Ouch!

So, I had my first trip in an ambulance last night.

I was coming down the stairs in my house last night around 9:00 or so, and the heel of my shoe caught on one of the steps. I could feel myself falling, but there was nothing I could do to stop myself. I put my foot out to try to catch myself, and I felt my whole foot turn over and my ankle touch the floor. I knew that wasn't good. I started sweating and I felt a wave of nausea come over me. After a minute or two, my husband helped me get my shoe and sock off. My ankle was so swollen, it looked like (in his words) that someone had glued an apple to the side of my foot.

My husband desperately wanted to carry me out to the car, but I know him well enough to know that if he were to slip or miss a step, he would end up falling however he could in order to save me and probably end up injuring himself worse than me. I figured an ambulance was the best alternative so that one of us could remain un-injured.

Within about 10 minutes, the fire department and an ambulance showed up. Ugh. All of a sudden I had a team swarming on me with all sorts of equipment, taking my vitals and then I was on a stretcher and out the door. (I was, however, encouraged by the fact that my blood pressure after my fall was still better than the EMS guy's who was taking it. I guess that is a good sign--either that or he is in really bad shape!)

The EMS people wanted to give me pain drugs intravenously. First they tried to find my vein on my left hand. It didn't work. Then they tried my right hand. That didn't work. I suggested a pediatric needle, since my Mom has this problem too. Finally, that worked. Although, now I look like a junkie with bruises all over my hands.

The EMS guys thought my ankle looked broken. The ER doctor thought it looked broken and said that more than likely I would need to stay for surgery, if that was the case. After the x-rays, I surprised them all--it was only a bad sprain.

So I am on crutches because I can't walk, and I have to wear a giant, ugly, black boot (like the one Samantha had to wear on Sex and the City when she fell down the stairs), but at least my ankle isn't broken and I will still be able to ski later this winter. Whew! (That was my biggest concern!!!)

So, take my advice - when taking the stairs, slow down and hold on to the banister--because this is really not fun.