. I wish I had a better story than this, but it's all I've got. I broke my foot stepping on a stick at eleven o'clock at night.

You'd think the thoughts that filled my head while I lay writhing across the doorframe would have been along the lines of: "How am I going to finish Christmas shopping?" "How am I going to fix Christmas dinner for 13 people?" "How am I going to make it to the Army Navy game in Philadelphia in two days?" "How am I going to manage to get three kids around for school for the next two weeks?"

But no. My first thought was, "Crap. In three weeks I leave for the first residency of my grad school experience and I'm going to have a stinkin' cast on my foot and forever I'll be known as the girl who broke her foot on a stick."

Face it, first impressions are long-lasting. They last a lot longer than broken bones. I'll show up in June to the residency all put together and SOMEONE will say, "Oh yeah - I remember you. Aren't you the one who broke her foot?"

Also, I'm concerned enough about the new airport security. I've heard horror stories of people trying to get their insulin pumps through lately, and add to that crutches and a cast.... and let's not even go to the imagination place where I'm trying to drag my luggage for ten days through the airport with a cast and crutches. It's not a pretty thought.

The good news is that after four days of heavy resting, icing, and drugs, I can now walk without the crutches. And I recently bought a pair of boot-cut jeans that fit very well over the boot, so all you can see is the bottom of them. And if all goes well, I might actually be able to wear regular shoes by the time I leave. 

You can guarantee if I can squeeze that purple foot into a pair of regular shoes by the time I go to the airport, I'll be doing it.

But I still probably won't be hitting the ski slopes any time soon, and that really is a bummer.

11 comments:

  1. Everyone remembering who you are isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'd use it as much as you can.

    Still, I hope it heals quick and you can get back to running errands, chasing kids, and fixing dinners for 13 people.

    Although maybe you want to keep that cast on for as long as you can.

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  2. ha ha! That's probably true. Maybe being known and recognized, even if it takes a broken foot, is better than being unknown. :)

    And you might just be right... I may need to milk the injury a bit during the next two weeks! :)

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  3. Ugh. I'm feeling for you!

    I spent the last two months of my teaching on crutches with a torn calf muscle (running injury). Did I mention I was on the second floor? My principal told me I was absolutely not allowed to go up and down the stairs for the rest of the year, so I had no more duty, no more lunch responsibilities, and lots of isolation (though my dear principal was great to insist I not hobble around).

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  4. It's not even a cast! If it were a cast you could get everybody to sign it :)

    Paul

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  5. I fell in the bathtub once (one of those old metal ones) it was the LAMEST story ever - if that helps...

    Sorry about your big cast. You're right, you'll be the girl who broke her foot BUT on the plus side, even though you'll be sick of talking about it, it's a nice-opener, ice-breaker...

    Probably also not helpful.
    SUCKS! Sorry!

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  6. NO FUN! But at least you have some time to think up a good story! :0) I hope your pain disappears soon!

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  7. At least you'll be memorable!

    Then eventually you'll go from Girl With Broken Foot to Girl Who Writes Intriguing Stories!

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  8. I agree with Patty. A unique characteristic upon first meetings creates curiousity and people wanting to get to know you, and remember! Not a bad thing at all. Glad you can walk with it now!

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  9. Oh Heidi, I'm so sorry! That just stinks! It's so funny though, the first thoughts you end up having when a crisis hits like that. I hope your "purple" foot is all better by the time you head to the residency!

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  10. What a drag. I hope you heal quickly. Be careful though with that foot. Healing is important. Don't be so eager to not stick out that you don't let it heal properly. A bad healing is permanent... Until there's surgery (and I would know).

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  11. I had one of those for the longest time (got it for tendinitis), gave it to charity, and sure enough, strained my foot not long after and needed a new one!

    Hope you heal quickly, Heidi. "The Girl with the Broken Foot"? Sounds like a great title. ;-)

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