This morning I had to run by the lab on my way to work to have some blood drawn for my regular checkup next week. Like a lot of knitters, I keep a "go bag" near the front door with a small knitting project to take along when I leave the apartment.
My current "go bag" project is a pair of plain vanilla socks (3:1 rib, toe up, slipped stitch heel) that I can knit without looking at a pattern. (Well, except for the heel....I always carry a cheat sheet on an index card that gives instructions for my favorite heel!)
When I arrived at the lab, I checked in with the receptionist and settled into a chair in the waiting room. I pulled my knitting from my little bag and began knitting happily. Within a few minutes, the waiting room began to fill with other patients. I noticed they began to fidgit and sigh heavily after a few minutes more. I continued to knit, comforted by the repetitive motion, the light click of the needles, and the feel of wool in my hands.
Later, as I was driving to the office, I realized that I no longer mind waiting for appointments. In fact, if I get called in earlier than my appointed time I'm mildly disappointed. I feel as though I've been robbed of a bit of knitting time.
Last May I slipped while hiking and broke my leg. Mom still tells the story that when she and Daddy took me to the local Urgent Care center, I knitted while waiting to be examined. She was stunned that I could concentrate enough to knit while in that much pain.
She's not a knitter, so she doesn't understand that knitting was probably the only reason I was able to bear the pain as well as I did.
How does knitting work this magic? I can't speak for others, of course, but as for myself I believe it helps me center my thoughts. As I knit and purl I feel a sense of calm serenity. In fact, it's not unusual for me to doze off while knitting in my recliner at home.
Sure hope that never happens in a waiting room! *LOL*
Showing posts with label broken leg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broken leg. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday, June 9, 2012
A Strange Few Weeks
It's difficult to believe that it's been nearly two months since I've posted to my blog! Time seems to get away from me lately. In my defense, it HAS been an unusually busy time.
Things at the office are still very hectic; still lots of issues with the latest version of the dreadful comuputer system that was inflicted on us last year. The first of May proved to be unusually busy; it was a time of preparing for all the additional duties our department must perform in the summer (our busiest season). We also were gearing up for a statewide gathering of our counterparts which involved a good bit of preparation. In addition to this flurry of activity, I had a week of annual leave scheduled for May 14 - 18.
My plans were to head for a local campground on Monday the 14th, set up camp, and relax and knit all week long. My week of leave began with a deluge of rain as I arrived at the campground. Determined not to be swayed from my week of camping, I proceeded to set up the tent in the rain. Luckily, as I drove the last tent stake, the sun popped through the clouds.
I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon...the cicadas were in full song, the temperature was just perfect, and the campground was nearly empty. A gentle rain fell that evening, making it perfect sleeping weather. I awoke Tuesday morning refreshed, relaxed, and ready for my day.
The park ranger came by that morning to see how I'd fared through the night. I mentioned that I'd seen some cyclists and hikers going by the campsite and asked if there was a trail just past the brush at the edge of the site. He told me there were lots of trails in the park and provided me with a great map of them. I laughed and told him that now I had no excuse to lie in my lounge and knit all day.
It was threatening rain later in the afternoon, so I decided if I was going to go hiking, I'd better go preety quickly. I changed into jeans and sturdy shoes, grabbed my cellphone, the whistle I always wear around my neck when camping (in case I need to signal for help....I laughingly call it my "bear whistle"), my camera, and a bottle of water.
I studied the map and chose a trail marked "easy" that ran from an area further down in the campground to the picnic area. It was only 1/2 mile long from the point it left the campground road and ran down by the creek. It should be a nice little walk.
And it was.....the trail had washed a little from the rain the day before, but roots were easily seen and avoided. I saw tracks, but little wildlife. The only actual creatures I remember seeing were a millipede, a lovely orange lizard, and a cicada. At one point the trail veers away from the creek to go around a large tree. There's a very steep incline, and as the path passes the tree, the path has an equally steep decline back toward the creek.
I made the incline quite well, but when I reached the apex I lost my balance and fell, twisting my ankle. To make a long story short (too late!!) I had no cell service and wound up walking out on a painfully swollen ankle to the park ranger's check-in station, which was about a half-mile from where I fell. He very kindly gave me a ride back to my campsite.
