I hadn't been out raking long today when disaster struck at 11:30.  Somehow (!) while backing up I tripped over the rake.  The pain in my foot was so intense that it took a few minutes before I was even able to phone Alex to come help me.  He raced over immediately (found out later that Brownie was barking furiously, but I was in so much pain I was totally unaware) and scooped me up and carried me into the house.  

My foot had already swelled up, and was also 'hanging' at a funny angle, not a good sign. Tom drove me first to Urgent Care, but when we were still waiting our turn (in the parking lot) I asked him to take me to the ER.  That wasn't any better, because it took a long time there before I was seen despite being in such pain (it went all the way through my foot) that I couldn't stop crying.  

The first set of x-rays didn't show anything, but they decided to take a second set, and yep - I fractured the medial cuneiform.  (The cuneiform bones make up the arch in the middle of the foot.)  

It's my right foot, so obviously there will be no driving for me any time soon.  Even the slightest movement of my big toe sets off huge waves of pain, and from the diagram it's abundantly clear why.  Remember the song Dem Bones? Verse 1 starts out "Toe bone connected to the foot bone"

I am currently in what she called a "loose splint" (to allow for additional swelling) up to my knee. 

 Since I cannot get it wet there will be no showers or soaking for the foreseeable future.  I'll need to follow up with a podiatrist, when I should find out more specifics.  The paperwork sent home with me listed the causes of this type of fracture, one of which is a "sudden twisting of your foot", which is exactly what happened.  My other foot sustained a bloody gash (from the tines of the rake?) and bled over my pants and sheet before 4 band-aids came to the rescue.

Speaking of pants - I took off my jeans before she put on the splint, and came home in a pair of paper pants that were huge.  I really think they'd be roomy on a major league football player!

Though x-rays confirmed a fracture, the list of three symptoms are

Pain (check!)

Swelling, especially on the top of the foot (check!)

Bruising, especially on the bottom of foot (check!)

Had to laugh at these release instructions: Do not use the injured foot to support your body weight until your health care provider says that you can.  Since the slightest touch induces pain, using my foot is not something I am even remotely considering!

A happier e-mail had arrived while I was at the ER.  Lily and her housemates worked the custom puzzle I'd sent her for her birthday in September. 

At 2:30, waiting for the second set of x-rays to be taken, I was given a low-dose of percocet, which of course helped.  I'm thinking about taking a second one now (7:30) before the pain gets bad again.  While I'm very cautious about taking any kind of opiate, my Rx (for just a dozen pills) is at the lowest possible dosage.