Icannotstaywell! Icannotstaywell! If my body is cooperating and healing from my many seasonal plagues, I must sabotage it in some way. Today was a MODEL day. I drove Dan to work and Laylee to preschool. I watched two of my friends’ kids while baking bread and starting some seeds sprouting. I cleaned my kitchen, did some laundry and spent a couple of hours working in my garden.
I barely even took a minute to IM Dan and brag about my great goodliness as a domestic diva.
When my arm muscles were completely finished gardening, I decided to mow the lawn or at least pull the starter cord on the mower a few times until I flooded the engine so I could tell Dan I’d tried. In order to mow the lawn, I needed to harvest it for plastic toys and move the giant yard waste bin around to the front of the house.
No problem. I employed my little slaves doing the harvest and started lugging the 100lb+ yard waste container out of the way. Half way around the house it jumped on a rock as I yanked it forward and came down hard on my Achilles tendon. My word! The PAIN!
It bruised and swelled up and I had to send Laylee next door to ask my neighbor to help me into the house. While Neighbor1 was homeopathing me and helping me make a doctor’s appointment, Neighbor2 dropped everything and ran over to watch the kids so Neighbor1 could drive me to the doctor. Neighbor1 bought me ice cream on the way back from the doctor and picked up some pizza so my kids wouldn’t starve. Don’t you want to come live on my block?! These ladies are out of control awesome.
Long story short — I’m on crutches and unable to put any weight on my left foot. Well, right now I’m sitting on the couch with my laptop keeping me warm and my foot elevated but I have to use the crutches to get around if I so choose.
Honestly, the most annoying thing is not the pain or the fact that I’m slow getting around. The most annoying thing is that I can’t pick up anything and carry it with me. I’m a major CAYGer (Clean as You Go) and I’m used to always walking from one room to the next with an item to put away. Not today. Tonight I tidied up the toys by crawling and scooting around on the floor while nagging my children. They were actually quite sweet and helpful to me all day, kisses for my foot, purple pansies decorating my shoes.
Any tips for getting around better with crutches or being able to carry things at the same time, besides in my mouth? I’m finding that certain of my belongings do not lend themselves well to being transported orally.
eek… fix the name. I know you don’t want it out there.
and now that i finished reading your post… feel better! The only thing i can suggest is a backpack but that won’t work for some of the things you are talking about…
Hrm. A few things.
1) I love me some west coast bloggers who give me a fix of bloggery at night when all the easterners have gone to bed.
2) I have no tips on getting around the house with a bum achilles tendon, but I had a bout of tendonitis in my achilles in college and the only thing that finally fixed it was using a rubber strap to restrengthen it and getting ultrasound at the trainer’s room. I also took really long hot showers before doing just about anything to try and loosen it up. Physio may seem like tomfoolery but it’s for real yo. It works.
3) Until you get to the physio stage, I would just lay on the couch and milk for all it’s worth from the children, husband and neighbors. You sound like you have had a rough week. Maybe rent Brothers and Sisters season 1 and watch in its entirety. This may not be a viable option, I have no kids and its probably not age appropriate but I hope things get better.
I hereby forbid you from sneaking around on the floor and picking things up when I am not looking.
welllllll i’d say your husband probably has a good point. but you could put on an open backpack and chuck things in there? or a messenger bag? i hope you feel better soon!
Ooo, I’d follow Dan’s order if I were you.
Look at it this way: it’s like an early Mother’s Day present. You’re going to be waited on for a LONG time!
K, look at this as an opportunity….you could create some kind of pockets, bags, attachments for those crutches! Then, sell them on your site! Make some cute for girls and some for boys.
Last week when I was walking around downtown, I was stunned to see so many people with those boot casts on their lower legs. Maybe something is going around?
Plus, you need a better story for how you hurt yourself. Work on that while you are sitting!
How about the kids pick stuff up and put it on your back like you are some kind of pack animal and you crawl from room to room? Perhaps you could devise some sort of saddle bags…
Just kidding!!! Don’t do it!
Sit on your ass and order the kids to do it. They will love being mommy’s helper! Get the simple snacks on a low shelf so they can get them without your help. Make hubby stay home.
If you need something to do, fold laundry.
Or just read–to yourself or the kiddoes.
Or watch tv–you ever done that before (I swear I haven’t watched a whole show in years…)…?
i sprained my ankle when my son was six months old–trying to be super mom. I was carrying my son and a basket of wet cloth diapers out to hang on the clothesline and I tripped over a root and came down in a hole. Dropped the basket, just tried to shield my son, since we were going down….my husband found us after a while sitting, and crying.
We switched to disposable diapers, by the way.
Sooo sorry to hear about the achilles tendon – what a pain (no pun intended!)
So…here is what you do:
Line up a handful of laundry baskets and assign each one to a different room in the house
Get the kids to toss in all the toys/books/junk that goes into each room
Have the kids pick a basket, any basket, drag into said room and put away the “junk”
Make it…uhh…basketball clean-up….time the kids, winner gets some magical surprise that daddy stops and gets on the way home from work (preferably ice cream of which you can help yourself to the leftovers) Good luck!!
Okay, let me come get your chickies so they can play with the chicks!
Oh my word, you poor thing! I can’t imagine that kind of pain. I vote for one of those long reach grabber things that they sell to senior citizens and short people combined with a fanny pack. OR you could just pay your kids a nickel for every item they transport for you without arguing. 🙂
Get well soon!!!
Is that so sad that your pain has made me laugh? I’m feeling real bad for your but the way you described it was quite comical! And at least you TRY to start the lawn mower….I wouldn’t even know how to TRY! Best of luck to you sister! (I’m calling your V.T. right now!) Yeah, I say milk it for all it’s worth. My hubby was on crutches for some time last year and it was a real pain so I feel for ya! (Or at least I feel for Dan that is!)
I totally agree with the “bribe your kids” idea. You should take it easy and give your kids a chance to help you… they’ll love it, and it’ll be good for you as well.
I would probably end up hopping around the entire house of my other leg, because being stuck is way too hard. I am so sorry you hurt it. I bet is will heal super fast, I will send you good vibes!
I am thinking that maybe a rolling cart of somesort that you can load up and then that the KIDS can push from one room to the other would work. I mean PUSHING and SHOVING is what kids do best so use it for all it’s worth.
Do TRY to rest. (Says the woman who didn’t rest for more than 3 days after her C-Section) I am sure that those NEIGHBORS would be of help. (WHERE DID YOU FIND THEM. SERIOUSLY IN SEATTLE? I need to move soon.) And Dan well, he will wait on you no matter what.
Feel better lady. And you know, maybe your daily to-do list should be a bit SHORTER from now on. You know, so you aren’t injuring yourself all the time.
I have an option that might work for you, the hubs and the internets in general. Do the backpack thing, but ONLY when you have to potty. Deposit items in the doorways of the rooms they are to go in, and the people who live in those rooms (not you) must put the stuff away.
On an unrelated note, my friend injured her achilles tendon. She did that almost a year ago and mourns the loss of her cute shoes. She can’t wear heels, mules and must have shoes with good support. Tennis shoes (function over form, please) are what work for her. She doesn’t hold much hope for rekindling her Amelda Marcos habit of shoe collection. She fears that it is retired forever.
Take care!
When I broke my leg, a long strappy purse slung over my head and one shoulder was pretty stable and handy. Keep the cordless phone in it, fer sure! I made supper pushing around backwards in the kitchen on a rolling office chair. Of course, ONLY AFTER the neighbor meals, the relief society meals, and my teenagers got jolly good and sick of cooking.
Oh yeah, don’t hop TOO much on the other leg, you might get heel spurs, (which I did) on the good leg. Use the cursed crutches! That is, if you are a delicate flower such as I.
How awful! Rest, rest, rest. I was just blogging about good neighbors–I am so glad you have some! They make life better in so many ways! Heal quickly; you’re in my prayers!
