I'm possibly the only one capable of crippling himself while vacuuming the living room

In our family it’s called doing a “Courtney” - a) injuring yourself while doing something simple or b) injuring yourself while doing something that common sense said that you shouldn’t have tried in the first place.  In this case, I did both.

My living room has a cathedral ceiling and, for whatever reason, spiders like to spin webs at the very top above the big window overlooking the golf course, which is also above the love seat.  Common sense said “Find something solid to stand on while you vacuum them”.  Instead I climbed up on the love seat because I knew that I could reach the cobwebs from there.  I put my left foot on the back of the love seat but when I put my right foot on the cushion, the cushion gave way.  My body and left leg went one way.  My left ankle went the other way.

Not wanting to go to an emergency room, I phoned my sister because she’s done more Courtneys than Allan and I have put together.  “Ice first, then heat” she said, speaking from experience.  Since I didn’t have enough ice in the freezer to make iced tea I made my second mistake and drove to the Bi-Lo to get a bag.  I thought a senior citizen would have to help me get back to the truck since I could barely walk at that point.

Back home again, I dumped ice in the bucket I normally use for moping the kitchen floor, added water, and stuck my foot in it.  I’m not sure which hurts worse.  A twisted ankle or a twisted ankle in ice water.  Champ evidently thought that all of this was fun.  He kept drinking water from the bucket.  (It’s OK.  My foot and the bucket were clean.)

At the moment my left ankle is much larger than my right one and it has an impressive purple bruise circling it.  Next up is the heating pad.

Comments

[Allan]

I'm afraid you are going to spend the next six weeks in a cast as I did last year.

Go to the doctor. Get it x-rayed.

[Alison]

What Allan said, and for the future, keep a bag of frozen peas on hand. Beats going to the Bi-Lo.

[Margaret]

It could be broken. My husband jumped from our boat to the dock and twisted his ankle. (he thought) It turned out much later to have been broken; it never did heal quite right, so he still feels some pain, years later. It's OK to be a Courtney, but don't be an F... like my husband!

[Sunnie]

Wow Mike, how awful. Maybe I should give you my cell number as I was at Bi-Lo earlier today. I could have grabbed some ice and brought it to you in a jiffy.

I hope your ankle gets better soon. I happen to LOVE vacuuming. It's the only chore that seems to sooth me. However, I don't vacuum the ceiling. I leave that to Jimmy who is clumsy enough to use a stepladder instead of our couch. LOL

[Light & Dark]

Purple? Seriously not good. Hope you hied yerself to a hospital.

Paul

[Beverly]

I seriously hope you're going to be okay, but hate to admit that I wish Justine could have taken a picture of you with your foot in the bucket and Champ lapping away at the water! What a sight that must have been. Do get it checked out if it doesn't get better!

[LittleMike]

I have to agree with Allan; time to go see the doctor.

[JumpyGirl]

I can totally relate after my trip down the stairs in March. Like others have said, you might want to get it x-rayed just in case. Mine turned out to be just a bad sprain, but they casted it anyway for 2 weeks. I'm sorry to hear of the accident...hope you are up and dancing again soon!

[Saphyre Rose]

you got to get that x-rayed.
Keep bags og frozen peas, corn, lima beans, anything for this purpose.
Lee came home once and saw me sitting with a bag of corn on my head.
Don't ask. It involved a dog and a corner of a chest of drawers.

[Carrie]

I remember when I first read this. All I could think was "oh f*** what next?" lol Then I smashed my toe in to the wheel on Mom's hospital bed here at home. I did it 3 freaking times! Toe is not broken but cripes that hurt. I can only imagine how much your ankle hurts. Be good to it. DON'T PUSH IT. If it doesn't heal properly you will suffer for years. I know this from pushing myself after bunion surgery. My feet have never been the same.

[rebecca]

i've been away from your blog for a while (shame on me) and i come back to see this. i hope that you're feeling better by now, and if you want to, you can blame the whole thing on my absence from your blog. :)