The ankle...

[fajrdrako]

I went today for an appointment with Dr Beaulé, the surgeon who fixed my ankle, at the General Hospital.

It took a long time, particularly waiting for the x-ray. When I was in the hospital with the ankle in March and early April, they would took me several times (in my hospital bed) to the x-ray rooms and I would see the crowd of people waiting for x-rays, with the bored, tired look of people who had to wait a while to be x-rayed. Obviously I, a patient with a capital P and fresh damage, not priority: I didn't have to wait at.

Seven months later, I had to wait. Thank goodness I had a book. Not random chance, of course. I always have a book.

An interesting thing happened. When I'd gone to the x-ray rooms, I'd noticed a woman lying on a bed waiting for an x-ray, one bare foot sticking out from under her sheets. Reading, I didn't notice what happened with her. But a while later, a confused-looking orderly was asking if anyone had seen what happened to the woman in the bed. A helpful person in one of the chairs said she'd got up and gone away.

"She couldn't have," said the orderly, with the stunned incredulity of someone who believes what he's saying.

"She did," said the witness. Someone else had seen her go, too, and they were able to point which corridor she'd left by.

The orderly proceeded to strip the bed, with the resignation of someone whose job is to take patients where they're supposed to be, not to tie them down or chase them along corridors. He was trying to trade shifts in the x-ray room with someone else; he got a taker by promising another technician that he'd tape Grey's Anatomy for her. It seems appropriate that hospital staff would be into the show.

So I was x-rayed again, and saw Dr Beaulé, who again said something about how very badly my ankle had been broken and how straight it had healed. He appeared to be rather proud of his work, and pointed out, in the x-ray, how one of the metal pins in my ankle had broken in two. I described my current condition as best I could - I can walk, with a limp; I can walk with increasing speed, but can't stand for too long without pain; there's still a fair amount of swelling. He said there was no need to remove the pins - that filled me with relief, because even though I don't much like bits of metal inside me, I don't like the thought of being cut open again, either. So unless something goes wrong, I shouldn't need to see him again.

I think that means I've been declared 'healed'.

I didn't realize I was anxious about the appointment until the relief and relaxation that came over me afterwards.

On the way home (it took three buses, and was raining) I was craving sweet cinnamon buns - as I have been, in fact, for days. I'd thought the coffee cake that auriaephiala brought over on Tuesday would end the craving, but no. I think it's because my period just started: some people crave chocolate, I crave cinnamon. I almost went to Loeb's on the way home to buy their yummy cinnamon buns, then realized I still wanted to do Pilates. Couldn't eat cinnamon buns if I was about to exercise. So I made a deal with myself: if I still wanted to trash my rotation diet and eat after doing Pilates, I could have cinnamon toast. My favourite snack. (Tied with popcorn. I'm not sure which I love more.)

So I did my Yogilates Beginner's Workout DVD and was a little shocked at the difficulty - but then, I haven't been doing yoga lately, and the Pilates is new, and not much like tai chi. I only lasted about twenty minutes into the tape, but I did my best, and liked it. Liked it a lot. Then I made cinnamon toast.

A beautiful, relaxing evening.

Comments

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Sounds like your break was much worse than mine, and I'm so glad it's healing well.

I'm currently at the stage where I can walk and stand and even manage stairs, but can't run, or do any of that walking and standing stuff for a hugely long time, because I swell up and get pain. I gather ankles are always particularly bad for swelling, thanks to gravity. Can't wait to be able to get to work without needing to put my foot up immediately on arrival, however!

love

Catherine

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the good thoughts about my ankle. I was wondering about yours. Stairs were a big challenge for me - still are - I have to fight the tendence to always lead with the right foot. Which is awkward. And standing... yup, swelling and pain. I'll be glad when that stops. Being on a bus is still a bit of a challenge.

