Parenthood is physically arduous

In my last post, I mentioned my new struggle to lose weight. Included in that problem is the fact that I injured a knee earlier this year and have been having trouble getting much exercise that doesn't cause me a lot of pain. The way I injured my knee was that I sat on the sofa minding my own business when my two year old was playing the "dizzy" game. Said two year old spun out of control in her self-induced vertigo and head-butted me in the side of the knee. It hasn't been the same since, but feels OK if I don't do a lot of walking, kneeling, squatting, or stairs. So, once I tried to start my usual walking routine as soon as the baby was able to sit up in a stroller, my knee started giving me serious problems. I am now trying to take it easy as I can with my knee, and also do my prescribed physical therapy to strengthen it. I felt like I was making progress, and would eventually get strong enough to get back to at least a little more exercise than none.

Fast forward to Monday night. Walking through the house to take the recently awakened baby outside where everyone else was, I stepped on a stray toy. I've had some close calls before. This was the real thing. I had a bad fall. Fortunately, I took the brunt of it and the baby was fine (except for for the surprise of finding himself suddenly on the floor). Happy Boy was happy again within five minutes. However, I knew immediately that I could not use my right foot. I had to drag myself to the sliding glass door and call for help. I managed to get myself onto a sofa and prop my foot up. After a rough night of not a lot of sleep, I was finally able to go to the doctor. I was impressed with the speed of the visit. I saw my doctor; after looking at my foot she ordered x-rays; I was wheeled over to that department and barely had to wait. Three x-rays were taken of my foot and digitally delivered back to my doctor. The x-rays beat me back and it wasn't that long of a trip. The doctor saw from the x-rays that I have a chipped or fractured bone in my foot. She said that it could heal on its own, but would heal faster if the foot is immobilized. I was sent home with an ace bandage, a foam sandal, and crutches. All of that took less than an hour. Thursday I have an appointment with the podiatry department to be fitted for an "E-boot," whatever that is.

Ironically, the foot that was injured was on the opposite leg from the bum knee. The problem knee was slightly scraped in the fall, but otherwise has shown no sign of further problems. I also have a couple of bruises. This hasn't been an easy year for my body. I'm in good physical condition otherwise, so that is in my favor. But I have no idea how soon I will be able to put my weight on my foot again.

This will definitely throw off the household routine for a while. It will also make me a stickler for having the kids pick up toys that they are finished playing with. I think that I'll be doing the things that involve sitting down. Reading to the kids, doing schoolwork with our eldest, folding clothes, feeding Happy Boy. For now, my poor husband is going to get first hand experience with all the more active things I do to make the household run smoothly. I am sure he will be at least as eager as I am get things back to normal again.