I don't need a crutch!

Whenever I go awhile without writing, I start feeling the pressure... like I should have something profound and intelligent to say after a hiatus of silence. Well, don't hold your breath... because I have nothing insightful or philosophical to say, but rather, just another embarrassing, awkward and shameful experience by yours truly.

Today I was enjoying a lovely outing to the Regency Square Mall play area for a play group activity, where my 4 year old was bored because he was surrounded by "babies" (since everyone was 2 and under), and my 1 year old was determined to escape from the play area. I, on the other hand, was entertained by stimulating adult conversation, regardless/in spite of the tantrums of my 1 year old. But after about an hour, I succumbed to my back-arching baby, and allowed him to walk outside of the play area to the quarter-operated fire engine and ice cream truck "rides". He was enthralled... I was, to no avail, straining to make out the conversation from 50 feet away. As I walked around the fire truck, I failed to see the little slope underfoot, despite the bright yellow painted line.

My ankle rolled... my head whipped back... my arms flailed... and my body crumpled to the floor (literally).

Luckily, besides the other 2 year old playing on the fire truck, the only other eye witness was a small elderly woman. Even my fellow "play-groupers" failed to see my humiliated collapse. I stood up quickly, favoring my right ankle a bit, and tried to determine the seriousness of my injury. Could I make it to the stroller well enough to hobble out the door?... Or should I just throw myself back on the floor and wait for someone to call an ambulance?

I decided that I MUST "walk it out!" My head felt light... my stomach felt queasy... and my feet felt cold because of the pain. But I managed to carry my things back to the congregation of other moms.

Luckily, my ankle felt fine to walk, and for the rest of the day, I could easily maneuver around acorns and pine cones on the way to the bus stop, I avoided the unevenness of the pavement in our driveway, and bounced up and down the steps without hesitation.

But now, 9 hours after play group, I'm sitting here with an ice pack and my foot elevated, nursing my anterior talofibular ligament (okay, I had to look that one up), hoping with everything that I am that crutches are not in my future!