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

I sympathise with your bus problems. I've basically informed my work that I'll alternate between leaving just before 5pm and leaving just after 6 (my usual end time is 5.30) - I can get a seat before five or after six, but not in between, and spending 30+ minutes standing up in a moving vehicle when I'm too short to reach the overhead handle things without being at full stretch is just not possible yet...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Luckily, if I'm really prompt about leaving work at 4:30, I can just catch the 'right' bus - the one where I can get a seat, and won't have to transfer. Standing in a bus has gone from 'impossible' to 'possible but painful' and standing to wait at a bus stop for a rush-hour transfer is... unpalatable.

[gem225.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I'm so glad that your ankle is healing well. :-)

I love cinnamon too. I put it in my coffee sometimes. I have to remember to make cinnamon toast when we have bread to toast, and I can make biscuit-based cinnamon rolls - those would be cool to make too now that it's getting cooler. I do love baking.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the kind words on my ankle. I'm so glad I don't need more surgery.

Cinnamon is good in coffee. I've been putting it into my yogurt with breakfast lately, too.

Baking is fun, but I think I like eating what I bake entirely too much.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you got the healed stamp! It takes SO LONG, doesn't it?

am a little bit scared of when I go to start yoga again. I HAVE NO MUSCLE TONE LEFT. Not to mention that my abs were all chopped up. It's gonna be funnnnn. (not)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It takes SO LONG, doesn't it?

It does! And there's a way to go before I stop walking awkwardly, or really get my full balance back, or handle stairs smoothly. But. It's all progress and the improvements are slow but steady now.

My muscle tone is crap now. I really should be doing some yoga daily. (Note to self: do it! Even if it's just something simple and basic, like a stretch.)

The nice thing about yoga, though, is that you can do it as gently as necessary.

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

Gots me a cinnamon jones as long as your arm, some mornings. The hospital cafeteria occasionally has cinnamon muffins that are, essentially, gigantic cinnamon pinwheels.

As to Grey's Anatomy? We hospital staff watch it for comic relief. I've never known an intern or resident -- and I've been through 34 years of them! -- with the excess energy to spend on their sex drives the way Grey and her colleagues do. They do their 36 hours on, and then they collapse. you want hospital horndogs, you gotta follow us porters, and the xray techs, and particularly the pharmacists around with a camera.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The hospital cafeteria occasionally has cinnamon muffins that are, essentially, gigantic cinnamon pinwheels.

I would love that.

As to Grey's Anatomy? We hospital staff watch it for comic relief.

LOL.

I've never known an intern or resident -- and I've been through 34 years of them! -- with the excess energy to spend on their sex drives the way Grey and her colleagues do.

You mean they're not all messing around with each other? How disillusioning!

They do their 36 hours on, and then they collapse. you want hospital horndogs, you gotta follow us porters, and the xray techs, and particularly the pharmacists around with a camera.

That would be fun. I will keep this advice in mind on my coming job-search.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

So, Dr Beaulé says that you're on schedule for healing? (I hope).

What a relief to know you don't need any further surgery!

My favourite cinnamon buns (extremely sticky and cinnamony) are from the Rideau Bakery (which is a dangerous two blocks away from your workplace). Their day-old buns are 1/3 off (look on the rack at the back of the bakery, facing the dairy case).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, on schedule, I think. And yes, a great relief not to need further surgery.

Rideau Bakery - eee! Close enough to be a constant temptation. Their doughnuts are amazing.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you are officially "healed."

As for cinnamon, it is apparently an antioxidant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon#Uses) and may aid digestion and curb both diarrhea and (Type II) diabetes. It is actually at the top of the food list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_Radical_Absorbance_Capacity#Food_Sources) in terms of its ability to absorb damaging oxidants, etc (with cranberries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry) several places down that list). I can see why your body would enjoy something like that. Note the reference to "coumarin" in the article, however; that substance apparently may be toxic at high amounts.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you are officially "healed."

Or at least... the doctor can't do anything more for me. Which is a good thing; I don't want more surgery.

I'm glad cinnamon is good for me (mostly), when I like it so much.

[coalboy.livejournal.com]

cinnamon an anti-diabetes thing?!!! Whee! Thank you!

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I crave chocolate. I also crave something really salty - but I think that might be a cramps related thing... *frowns*

But yay you for not needing to get cut open and have people poke around inside your ankle - you've obviously been taking care of yourself properly. *cheers*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I usually crave salt - I take that as normal! With the exception of cinnamon-flavoured things, I'd rather have salty snacks than sweet ones.

Yeah, it's good news about the Foot. I hope to go for a walk tomorrow, taking advantage of good walking weather (without ice underfoot) while we have it.

[toraks.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your ankle is doing so well (nice to be an example of someone's good work!). I hope it gets back to normal sooner than later!

I love cinnamon too. I have it every morning in my oatmeal, but it's been a long time since I've had a cinnamon bun (don't think they do them here, and even if they do, not allowed -- diet!).

We have a toaster oven now, may have to have some cinnamon toast as a treat sometime. I do break my diet way too often. Of course, now it's in my head... ;-p

My husband's sister-in-law is very huge into Pilates. She trained as a physical therapist in Belgium (where my husband's family is from, though she's originally French), but had a hard time finding a job once she got her degree. So she got into Pilates and has been doing lots of instructor training, I gather. She went to the Hague for more advanced stuff, and then has been in NYC for a long time (a year now, on and off?), because the most advanced training is there, apparently. She's always been very athletic (gymnast when young). Anyway, no reason to relate all this, except that's where Pilates intersects on my life. I've always thought it was cool, but for religious reasons, am more interested in yoga. Not that I've done that either. No time! But try to do that again, I got a book. ;-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

nice to be an example of someone's good work

I'd hate to have my doctor think, "I really botched that one."

I have it every morning in my oatmeal,

I wish I could have oatmeal every day... On my current diet, that isn't possible, though of course in eating cinnamon toast I was defying the diet anyway. Back to the straight and narrow today. The carvings aren't tamed, but they're not as extreme today, thank goodness.

Woo, your husband's sister-in-law sounds very impressive! I've always found yoga fascinating and of course I have do plans to stop doing it, but I don't mind dabbling in Pilates out of curiousity and for a change of pace. Like Tai Chi. Though the philosophy of Tai Chi seems very like the philosophy (or should I say, philosophies?) of yoga, even though the actual physicality is different. Though I suppose if the purpose of yoga (wildly simplified) is to raise the kundalini and prana, and the purpose of Tai Chi is to raise the Chi... the purpose is similar.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

How does one make cinnamon toast? Is it just buttered toast sprinkled with cinnamon? No, seriously, I've never had cinnamon toast! I am a deprived Maltese. *sob*

PS Yay for your ankle being declared healed! And hopefully the pain and swelling will get less and Teh Foot will go on improving. ::hugs::

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

How does one make cinnamon toast? Is it just buttered toast sprinkled with cinnamon?

Ah: you have asked an expert. When I was young and callow (and not yet in high school) and I wanted cinnamon toast, I simply buttered toast and sprinkled it with sugar and cinnamon.

Then I started grade 9 Home Economics and our first cooking class was "how to make cinnamon toast". I was enlightened to the most delicious thing on earth, not nearly as crude as the ad hoc recipe above.

You take about 1 tbsp of brown sugar and about 2 tsp of butter - say, a walnut-sized bit of butter, preferably soft butter, and a little more brown sugar than that, maybe twice the quantity, and cream them together. Add lots of cinnamon - well, I like lots - say 1 tsp. (A spoonful.) Adjust to taste. I like to be generous in this. Cream these three things together.

Put 2 slices of bread under the broiler till one side is toasted. Take the half-toasted bread and spread it with the soft butter-sugar-cinnamon mix. Cut each piece of toast it in strips about half an inch wide (or approx. 1 cm). Put them on a pan or cookie sheet and broil them carefully till the sugar is bubbly but not burning. Then use a spatula to put the strips of toast on a plate - they'll be very hot. Let them cool a few minutes so you don't burn your mouth. Then eat happily.

Funny how some lessons in school are things you never forget. Funny how that never happened to me with math problems.

Thanks for the good wishes on the foot. Though I hardly perceive the changes now, they're so slow, I can tell I'm walking a little more quickly, and limping a little less. Still far from normal. I suppose I ought to be exercising more. Still. (Sigh.)

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I take it a broiler is a sort of grill, yes? Because - OH NOES! - I don't have one. ::cries::

Well, I do have something that calls itself a grill inside my oven, but it's just pathetic and fails at actually toasting anything. Though maybe, just maybe, it would be up to the task of melting butter. I rather doubt the mixture would ever reach the bubbly stage, though...

::iz disconsolate and cinnamon-toast-less::

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't have any kind of a grill. My oven can be set to 'broil' and that's what I use. It takes a while, but it does get the cinnamon toast to bubble a little. I'd say: Try it and see what it does to the sugar. The results can't be bad - it's worth a try.

Or come and visit me and I'll make you some. [g]

[coalboy.livejournal.com]

What is this about one of the pins being broken? Sounds dangerous. Why wouldn't it move, like a splinter?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't know why it won't move - maybe it will. The doctor said that if I got any pain from it, I should contact him. Presumably then he would take it out. I could barely see the thing in the x-ray.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Yum. Cinammon toast. That well-known analgesic.

I am glad that your broken bones have healed straight; confused that the doctor didn't think it a problem that one of the pins is now in two pieces; relieved that he feels you are doing well; and sympathetic that you are not yet doing as well as you'd like to be. Our feet are so fragile!

It snowed here today. Cold-ish. And I've found out that the idiotic plant manager has decided to be a doofus and force several of us in on Thanksgiving Day, which is Thursday the 27th. I am insulted by the presumptuousness of it... first we hear that the place may close down completely on the holiday, then it all gets turned around and they are doing this to "punish" those of us who speak up about the delayed mail and the improper forcing of people into "Standby" time when they do have work in their section...? As with last year, we pretty much can hear the echoes coming from the back office: "They want to complain? Ha! Let's give them something to comploain about!" Wish I could work for professionals.

Bodie and Doyle need any mail clerks? [g]

Glad you're doing physical things... keep at it! It'll get easier and feel wondrful.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you'll have to work on Thanksgiving. Is that next week?

It was cold and snowing here today, too. Flurries off and on most of the day. Brr.

Beulah was trying to encourage me to go work for Canada Post. I wouldn't mind.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

You should be in bed, you know.

Thanksgiving is... next week, yes. Time flies by me lately.

This year the dates fall the same as they did eleven years ago, when my mother passed away on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, so I wanted to be with my dad. It might still be possible -- not only are we being forced in on the actual holiday, but our start times are pushed forward to 6 PM, so I'll be able to spend the earlier part of the day with family. And then drive like a maniac to get to work on time. Feh.

This holiday is hard enough on me without my hving to deal with a posturing, incompetent boss. It makes me frustrated enough to cry.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I went to bed. Yes, really!

Gives you a busy day, but I'm glad you'll be able to see your family.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

The plant manager is so chicken that she didn't even show up at work today; had promised a meeting with someone " before ten," and also didn't show for that; I hung around until fifteen past ten, and she still had not shown up -- nor had anyone else post the holiday schedule. So, officially I still don't know. But, yes, some parcel of time with the family. I cleared it with my sister today, that we'll do Thanksgiving on that very Thursday, and just try to get things cooked before two or three, so I can have some and also tke some to work with me!

Not so much a busy day. More like, an upset and hurt day. Feh. In which I will not in any imagineable mental construction have any chance to do the contemplation I need to do. All I can say is, karma will come down, and I won't have my hand in any of it, but... that incompetent, buck-passing jerk of a plant manager will get all this negativce energy back, and that will be just.

It is very cold and I cannot type.

Good night.

[filkferengi]

Woot for healing! I look forward to hearing your future progress.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too! Actually, the foot's doing fairly well.... I think Tai Chi is helping.