As Nancy Rose mentioned, the crutches and splint aren't a sexy look...but they DO garner attention. I have never had an easier day of travel! I alerted the airline (COPA, based out of Panama City, Panama) of my predicament the day before my trip was to begin. From the time I arrived at the airport (Washington Dulles), through Panama City and all the way here to San Jose, Costa Rica, I didn't have to walk, or carry by bags or even WAIT IN A LINE. If it weren't wrong, I'd bring these crutches and splint on EVERY trip. :)
I wish I had a fun story to go along with my injury, but I don't. It was after lunch on Friday, and I was walking back to the conference center with my co-worker. We were talking and I wasn't paying attention, and I missed a step. You know those random steps you find places where you wouldn't expect one. I caught myself before I fell, but I twisted my foot and ankle. It hurt like the dickens, but I told myself to just walk it off, so I grimaced and kept going. And wouldn't you know, it started to not hurt so bad. I sat through a conference session rubbing my foot and ankle, and when I stood up, all the blood rushed to it or something and it started to hurt. Walk it off, I told myself. So, I walked down to the college fair where I was to stand behind a table for 2 1/2 hours. That didn't seem like such a good idea, but there was nothing for it, so I found someone to get me a back of ice, and did my job. By the end, my foot was numb from the ice, so I walked with my co-worker to a reception at which we were expected. I'm glad I went, because they had some AWESOME crab cake appetizers going around (I had three). After that, we met some others for dinner. The restaurant was farther than we expected, and I was having problems walking, but I had my bag of ice, and as soon as we got there, I put my foot up and iced it all through dinner. When I stood up to go home, however, I buckled. I couldn't put any weight on it whatsoever, and tears sprung to my eyes. I took a taxi to my hotel, and the kind people there got me up to my room, and brought me ice and Advil. I told myself that I'd be better in the morning, but if not, I'd go to the Emergency Room. I didn't make it to morning - at midnight I figured if I wasn't going to sleep, I might as well not sleep at the hospital where I'd have something to distract me from my pain. By the time I arrived, I was shivering and sweating simultaneously, shivering from the pain and sweating from the exertion of trying to get around without using my foot. A couple x-rays and a painful examination revealed that nothing was broken, but that it was sprained in two places.
Now, two days later, it is still pretty swollen, but I can touch my foot now, and even put a little bit of weight on it. I plan on taking it easy as much as possible, which unfortunately means not exploring my surroundings as I'd like to, but I am determined to be well again by the time I get home next weekend.
For now, I'm hanging out in my hotel room. It's nice. Even though I look for the best deals when I travel, I always feel a bit guilty because the places I stay are so nice. My suite is twice as big as my first apartment after college and light years better appointed. Honestly, I don't need all this space - it is just me. There are whole families around the world living in smaller spaces, not to mention the homeless who have nowhere to sleep tonight. Somehow, it just doesn't seem right.
Anyway, gotta find someone to deliver food to my room. I'm certainly not going to venture out alone at night on crutches. Catch you later!
