Once Upon an Easter…

…years ago, long before Baby Girl was a thought, I broke myself.

Early in the morning, when the boys were approximately 7, 6 and 2, I was, as is usual, completely not prepared for the Easter egg hunt.

I had run to the back of the house because I had forgotten to grab my camera to document the whole affair. As I was hurrying out into the living room, where my family, including my Parents, awaited my return, it happened. Not paying attention to where I was placing my feet, I started to walk through the doorway from the kitchen and swung my left foot too far to the left. I slammed my foot against the wall.

I instantly dropped to my right knee and grabbed a hold of my foot. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t even breathe! After a few moments of excruciating pain and my family trying to figure out what was wrong with me, I finally was able to take a breath and squeak out a stuttering “I slammed my foot.”

I gingerly released my death grip on my foot to assess the damage. It was quite an unusual and unexpected sight. My pinkie toe was quite literally standing at a right angle to my foot! I couldn’t believe my eyes, but knew by the severe pain that I was in that I wasn’t seeing things!

Spartan lifted me off the floor and carried me to the couch. Placing me carefully down and propping my leg on the coffee table he told me he was going to go get dressed and take me to the emergency room. I grabbed his arm and said “NO! First the boys have to hunt for their eggs!”

There was no way I was going to ruin the Easter egg hunt for the boys, it was just too important to me. We have few enough truly special days to celebrate as a family, especially when our children are young. So I gritted my teeth, tried to smile through the pain and encouraged the boys to find their eggs. I used phrases like “that’s nice honey” and “great job sweetie.”

I confess that we did give them some hints to hurry them along, I wanted to share the morning egg hunt with them, but I wasn’t completely masochistic!!

Being as it was Easter morning, when we arrived at the emergency room, there was no one else there. I have never gotten care so quickly before! Not that they really needed them to see what was wrong with my foot, I had x-rays done so they could see the extent of the damage.

The doctor on duty was awesome! He looked like your stereotypical heavy-set Harley Davidson motorcycle rider. I just know there had to be a motorcycle out in the parking lot that belonged to him!

“You did a real good job on yourself, didn’t y0u?” He said to me, looking first at my foot and then at my x-rays. “We need to set this toe. We can do it one of two ways. I can either give you a shot to numb it, wait for about 15 minutes for the shot to take effect and then set it, or I can just set it with out the numbing agent. It’s your choice.”

“Let’s just get it over with, anyway you look at it, it’s going to hurt.” I replied. He asked me if I was sure and I said yes. “Give me a moment to center myself so I won’t move.” I said. “Just let me know when you are ready.” He replied.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I used a meditation exercise to help calm my self and forced myself to relax every muscle in my body, including and most especially my left foot. Without opening my eyes, I nodded my head and said “I’m ready.” I felt his hands gently take my foot, and then, quick as can be, heard a loud snap and then felt some relief of the pressure and pain in my toe. I opened my eyes as the Doctor patted my knee and said “You were awesome! You didn’t even twitch as I set your toe!”

Soon a nurse came in the room to wrap my foot and give me my care instructions. Then they sent me on my way.

It certainly wasn’t the way I wanted to spend my Easter morning, but there was one positive to come out of the whole experience. I didn’t have to do a thing cooking or cleaning wise for the Easter dinner! Heck of a way to get out of those chores!!

Yesterday we had a quiet, relaxing Easter day. All my children and my parents were there to spend the day together. It’s just such a treasure to have all my family together and healthy.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday!