It had been more than a week that I had not been updating this blog simply because of my (sprained) left foot. No, I was not injured while having my early morning run but because I stepped on an uneven pavement on my way home from the wet market after buying a bunch of bananas and mind you, I fell with my left foot immediately letting go of the two bags filled with veggies and fish. Good thing the stall owners were kind enough to assist me, even applying liniment to ease the pain because it hurt so much that I felt so cold I almost wanted to throw up.That happened on a Friday before lunch where I will have my first taste of an 11 hour killer shift after almost two years before my weekend off.
Since I needed to get home, I gathered what little strength I have left for that day to drag my left foot and bear the pain. I try not to focus on it and think how I will manage to get to work because I know I cannot afford to be absent. A lot of things have been going at work that I rather not share at this time. The minute I arrived home, I left the goods at the kitchen counter and immediately went to rest, propping my left foot on a pillow. I could already see the swollen part of my foot near the ankle and wondering how I would start and end my day at work. I could not recall if I even took my late lunch, just that I woke up having difficulty moving as I ready myself to work which will start at 6:30 pm and ends at 5:30m the next day. And as what to be expected, I was 30 minutes late because I moved so slow, literally dragging my left foot.
Coincidentally, there were a few agents who were limping on the floor that Friday and since we have our own pain to handle we just acknowledge each other on our way to the pantry or the restroom. There was one point that I would almost pound at the door of my cubicle the minute I reached the restroom because of the pain, biting my lip yet trying to control what I was feeling less I my hurt myself more. And because of my gray hair a lot of people did not miss my limping figure including my SOM who worriedly asked if I was all right in which I answered "I am trying to be." Good thing there were Nurses on the floor who chose to be call center agents who were kind enough to put the ice bag I got from the clinic on the swollen part of my foot, advising me on what to do so the swelling will heal faster and telling me of their own sprained ankled stories to lighten up my day. Laughter in between work was very helpful to make me through the day. And those were not just some of the things that I was thankful. My online customers turned out to be less problematic, a good friend listened to all my troubles and finally one of my daughters fetched me from work. I felt like I was a kindergarten which brought a smile to a couple of my colleagues when I told them about my daughter coming over to pick me up from work.
Blogging about this incident more than a week when it happened made me realize how badly I treated my feet. Perhaps I have forgotten that some ligaments had been overused or stretched due to frequent brisk walking. Guiltily I recall how I walked so fast on days when I had problems to lighten my already cluttered thoughts. I could not even remember the last time I had propped them up which I used to do or had a foot massage to make them feel cared for. I even find it funny that the post I wrote before my injury was somewhat related to this one. Perhaps it had been a warning, a reminder that I had seen coming but chose to ignore. Surprisingly during those days that I stayed in bed almost the whole day making them rest did I find the time to "talk to them." I apologized for treating them badly and how I overlooked the fact they too needed caring and attention, especially to my injured left foot. I told how they matter to me and the many runs and walks that we look forward to once I recover. Though the company doctor told me it will still be two weeks before I get back to my fitness activities, deep inside I already long for that day when I am no longer limping and see myself in my workout clothes, greeting the early morning breeze and sun to start off my Sundays.
It will just be a week before I am back to my old self but this time a wiser and a more forgiving person. Thanks to my sprained left foot.