Gimpy

So you know those plastic storage bins that are great for storing kids' clothes?

Well...they're not made for standing on. Particularly not when trying to put a second full one high up on the closet shelf.

So you know those little people who we celebrate their broadening independence? The ones who are articulate and helpful and whose world revolves around their mommy?

Well...they're useless.

So after I and the 35 pound bin of clothes I was lifting came to rest in a big heap in the guest room floor, I turned to the girls who were sitting on the guest bed watching Shawn the Sheep and, in my most controlled I-don't-want-to-freak-out-my-four-year-old voice asked if they could go get Daddy as I was really hurt. Sage looks up at me and says "Nope."

Immediately realizing she was a lost cause and that I should probably start thinking about long term care facility insurance as Sage clearly wasn't going to rise to the occasion in 40 years, I turned to Lucy. Lucy initially showed some signs of wanting to help, but as she slid off the bed, she began weeping. Apparently her knee, which she had almost imperceptibly scraped hours before, was hurting. She was unsure she could go get Daddy. I cajoled and built her up that she could really do this. Still crying, she walks to the top of the stairs, meekly calls "Daddy" (FYI, he's in the garage which is not close to the top of the stairs). Then she comes sobbing back to me and tells me she couldn't do it because her knee hurt too much.

You want to hear about pain, kid?

Pretty...and lumpy. 

But I didn't tell her. Instead, I took a deep breath, rolled over, and crawled on my knees down the hall and into the master bedroom where I opened the window and called down to Brian that I thought my foot was broken. When he soon thereafter arrived in the master bedroom, he found me on the bed and Lucy crying beside it. He makes a beeline for Lucy and scoops her up.

Seriously? She's FINE.

So once properly focused, we call my mom. He gets me ice and finds my old crutches. Mom arrives. We decide she'll be on ER duty while Brian feeds kids and puts them to bed.

The bruising went through to the bottom of my foot.

ER diagnosis: sprained, not broken. But no details in type or degree of sprain and pretty general discharge instructions. Lucky for me...my office has its own orthopedist (and trainer) who is in the office every week (St. V's Sports Medicine is a sponsor and they provide care for all Team USA Football events). So three days post accident, Dr. Kersey pokes his head in my office and triages the situation. Tells me to bear NO weight and to make an appointment with is office asap for more x-rays. More x-rays show that the mid-foot sprain is severe, but at least there was no tearing - so hopefully no surgery. Treatment: No weight bearing until no pain; 3-6 weeks in the aircast boot, followed by brace (that I have been assured will work great with cute summer sandals...hah!) and PT.

Dr. Kersey has followed up with me each week since (in MY office!). Got off the crutches last week which was a huge step forward. Swelling and discomfort has persisted for nearly three weeks. Finally, just yesterday both seemed to subside...another huge step forward. Hope maybe I'll graduate to the brace in another week or two.

Meanwhile, the girls have redeemed themselves. They (ok, usually Lucy) will come into our room in the morning and ask if I need frozen peas. Then they'll run down to the kitchen, get the peas out of the freezer, wrap them in a towel, come back upstairs and gently place the ice (pea?) pack on my foot. They carry things for me and understand why we'll sometimes say prayers and sing songs on the couch downstairs instead of in the nursery. They've grown up a bit as I couldn't carry them or their stuff over the past few weeks...a good and timely push.

Sage models her own aircast ("airmuff"). Not pictured...Sage using her duck pillowpet as a crutch...Hillarious!

We've also been working on what to do in an emergency. Our goal is get the girls to be as clear headed as this five year old. We'll keep working on it.