Why overconfidence in ice and snow is a bad thing

[shoshin]

I was doing so well...

I was feeling a little pent-up frustration that I haven't been able to walk to work and haven't really been getting exercise due to the snow. My balance is not great, but it seems to have stabilized at a level where ordinarily I remain upright. I hadn't fallen since early September (and then not strictly from balance problems; I over-tired myself and tripped because of not lifting my feet up high enough--first on a crack in the sidewalk and then on a throw rug--although if my balance had been up to par I probably could've compensated).

Well, since most of the snow had melted, I thought maybe I would try to walk to work yesterday morning. Big mistake! I fell once at the end of our street, but it wasn't a bad fall so I picked myself up and went on.

I then detoured around a part of a parking lot that still had snow left on it. There was a place where there was a choice of walking a long way around on a clear sidewalk or a more direct route crossing a wide, grass-covered median where a path had been beaten down in the snow. I decided to take the shorter path. Big mistake number two!

The first part was packed down and flat and I was doing okay. Then it got into very wobbly territory as it turned into more deep footprint indents scattered in the snow. I almost made it, but when I stepped down from the curb to street level, BAM, I fell and twisted my ankle.

I managed to stand up. I even managed to cross the street. However, it was pretty clear I wasn't going much farther than that so I called my husband. And thank goodness I had the folding cane in my backpack or I don't know how I would've made it to the doctor's.

It turns out that I broke my ankle. Apparently, as these things go, it's not bad and I only have to wear a boot and can even put some weight on it. I managed to rent some crutches as I really couldn't manage with just the cane (although the orthopedic doctor seemed to think I might be able to; of course, he also thought that I could go the conference I was supposed to go to this weekend if I could get someone to help me with the luggage).

Now that the pain has died down and I'm getting the knack of the crutches, I am getting around the house reasonably well. I was really having trouble with the crutches at first. This is partially because my balance is bad on top of which I sometimes managed to get my center of gravity too far forward. It's also hard on my "good" leg, which I have trouble lifting up very much so it's almost more like I'm dragging it. It turns out the supermarket also rents walkers and part of me wonders if that would've been a better choice.

So now I am paying for my hubris. And my exercise plans are set back way more than they would've been had I just waited for the snow to melt.

I hate this #@!!% fine line between pushing yourself to maximize what you can do and overdoing it to the point of undermining all your efforts.

sho

[rendean]

Ouch! Sorry about the fall, just when you were on doing better. Sorry you have to miss the conference, too.

Sending warm thoughts and cyber pain killers ;-)

Ren

[Quixotic1]

I'm really sorry you have a broken ankle.  That bites, bigtime!  Take care and don't go anywhere that you will have to wrangle luggage or walk the snow.

"kay?

Quix

[Quixotic1]

Silly Wabbit!