Thursday, May 29, 2008

My Special Gift

So I'm rushing to answer the phone yesterday while ignoring all smallish items in my path. I say "smallish" because my nearly sixteen year old's shoes hardly rate as small, but are not quite the size of a breadbox. Anyway, ignoring all items in my path, especially a pair of black, size 11, theraputic shoes, was apparently detrimental to the health of my toes. The middle toe to be exact.

In a feat that can only be described as unique to me, I managed to entangle that toe in the shoe's laces (that's right the shoe laces--do not ask me how I am still puzzling this out) and in jerking my foot free, managed to sprain (jam? dislocate?) same toe.

Somewhat loudly and emphatically, I noted it hurt some, but ignored it, answered the phone, and went about my business. It ached while I cleaned house, ached while I walked the dog, and ached while I walked two miles last night. Hurt during the night. But still, I ignored it. Not because I was especially busy, nor because I am tough (I am so very not). But because I so often bang parts of me into things that dull aches are just a part of my existence.

Upon waking this morning, I could not help but notice that it hurt a whole lot more. So I slowed down and took stock of exactly why. It was swollen. In fact, swollen enough that one of its partners had taken on some of the burden. It did not want to clinch along with the rest of the toes, and was various shades of blue.

I showed it to my husband who is inclined to not believe me when I tell him I'm dying of gout, pneumonia, scarlett fever, or the latest rare disease I read about on the internet (told you I wasn't tough). He looked it over, poked at it, twisted it around and (over my moans of pain) said, "You jammed it or something. You probably should stay off that today."

But I couldn't. It was payday and someone had to buy the food, run the errands, and ride in the car with our eighteen year old and lecture him about driving at seventy miles an hour while opening bags of chips and drinking fruit juice (Is it too late to take away his license?).

But I didn't walk two miles today. Not because I didn't want to, but because my toes have staged a revolution in the name of saving their brother as they are refusing to re-enter those shoes again.

I looked up medical advice as to how seriously I should take their rebellion and found this bit of info:

Risk factors that increase your chances of spraining your toe include:

sports such as football, soccer, rugby, basketball, or running
dancing
clumsiness


'Guess it's too late to try and get on with one of the other groups.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Ouch. Your poor toes! I hope you are feeling better soon. I have a yeti for a son too. Bloody flipper feet...

Debby said...

Looks like you've been picked for the clumsy team. We're a decent bunch. I'm Debby. I slipped on a frog...

Mary O. Paddock said...

Thanks guys. It's still sore today but better.

Looks like I am in good company Debby. :)