Two and a Half Weeks After The Fall

The bruised leg today - July 28, 215

Things are moving along faster than I had feared they would.  Already the swelling is way down on my injured leg, and the bruise has diminished greatly. 
I attended my first Physical Therapy session on Monday, I go again on Friday.  The therapist says he doesn't think I'll need him for very long.  I am allowed 15 minute walks this week, and things are feeling better.  The leg still gets tired fairly quickly on a walk, making me more able to stick to the 15 minute limit.  I also go a bit slower than normal speed. 
At least now there is the feeling that things will get back to normal.

This has been, and continues to be, the week of many appointments.  PT and the optometrist yesterday, dentist today, grocery shopping tomorrow, PT again on Friday.  I was inactive for the better part of a week, and now, I'm back to 90 miles an hour all the sudden.  Lots to keep track of, lots to remember. 
Lots to do at work, too.  Goal benchmarks coming up, and not enough time or creative juices available to do as good a job as I would like to.  Going to have to round up my troops and see what we can accomplish.

There's a ComicCon in San Antonio in September, and we are going.  Lots of plans to make for the logistics of that adventure.  Hoping to see Mr. P. again, and hoping to meet Michael Ornstein in person finally.  He's been a good Twitter pal.  Also gets me inspired to spend time with my writing.  Not that any good writing comes of it, but I do spend time working on it. This trip is an anniversary gift from Matt.  He'll enjoy it, too.  Wondering what I should wear, how much to pack, NOT doing the cosplay thing, I don't have that much time OR money.  (Besides, I want Ron and Michael to have a chance to recognize me.)
The trip to the optometrist means that soon I will have to decide on new glasses.  Sigh.  I always despise the process.  I have frames I like now, and chances are, NO ONE, not even the people who sold them to me in the first place, will want to put new lenses in them.  I need new sunglasses, too, not just because of the prescription, but because the old ones are now somewhat munched in the upper right hand corner.  (Also, I know them to be carnivorous.  They have drawn blood.) 

Add to all this the fact that I'm letting my hair revert to whatever it is naturally these days.  Yep.  Going to find out just how grey the old mare is.  Next haircut (on Monday) will reveal a lot.  Oh, well.  I'll match my siblings a lot better.  I've decided though, that if it makes me look too dragged out, too old, I'll find some less expensive way to brighten it up a bit, if I can.

These are the many complications in the plot that is my life these days.  Hoping to get some more stories read for my pal Hayden,now that I can sit on the floor again! Also trying to figure out how to get a plastic book bag into a greeting card so I can mail it to Australia for a reasonable sum. Well, I can probably put it in a large envelope and mail it at the Post Office for not a whole lot.  (It's got Pete the Cat on it!)

So grateful for all my online friends.  You guys really saved me when I was stuck being still with this leg elevated.  Your encouragement helped, and your jokes cheered me up.

One Week Later...

It's been a week since I pulled a totally Klutz move and fell while out walking for exercise.
My leg is still Technicolor, and now it aches.  Not sure if pain is just because earlier it was kinda numb, or if I did too much walking/standing before I took care of myself.
Probably a combination.

Hoping now that I haven't done permanent damage,and that I won't be laid up for too long.


Shortly after I wrote the first paragraph, I got a call back from the triage nurse with TriCare.  I had emailed the clinic through our health info system, and sent them a picture of my leg that morning.

This is how the leg looked on Friday morning, July 17th.

After asking me a long list of questions, the nurse suggested I go to the ER again and have the doctors look at my leg, and perhaps do an ultrasound to make sure there were no clots in the blood vessels themselves. 
This was done, and the good news is, no dangerous blood clots in evidence.  The bad news?  I have a LARGE hematoma (basically, a blood blister) in the middle of my right thigh, where I believe I fell on my left foot when I landed after the right foot slipped completely forward out from under me.  I had also partially landed on my left knee, and both hands,and also the corner of my sunglasses, (which cut the skin above my right eye), but the bulk of the impact was on the back of my right thigh.  Right over the hamstring muscle. 
When I went to the ER the first time, on Friday the 10th, the day I fell, the leg wasn't even red or swollen.  It hurt like anything, and felt kinda awkward, but no clue that it would do THIS. 
Since the doc told me I could go to work Saturday if I felt like it, I went.  Bad call.  I was up and around too much, and the leg is now making me pay for that, and other days when I really should have been basically immobile.  SO, until at least Tuesday, I am being basically immobile.  Foot elevated any time I am resting, and taking 800mg of Ibuprofen 3 times a day for the next 10 days at least.   I also have to apply heat to the area three times a day.  No more ice.  Need to get the hematoma to reabsorb, and ice slows down the circulation too much. 

I have two new pair of walking shoes, and even when I go out for about 10 minutes to get sunlight on the bruised area (which is supposed to help healing), I wear the new shoes.  They make my leg feel SO much more stable, and walking is practically painless.  I cannot resume regular activities until the pain is completely gone, and the swelling has subsided some more.  I will have to get medical advice on that, and will need physical therapy before I can safely begin my walking regimen again. 

Resting the New Shoes

In other news, our new siding is done, and it looks TERRIFIC!!

The painters did a fabulous job, and our house looks better than ever on the outside.  See:

Garage, and contractor sign.

Gable end and split by my office.

We are extremely pleased.  House looks like new again.

That's about all the excitement I have time to write about now.  My leg needs to go back to resting position.

First "Normal" Day With An Injured Leg

Oh, joy.  The things you take for granted until it hurts to do them.  Like sitting in your car, driving, and walking more than 10 feet. 

My leg actually hurts less, but it is swollen now, so it feels weird.  Feels like there's something under my leg any time I sit normally in a chair.  Been icing it a lot today.  Supposedly need to start with warm packs soon.  Bruise didn't show up until Sat. night late, though.  It didn't even swell up right after I was hurt.  Just hurt like you don't want to know what, and felt at times like it was made of foam rubber.
Driving was actually possible today, but my leg is still not enthusiastic about it. Standing for long periods of time makes the swelling feel worse, but walking seems to help a little.  Ice packs help, too, but it is SO fun to try to ice the BACK of your thigh.  (The ENTIRE thing, almost groin to knee, AND a bit beyond the knee...)  I end up half sitting on the cold pack.  Going to have to lie on my stomach on the floor, prop my foot on the couch or my chair, and  balance the ice pack on my thigh, if I'm supposed to both ice and elevate...)

There's the Bruise, in all it's magnificence.

Also the joy of switching all my info over to the replacement phone.  This was made much easier with the assistance of the very nice folks at my local Verizon store.  Have I mentioned that I love Verizon?  Well, I do.  They are the only carrier that gets service reliably where my Mom lives, and they are always genuinely helpful when you go into the store.  Just the other day, when I went in to find out the procedure for filing a claim, they got our bill reduced by reducing our data plan, since we hardly use any data.  (We can bump it up for a month when we need to, like when we go to conventions.)  They also told us about a military discount we never realized we were entitled to.  Saving us LOTS of money, which is helpful in the wake of paying for new siding and trying to save up for the convention. You should definitely check out what Verizon has on offer if you are getting close to contract end on your cell service.  Love, love, love my Verizon peeps.  (Shout out to the Moore store!  You guys ROCK!)

My phone is all switched over, including all apps, wallpaper, and lock screen.  COOL BEANS. AND the Weather/clock app that disappeared on the old phone is back on this one!  Even AFTER the Lollipop update!  So, the switch is  not entirely a bad thing. Just wish I didn't HAVE to do it.  Hate having to sit out my exercise and watch my weight go up in spite of eating less.  Guess I'll have to get the weights out and try to keep up with all the upper body work, or figure out which ones I can do left leg only for the lower body...

Also not fond of the fact that all this has cost us money.  One moment of inattention can be very costly indeed.  I wasn't expecting slick pavement at that point, and so I failed to see the water in the gutter.  (All because I was trying to avoid a known muddy area. Go figure.) 

So, here I am trying to figure out the best approach to speeding this Bruise From Hell on its way, and wishing I could afford the calories for a majorly sinful indulgence in something sweet...

Gravity, and Other Obstacles

Yes, gravity still works.  Entirely too well.  Just ask the skin between my right eyebrow and my right eye, and the hamstring muscle on my right leg.  Seems the shoes I wore for my exercise walk Friday night were the wrong shoes to wear.  Not enough traction on the soles.  (Strangely enough, I changed them because my "good" shoes are now completely worn out.  Heel counters have rubbed through inside, can cause blisters, soles almost worn through in spots.)

