Sprained ankle

What a sprained ankle looks like

So, I'm on crutches, maybe for the next four weeks. I sprained my ankle Friday night.

I was at Aerofit. I was working on a no handed round off, which is like a round off, but you need to get higher  And I just landed wrong, heard a pop and knew something was wrong. Laura, my gymnast friend saw my ankle roll. She looked at me. I looked at her, said something like "I heard a pop."

"Do you want some ice?" she asked.

"Please," I said.

And in my mind, I'm wondering if I need to go to the hospital, what I'm supposed to do. And it hurts! Really, really hurts. Like I want to cry, bad. And everyone is still jumping around—they're having a blast. And Laura is still not back with the ice and no one notices that I'm hunched over in pain. I call out to one of the owner's but he doesn't hear me over the music. I try to wave him or my friend who's jumping with him over and it takes a few waves to get her attention. But she comes over and starts talking to me—which as much of an introvert as I am is what I needed. Something so my mind doesn't spin this out of control. Laura gets back with the ice and everyone has stopped jumping and is sitting down in a circle around me staring.

And I'm trying not to cry and Laura and Olivia are talking to me and I'm biting down on my lip, maybe clawing at my own arm. And the owner brings me a bottle of water and ibuprofen.

After 20 minutes of ice, we try my ankle, can I move my toes? Move it this way? All these people are dancers and tell me what to do, and stories of their rolled ankles. Which makes me feel a bit better. Laura tapes my ankle up in gymnast tape—it was so impressive. She thinks it's not that bad of a roll, not black and blue yet, and I hobble off the trampoline. Having completely killed the mood at the place.

I hobble out to my car (despite offers of help) and drove myself home.

I start looking up rolled ankles online and decide mine's bad enough to go the doctor—sore to the touch, can't put weight on it.

The doctor's open on Saturday so I have to find someone to take me. (Also this is the good doctor, where the athletes go. Matt had surgery there.)  Everyone I knew was working or going to the football game, so my sister Emily ended up taking me (so I owe her). I gave her $20 to go get frozen yogurt while she was waiting on me.

The verdict is:

I'm on crutches for four weeks and then physical therapy. I got an air brace that's really helped with the swelling a lot. Can't wear a shoe over it, so today I have one of those fuzzy chenille winter socks

On the bright side
• The physician's assistant at the doctor's was a total hottie. (Weird, I had to put my put on his chest to get fitted for the brace.)
• I got a prescription for some awesome pain pills (still need to fill)
• I think I may get to tennis shoes to work. The doctor did say to wear tennis shoes—more traction on the bottom so I don't slip
• I've had people help me with drinks and food. Matt's been super helpful.

Down side
• Cannot go grocery shopping by myself!!!
• No working out :( And 4 weeks is enough time to get out of shape
• Stairs are awful! Boo, hiss.
• The cats are freaked out by the crutches

And looking back—I did NOT freak out. I didn’t even cry. I wanted to though. I’ve seen two other people roll their ankles. The first girl cried and got carried off. One girl wailed for 15 minutes. Everyone was so great, Olivia and Laura were talking to me, distracting me. Matti had me laughing.

So, I'm learning all about crutches. I think I'm going to have beast arms. It seems to be a really good core workout—with all the balancing. Now, I need to go take a nap.