I phoned my parents, and after a trip to the local Urgent Care I learned that I hadn't only twisted my ankle, I'd broken my leg! It's a spiral fracture of the fibula, just above the ankle. All things considered, I was very, very lucky. I'm in an Aircast and on crutches, but at least I can remove the cast for showers and I don't have to wear it to bed.
At this point, I'm really tired of having to wrap my Ace bandages (two of them) and put the cast on each morning, and I REALLY tired of walking on crutches. I had no idea how much WORK it is to walk on crutches! But I keep telling myself it could have been so much worse and trying to be grateful for small mercies.
Because I'm so slow in getting around, it takes me much longer to do anyting than usual. This tends to cut into my knitting time. Funny, isn't it? You'd think with a broken leg I'd have TONS more knitting time, but it hasn't worked out that way!
I did manage to find time to knit myself a cast cover, and am about 2/3 finished with a second one. Which reminds me that I should wrap up this entry and get back to work on it. :-)
So, knitsters, I hope your month has been much less eventful than mine! Have a great weekend.
Things at the office are still very hectic; still lots of issues with the latest version of the dreadful comuputer system that was inflicted on us last year. The first of May proved to be unusually busy; it was a time of preparing for all the additional duties our department must perform in the summer (our busiest season). We also were gearing up for a statewide gathering of our counterparts which involved a good bit of preparation. In addition to this flurry of activity, I had a week of annual leave scheduled for May 14 - 18.
My plans were to head for a local campground on Monday the 14th, set up camp, and relax and knit all week long. My week of leave began with a deluge of rain as I arrived at the campground. Determined not to be swayed from my week of camping, I proceeded to set up the tent in the rain. Luckily, as I drove the last tent stake, the sun popped through the clouds.
I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon...the cicadas were in full song, the temperature was just perfect, and the campground was nearly empty. A gentle rain fell that evening, making it perfect sleeping weather. I awoke Tuesday morning refreshed, relaxed, and ready for my day.
The park ranger came by that morning to see how I'd fared through the night. I mentioned that I'd seen some cyclists and hikers going by the campsite and asked if there was a trail just past the brush at the edge of the site. He told me there were lots of trails in the park and provided me with a great map of them. I laughed and told him that now I had no excuse to lie in my lounge and knit all day.
It was threatening rain later in the afternoon, so I decided if I was going to go hiking, I'd better go preety quickly. I changed into jeans and sturdy shoes, grabbed my cellphone, the whistle I always wear around my neck when camping (in case I need to signal for help....I laughingly call it my "bear whistle"), my camera, and a bottle of water.
I studied the map and chose a trail marked "easy" that ran from an area further down in the campground to the picnic area. It was only 1/2 mile long from the point it left the campground road and ran down by the creek. It should be a nice little walk.
And it was.....the trail had washed a little from the rain the day before, but roots were easily seen and avoided. I saw tracks, but little wildlife. The only actual creatures I remember seeing were a millipede, a lovely orange lizard, and a cicada. At one point the trail veers away from the creek to go around a large tree. There's a very steep incline, and as the path passes the tree, the path has an equally steep decline back toward the creek.
I made the incline quite well, but when I reached the apex I lost my balance and fell, twisting my ankle. To make a long story short (too late!!) I had no cell service and wound up walking out on a painfully swollen ankle to the park ranger's check-in station, which was about a half-mile from where I fell. He very kindly gave me a ride back to my campsite.
I phoned my parents, and after a trip to the local Urgent Care I learned that I hadn't only twisted my ankle, I'd broken my leg! It's a spiral fracture of the fibula, just above the ankle. All things considered, I was very, very lucky. I'm in an Aircast and on crutches, but at least I can remove the cast for showers and I don't have to wear it to bed.
At this point, I'm really tired of having to wrap my Ace bandages (two of them) and put the cast on each morning, and I REALLY tired of walking on crutches. I had no idea how much WORK it is to walk on crutches! But I keep telling myself it could have been so much worse and trying to be grateful for small mercies.
Because I'm so slow in getting around, it takes me much longer to do anyting than usual. This tends to cut into my knitting time. Funny, isn't it? You'd think with a broken leg I'd have TONS more knitting time, but it hasn't worked out that way!
I did manage to find time to knit myself a cast cover, and am about 2/3 finished with a second one. Which reminds me that I should wrap up this entry and get back to work on it. :-)
So, knitsters, I hope your month has been much less eventful than mine! Have a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)