Aberrant Crochet’s Gratitude Challenge – Day 4…

It’s day 4 of my Gratitude Challenge.  And as I went about my day, both at work and at rest, some very specific things jumped out at me that I am really grateful for.

You see, it was just a year ago on July 27th, 2013 that I fell down my brother’s staircase and broke my right leg (just above the ankle).  It happened at the tail end of an incredible 4-week cross-country road trip with my teens.

Unlike most people who break their ankle/leg, I didn’t just twist it to break it.  My foot ended up caught on the stair case behind me.  As I fell backward on top of it, I slid down the stairs with my foot trapped behind me.  Which of course, did a bang-up job.  It wasn’t just a spiral fracture and a couple of bone chips.  My ankle had separated and required serious surgery to put back together.

Sooo….

1. Today as I showered and scrubbed my feet, looking over my scar, I felt deeply grateful for my surgeon Dr. Parker who put my ankle back together. 

Because I can maneuver a wet surface without slipping today. 

Have you ever watched the TV show “Royal Pains?”  Dr. Parker is totally like Dr. Jeremiah Sacani. My surgeon is really a surgical puzzle genius, but he’s not the most conversational doctor in the world.  He has assistants to handle that.  Mostly, he’s interested in putting you back together.

It took a long while for me to recover, as I suffered some complications.  First, my body tried to reject some of the stitches. There was a subsequent infection.  Then I developed an allergy to the antibiotics plus a DVT in my leg from the surgery, and had to be on a blood thinner called Xarelto for 4+ months.  (Expensive stuff.)  Which really slowed down my recovery.  (Not to mention the drug made me feel weak and senile.)

As a result, my incision didn’t fully heal until January of this year when I finally got off the blood thinner.  Five months is a long time to deal with a large incision like that.

However, getting past it all, my ankle is strong and I almost don’t notice it anymore.  It’s not quite as flexible as it was, and it doesn’t feel quite the same as it did, but it works and works well.  I can even dance now, though my pivoting is not quite where I’d like it.  And I know I got through the whole thing better thanks to the skillful Dr. Parker.

2. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m grateful that my husband was laid off shortly after my surgery. 

It was not ideal from a financial point of view, by any means.  But he was able to be there for me and take care of me and the kids.  I don’t remember much of August or September last year, and thankfully I didn’t need to.  And when his dad was hospitalized, hubby was able to be there for that too.  I honestly am not sure how we would have been able to deal with things if hubby hadn’t have been home.  Not to mention, he’s a great cook and no one starved!

3. In spite of the physical and financial set back, I got to go to Spain with my daughter on her high school trip last spring. 

It wasn’t some last minute decision, in case you’re wondering.  We’d signed contracts and started fund-raising 2 years prior.  So it was the culmination of a lot of time and work. 

We finished raising the money, some amazing people donated and my leg held up with all the walking.  I was a little slow, but I was there.  It was my first time to ever see another country besides the U.S..  And the experience was amazing.  I didn’t see all the crochet I’d hoped to, but I did get to see things I couldn’t have imagined and I did meet a fellow Raveler in Barcelona. 

And the architecture – let me just say there’s nothing like being somewhere in person.

And that’s it for tonight.  Sleep well friends…

Cathedral-Mosque of Córdoba, Spain. Click image to see a larger view.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like:

Aberrant Crochet’s Gratitude Challenge – Day 3… more or less…

Aberrant Crochet’s Gratitude Challenge – Day 2

Aberrant Crochet’s Gratitude Challenge