“Breaking” News

I’ve been vexed with various foot issues for well over a year now. Turns out (among other possible things!) I’ve had a stress fracture in my left heel for some time that, due to several factors, I’d particularly aggravated in recent months. Well, I just went ahead and “officially” fractured the darned thing this past Thursday … in the stupidest way possible! I was heaving a box of glass and other recyclables up and over the bin at the recycle center and even though I BARELY jumped, I came down wrong (or “just right” as the case may be), maybe even on the edge of a broken bottle as I seem to remember hearing glass break (l’chai-im?). But what I know for SURE is that I felt a “pop” and intense pain. (How’s that as a “reward” for being environmentally responsible?!)

I was able to hobble back to the car but 15 minutes later when I got out of the car I wasn’t able to put ANY weight on it. Fortunately, my sister and niece were with me so Jill then got behind the wheel and drove me to an urgent care facility where they took x-rays. I didn’t need a medical degree to see the 1.5-2″ crack up the front end of my heel. They put a temporary splint on it and yesterday I spent the better part of the day at Mercy Medical Center getting more x-rays, a CAT scan, and consulting with an orthopedist. The CAT scan indicated that the bottom part of the fracture had been there a while because it had already started to … calcify? This means that there was only about a 50-50 chance that it would heal cleanly on its own.

So … I’m having out-patient surgery on Wednesday where I’ll likely get a screw or two (we single women gotta get it any way we can!!) and will then have a recuperating time of at LEAST 6-8 weeks (maybe 12), much or all of that time not being able to put any weight on my left foot. I’ve had crutches for about a day and a half now and am VERY sore (especially after going from one end of that hospital to the next several times yesterday — what’s a gal got to do to get offered a wheelchair?!) but I suppose I’ll get used to it. The biggest challenge, of course, is getting up and down all the steps to my 3rd floor apartment. Suffice it to say that I already have a MUCH greater appreciation for the Americans with Disabilities Act!

In true Tracy fashion, who never does anything the usual or easy way, this is no exception. I guess the type of break or location or something is atypical. (Actually, a fractured heel in and of itself is odd to begin with; it’s especially odd when it doesn’t happen due to a car accident or falling off a ladder or something like that.) The doctor even asked me, “How does it feel to make medical history?” Well, if it means they’ll give me a financial break for serving as a “guinea pig” for them then GREAT!