Friday, November 18, 2011

Ouch

Okay, so I don't have lovely feet and I have never had a pedicure in my life. My feet are utilitarian in nature and they have served me well.

That said, for everyone's future reference and for the uninformed, as I was, when you break a toe, you should elevate your foot, ice it, and DEFINITELY do not run on it.

So Wednesday afternoon as I was getting changed to go work out, I turned around in the bathroom and smashed my toe up against a wall that juts out around the tub. It hurt like a . . . you know, and I cursed loudly and sufficiently to let everyone within a 100 yards know exactly how much it hurt. That said, I thought I had just stubbed my toe. Never having broken a toe before (to my knowledge) I didn't even know what to look for, so I breathed deeply, continued cursing, and waited for the pain to subside. Then I resumed getting my running tights on and running shoes and went off to work out. I figured it would hurt for a little bit, but the pain would subside eventually, so just suck it up and do my jog. Well, about 2 1/2 miles into my jog, the pain was worse, I was having to land on the side of my foot to avoid making the toe hurt worse, and I had to finally give up and stop running.

So I go home, shower, get dinner, and M comes in from a late meeting. I told her I stubbed my toe and that I had a bruise. She took one look at it and said, "you broke your toe." M, having been a life long soccer player has broken many toes. She showed me the telltale bruise, how it made a perfect straight line across the joint and said, "right there is where you broke it." Hmph. So dummy me, I didn't elevate it, I didn't ice it, and I jogged on it. The bruise is much bigger, bolder, and lovelier today. So I'm being very careful (especially on stairs) not to step directly down on that toe. Every so often I will forget and step down off a curb or a stair with that foot only to be met with shooting pain to remind me, "hey dummy, you've got a broken toe down there." I am changing my workout to lift weights, do the rowing machine, bike and elliptical trainer to give it time to heal, because I am planning to tape it up and run a 5K on Thanksgiving morning, and broken toe or not, I am running that race. Then I'll behave after that and give it the weeks it needs to sufficiently heal. And before anyone warns me against running on a broken toe, athletes and dancers do it all the time, I'll survive. :-)

13 comments:

One Million Tries said...

Key word being 'athletes an dancers' - but okay, I won't go there :)

I can't believe you broke your toe! It looks so painful even through the picture.

Wow, what a trooper. I would definitely not have sucked it up - I would have moaned on the coach until someone came home to take care of me and then moaned even harder when I had an audience.

Hugs and take it easy lady!!

One Million Tries said...

I said 'oops' on FB because you seem to have outed yourself :( Hope you can think of something - quick. LOL

VV said...

I did. I hope she's not offended, but oh well. Despite hating this saying, "it is what it is," I keep this blog audience very small and very private so I don't have to watch what I say or reveal. If I feel like too many people are reading it, or someone is not respecting my privacy, I close it and start a new one. I don't want to invite EVERYBODY here because that's too much for me. I also don't "friend" everybody on Facebook. I have my Facebook friends and my blog friends and only 4 of you intersect. How's that for exclusivity?

One Million Tries said...

Jeez, I feel more important by the minute. hahah. Nah, I'm kidding, but you know I understand where you come from. I've closed many a blog when it was 'discovered' by those in my real life ...

I just saw the comment and went 'oh-oh'... I'm sure she's not offended though, people do need SOME privacy right?

I think you're the only person I know that has less friends then me on FB. I have 40 you have 29!! LOL. I too, don't like to feel like everyone and their dog is on my FB ... nowadays it seems to be a popularity contest on FB who can have more 'friends'.

Back to your toe - How you doing? Did you go to work today?

VV said...

Yeah, my last FB page had 100s of friends and it was stupid. I deleted it and started over. I still have about a dozen on there now that shouldn't be. Toe is doing fine. Walking fairly well with just the slightest limp. No pain whatsoever until I accidentally step on it. I'm at work now, but not being very productive.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I have broken my toe--a different one each time--many times over the years---It is why I do not ever wear Flip Flops or whatever they are called now....I know the pain of that "break" all too well.
I dearly hope it heals wonderfully and that you can run your 5K on Thanksgiving.....But......Well, enough said.
Do take good care, my dear....!

VV said...

Hi Naomi, your concern is registered. I'll let you know if I survive the 5K.

CyberKitten said...

The very best of luck with that!

VV said...

Thanks CK. I would take another picture to show everyone the marvelous colors my toe has turned, but I think the first shot was enough.

Larena said...

I like the colors that come later so a second picture is in order !!
I have broken a toe and found out a year or more later that it had been broken was horrible pain for months and was told even if it was broken there was nothin to be done for it so just suck it up and live on.... no pain no gain is NOT a good rule to live by! if it can do more damage don't do it ! that being said great luck in the 5K. !

VV said...

We jogged this morning, maybe 1 1/2 miles, definitely under 2 miles. No pain whatsoever in the toe. The only pain I had was when I tried to remove the tape from the toe after the jog. I have high hopes for the 5K.

michele (maryland) said...

do you want Paul to tape it for you, on Thurs am? sorry this happened.
Oh, of course, he is an expert on fractures.
I am so proud of you still running with it. You go girl!

VV said...

Hi Michele, thanks, but no. I think I can do it. I appreciate the thought though. :-)

CK, here’s the tattoo

  From sketch to transfer to tattoo