A Grateful Day

Fabulous breakfast fixed by dear Peggy

I used occasionally to have patients who had fractured a bone somewhere, usually either a hip or a bone their foot, and who had walked around on it for a week or more before finally going to the doctor.  I was always astonished by this and wondered what sort of nitwits they were, and how this could possibly happen.  Now I know.  There is a big element of denial.  “It doesn’t hurt THAT much.  It can’t possibly get broken.  Give it a day or two and it will be better.”  Then there is, “I don’t want to bother the doctor about what is probably nothing.  It would waste her time, and embarrass me.”   Sigh! 

I fell down my icy stairs on Friday, and gave myself a very sore foot.  I thought of going to the doctor, but convinced myself that that would be a ridiculous waste of everyone’s time, and a squandering of limited medical resources, and besides, I was too busy getting ready for Christmas.  As long as I had my tough manly boots on, it felt okay.  And it remained pretty okay until on the way home from Midnight Mass, when, as I was making my way to my friend’s car, I felt a horrible “pop,” and suddenly had a big, unignorable twinge in my tootsie. So on Christmas morning, I was whining about it to Ana, who said, “We will be there in twenty minutes to take you to the emergency room.”  I didn’t argue.  And I was soooooo grateful.  I did want to go there, because I could now see that my footie wasn’t going to get better on its own, and  I had been stewing about how to get there.  I knew that Dakki would be sound asleep for hours and there is no rousing her when she is snoozing. The obvious answer would be to call a cab, but (can you believe this?) I have never called a cab in my life, and was sort of nervous about doing it now.  I have ridden in them often, of course, but someone else had always been in charge of summoning them.  I am such a wimp about some things.  Well, the emergency doc said that it was fractured, and gave me a nice plastic boot which was supposed to give immediate relief, but didn’t.  (By the next day though, it was doing its appointed job well.)  Dakki, finally out of bed, brought me home and saw me settled, and Rachael came over later to nurse me.  We watched a horrible movie together, but that was okay because I was so grateful to have her there, and to be watching a movie with her at all. The next day, Michelle fixed me dinner, as did Ana on the subsequent day.  Then my pal Peggy brought me a lovely breakfast this morning and we had a fun little knitalong. 

I feel so blessed in having such wonderful and generous friends, and am grateful for their help.  Others, who couldn’t come to my house in the last few days (work, etc.) have said they would be by in the next day or two to see what I need.  I feel quite cosseted! 

My poor appendage and my holey mukluk!