Tripped & Fell On My Sprained Ankled :(

Last Monday, I tripped last week and fell and landed on my side with my spained ankle as I was rushing out to meet a client for dinner. 

I was starting to feel better - almost normal. My ankle swole up again, was painful, and I got a new bruise. I spent the next few days at a conference educating and entertaining clients along with the rest of my team. By Friday, the swelling and pain hadn't come down so I went back to my doctor. He examined my ankle, prescriped me a 800g of ibuprofen (which I am to take every 8 hours), and a air splint for a month. He then sent me off for x-rays. The x-ray technician was so kind as to have a doctor in the office look at the x-rays and tell me the results before I left (since she knew I had fallen and we were approaching the holiday weekend - she wasn't sure when my doctor could reach me) - no fracture :) So thankful!!!

The airsplint looks like this. I had to be customed fitted for it.

I'm still in a considerable amount of pain and discomfort, but I am moving around pretty well. I'm frustrated that I can't fully workout or prepare for teaching class or even get around like I want to...I've gained a few pounds. I know that I have lost some of aerobic capability and some muscle tone.

But, injuries and set backs happen to everyone at sometime. When I was in my second round of physical therapy for my knees 2 years ago, my physical therapist was talking about drive and focus and working hard and how as an athlete I have that to move forward and I would need to dig deep in it to keep progressing...I remember thinking I am not an athlete - anymore (I used to play in junior high - volleyball and basketball and intramural leagues in college - soccer, basketball, flag football). And before I could say anything to the contrary (he must have seen my face)...he begin to list the reasons why I was one. Something he said really registered with me and I put my game face on just like I used to - this time I was competing to get better. About a year later, as we were rounding out hour 6 of an 8 hour Zumba Instructor Training at the Zumba Convention Tanya Beardsley (Zumba Education Specialist and Superstar) told us to dig in - you are athletes too she said - work hard just like any other athlete would. And then, I re-read Refuse to Regain earlier this year...Dr. Berkley encouraged readers to view and outfit themselves as an athlete. She defined athlete as someone who consistently enjoys physical activity.

I am an everyday athlete. I compete against myself to make myself better. And, when I felt (feel) frustrated about this injury - I remind myself that sometimes setbacks happen to athletes but nothing is stopping me from moving forward.

So...I'm out of the game for a few weeks. But, I am determined to come back to game better than when I left it. Honestly, it's gonna be hard not to overdo it when I come back...I feel like training as hard as can as fast as I can as much as I can. But, I don't want to re-injure myself or a new injury so...I'll work to be smart about adding in extra activity.