I tore my achilles tendon in college, and was on crutches for a very long time, on a very hilly campus. I have very large biceps by the end of that ordeal but it was not fun. I hope yours is a far shorter recovery.
I wore a backpack all over the place, including my home, but I wore it on my front instead of my back, so I could throw stuff in and out at my leisure, whilst I crutched.
I meant had, not have. Sorry, ’tis late.
I have a honkin big fanny pack with waterbottle holders on the sides. You can borrow it if you want to. Hey and you better take it easy or I’ll nark on you.
To bad they didn’t give you a foot brace, that way you could pretend you were Bella and have Dan get all Edwardly towards you. However I don’t suggest dancing on his toes or you might be matching invalids.
I’ll be thinking of you on your couch while I’m sitting on my couch, too pregnant to get up and put anything away. I hope we both recover soon!
Ack~ I do wish I lived on your block. Hope you are up and around soon!
I didn’t read all the comments, just got to the one where you GOT BUSTED!!!
Try one of those grabber things, I forgot the name. Walgreens sells them and they have rubber cups so you don’t break or kill things you pick up. I used one last summer and last weekend to relocate a snake from the backyard to a place safe from lawn cutting equipment. For carring the objects try one of those aprons with the huge pockets, the kind that can fit 300 wood close line pins. But you might want to just take advantage of the situation and get caught up on things, like Law & Order. Don’t worry the stuff you don’t pick up today will still be waiting for you tomorrow…At least that’s what I tell my wife before I pick the stuff up. You could also make use out of those plastic grocery bags. Just tie one loop to your (good side) cruch handle.
Avoid things like chocolate, snacks and walking without proper support under your armpits.
Yes. Yes, I wish I lived on your block…
The rock hit you, or the big container hit you? I was a little unsure about that. I’m so impressed with your neighbors, but sorry you’re gimping around. Just don’t clean up for a while, ok?
First of all: I’m SO sorry to hear about your injury.
Secondly: when I broke my foot last year, my sister rigged up a nifty solution. She took an old lady walker (with the wheels on the front), put a board in the middle and put a pillow on it. Then I could kneel on the board and push myself around the house. It was WAY easier than using my crutches in the house. Plus I had a 6-month old baby at the time and I could carry her around a bit better.
Hope you heal fast!
I’m so sorry! Something similar happened to me several years ago. My son was only crawling at the time. I remember crawling down the hall to get him from his nap. Pulling myself up on his crib and both of us crawling back down the hall. Funny now, not funny then.
As far as cleaning. I invited my MIL over for several days. That took care of cleaning AND dinner. 😉
haven’t commented for a while, but we’ve still been reading.
I broke my leg in February & with five kids, I just had to find a way to pick things up….even my coffee in the morning, ya know???? it was STUCK in the microwave after I reheated it!! (oh the tragedy)
so anyway….
a chair with wheels!!! borrow one if you don’t have one, like an office chair with wheels. I boogied all over the main level for four weeks, pushing myself backwards with my good leg. Then I sent my darlings up & down the stairs like maniacs whenever I needed something on another level.
Worked great. Well, as great as breaking your leg can work, I suppose.
Just got off crutches after foot/ankle surgery. Was able to get a “rollabout” – try and borrow one, they’re expensive to buy (or maybe rent). It’s like a rolling knee cart. Like, if you took an office chair with wheels, turned it to face you, put your knee on it, and go. Except that the rollabout doesnt turn by itself (more stable). You have to lift the front end wheels and put them down in the direction you want to go.
It saved my life and sanity – I could put dishes away in the kitchen, carry my pj’s out of the bathrom, all that stuff.
Wish I could loan you mine. There’s a website to rent them for about $35 a week (not counting shipping). I dont know if that’s in your budget but just thought I’d mention it. Some medical supply places out west have them, but none here locally (northern NY) have them, and insurance doesn’t seem to care …
Ellen