Sunday, April 03, 2005

Ouch. Whew, but ouch.

This way I don't have to retell ad nauseam.
Went out this afternoon to hit Barnes and Noble with Brother Rick's gift card, but never made it.
That darn two-lane stretch of 27th Street bit me - or actually, allowed me to bite myself.
That and Daylight Savings Time.
But primarily, my own stupidity.
It began to rain. I looked down to recall how to change the clock, Spring Forward, for, um, dunno, 2 seconds?
Looked up. Car that was 50 yards ahead of me was now only about 25, and had STOPPED. (To turn left).
I STOOD on the brakes, laid rubber, and STILL, the front of my '98 Protege hit the back boat-anchor bumper of a 1985 Chevy Caprice at, I'd guess, 15 mph.
Thankfully, we didn't go into the oncoming lane or ditch. Air bag didn't deploy, etc.
The kid (16?) at the wheel and his grandmother got out after we both pulled over into Eastside Garden's parking lot.
I got out, and could tell immediately I'd messed up my right foot somehow.
The lady in passenger seat said her head whipped a bit. Oh boy.
Checked their back bumper. Not a scratch, you couldn't tell.
My front bumper, however, has a quite artistic twisted-metal license plate now, and a significant, um, crease/dimple in the bumper behind it.
Exchanged info, drove home, then Deb took me to Bend Memorial's urgent care. I could wiggle my toes - a good sign. Doc tried various "does this hurt" combos and believes I only strained (sprained?) my "forefoot." It doesn't hurt when I don't move, but walking is, um, difficult.
So I'm hobbling - he suggested ice (of course), elevation, Tylenol, etc.
Hurts when I walk, for sure. We have a cane I'll try to use, but weirdly, it feels better in shoe than out. (They tried a rigid-bottom, lace-up "cast shoe" on me, but that made it hurt like the dickens. Not great barefoot either.)
Reminds me of 20 years ago when I broke little toe going to bathroom one night. My UPI boss at the time called me after I'd taken a few days off to remind me, "Ya don't type with your toes!"
Ah, sensitivity.
Well, with the newsroom consultants in town this week, it means more sitting in meetings than usual anyway, thank goodness.
Doc warned it'll probably get worse for 2-3 days, then SHOULD start to feel better. If not, THEN go in and have them X-ray for a stress (hairline) fracture that he says wouldn't likely have shown up in X-ray today anyway (so we didn't do that.)
So I can work, I'll just be moving as little as possible.
Am VERY thankful it wasn't worse, for either car. Between my foot and Deb's wrist (in a splint for another week), we're a pair.
Oy.