I was walking along, had slowed down a little, because I had to go out into the street to avoid a very muddy patch on the sidewalk and to get ready to cross the street, and my right heel just slipped right out from under me.  I guess I tried to soften the landing instinctively, but it happened VERY fast.  I broke the screen on my phone, too.  The scariest injury was a cut to the soft tissue between my right eyebrow and the eye.  It was where my sunglasses contacted the curb, because I couldn't stop the fall fast enough.  The right hamstring on my thigh area is VERY bruised, probably because it landed on my left foot, which was bent under me, my left knee having taken some weight, as well.  Nothing on the left side hurts, though.  The heel of my left hand and the palm have some small bruises, but nothing painful.  I think the only reason I hit my face was because I didn't have enough time for the right hand (holding my phone because NO POCKETS) to fully reach for the curb.  I instinctively tried to get to the grass by the curb to soften the landing for hands, etc. Didn't make it.  (Shoulda tossed the phone toward the grass.  It would've been fine.)

So, now, on top of a budget that is stretched tight because we have new siding on the house, I had to shell out $30 co-pay at the ER (superglued the eyebrow.)  and $99 deductible for new phone.  At least we also got the phone bill reduced while we were at the Verizon store to find out how to get a claim submitted. That'll help the budget!  Got a line on a further possible discount, as well.  Love my Verizon store peeps!

The leg is a bit less sore every day.  It, and my eye, are more colorful every day.  I have to go and ice the bruises now.  This is SO much fun. 

bruise on the right thigh.

eye after glue

Left Knee

I have also gained weight because I can't exercise, though I don't see how, since I haven't eaten a whole lot, either...

Up about 3 lbs since Thursday.  Grrrrr.
Probably water.  Trying to stay hydrated so bruising will heal more efficiently.

So, yes, gravity works, and somehow, budget obstacles get worked out," and all will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well..."

Also, I have the joy of knowing that a lot of people care about me!  Neighbors stopped to check on me before Matt came to pick me up.  (Right leg felt like it was made of foam rubber right after the fall, so I called Matt to come get me.)  All my coworkers and friends have sent well wishes, and well, I just know that I am loved and cared for,  Always a major silver lining to any mishap. 
I am indeed blessed.

Life Is Too Much With Us...

There never seems to be time to do the things I WANT to do.  Or THINK I want to do.  I end up reading in my "spare" time, or staring at social media. 
Don't get me wrong, I love to read, and I have learned many odd and useful things from books, and I have "met" many interesting and informative people on social media. 
There are things I would like to do, like writing, that don't get done, though.
The housework mostly gets done, my exercise gets done, but the writing... well...
Usually there is just the feeling that there isn't anything worthwhile to say.  Some days, life is just routine and rather drab.  There are small things, though, that shine brightly and ought to be savored in those days. 
Laughing with my husband, seeing a child's face light up at the library when they check out a book they love, laughing with my coworkers, secretly doing some small thing to make some one's day better, enjoying a really good meal, seeing the garden sparkle in the sunlight after a summer shower, birds singing, children laughing and playing in the sun, listening to music that makes me want to move, enjoying the fact that at my age I am still strong and healthy.
All good gifts, and all very much appreciated. 

The thoughtful turn of phrase just doesn't always come along these days.  There will be times when words will hound me until I get them on the page,and then there are the silent times, or the times when things are just whirling too fast to get from my brain to the page.  Also, writing is fun for me, not a job.  My actual job is a job, but also something of a holy calling.  Libraries, and the free access to information that they stand for, are very close to my heart.  Always have been.  I went into teaching because literacy is important to me.  Learning to read opens SO many doors.  The realities of life in the public schools were just TOO much stress for me.  I knew I'd burn out if I did it full time.  Even now, in a job I really love, and can handle well, I only work half time.  I am grateful for a husband who earns a good enough living that I can afford to do that.  Stress and I do NOT combine well.  I stop sleeping, and well, that way lies danger, Will Robinson! 

The things that are happening in the world today have me more worried about the future than I was even during the height of the Cold War.  (For those of you too young to remember it, many of us grew up with the thought in the back of our minds that certain annihilation was just around the corner in the form of a nuclear war.)  I was actually in Germany when the Wall fell.  It was a surreal moment.  Driving in to the base (Rhein-Main Air Base) and hearing on the radio that the Berlin Wall was coming down.  Then the upheaval in the Soviet Union.  Russia no longer the great big boogie man that it was.  (Though it's still a threat, make no mistake, if they want to, they can hurt us.)
Just that then there was pretty much a single threat.  (A HUGE one, but only one.)  Today, there are a thousand little threats that are all adding up against the peace and stability of our world.  Too many injustices, too much hate, too many extreme ideas, and too many selfish agendas with no compromise. 
In the face of all that, all any of us can really do is keep plugging away, making our little patch of the world brighter, more loving, more peaceful, more accepting of the different ones, and keep praying that it makes a difference when you add it all up.

So much for my rambling brain this evening.  Hope you haven't been bored out of your skull.  Thanks for reading!