So, after a wonderful visit with my friend Karen and her handsome hubby Carlos, I decided to take my son’s dog Fang to the dog park to play. I was only home like 1 hour and I missed the dog so much, I couldn’t wait to play ball with her so off we went. This was around 2 45 pm.
I really, like going to the dog park, I am a chatty person and I love to bore the ears off of anyone who chooses to strike up a conversation with me. Some people know me as Fang’s Grandma or Devin’s Mom. Devin is Fang’s daddy. While I was chatting it up when 2 happy dogs ran into me full force. I just remember falling down to the ground and feeling a lot of pain. I remember thinking darn it there goes my timmes tea, I was enjoying way too much. I don’t remember the fall but I do remember, holding my left knee and trying not to cry. I didn’t want to scare the kids or the dog. So after looking at the concerned faces, I made myself get up. I told them I was ok. I could walk it off. Jacob, a sweet family friend of ours offered to help me get home. I said no thanks and that I was ok and said goodbye, got Jacob to help me leash up Fang and limped home.
It took about 45 minutes to walk 2/12 blocks to my home from the dog park. Lots of stopping and catching my breath. Fang, who normally pulls like crazy to smell things and check out other dogs, kept looking at me with a worried look on her face. At one point, I dropped her leash, I expected her to run off, but nope she stayed right at my side. What a good dog. I almost want to cry when I think about it. She didn’t even seem interested when 2 dogs came up to be sniffed. I love dog owners they always ask if it is ok to approach us, fang sniffed but was more interested in me.
So funny, when I got home, I instantly went to sleep. I told my daughter Sarah what happened at the park, and she asked if I was in pain I said yes and she gave me some painkillers. Advil and something else over the counter, I don’t remember. What I do remember is getting up to go to the bathroom about 3 times that night. It was so painful. It was the worst pain I have ever felt. By the next morning, after going to the bathroom the last time, I had enough. I didn’t want to stand on it anymore. I was upset that I was such a wimp, it was just a sprain for sure. So, I decided to call Telehealth Ontario and ask to speak to a nurse for advice. I was expecting to hear that I needed to ice it, or just rest it. anything reasonable to stop the pain. After taking for several minutes she told me that I needed to go to the hospital.
Well, I wanted my daughters’ help in deciding whether or not I needed to take an uber, she said she was going to take the dog for a walk and we will talk when she gets home. (Devin was away for the weekend visiting his cousins up North.) When she came home, she said mom, you are alright, I said I didn’t think it was broken because I could walk on it. She said mom do you think you walk to the lobby and take an uber. I said I was too scared to walk on it anymore it hurts too much. So, I decided that I would call for an ambulance. I didn’t want to call 911, and couldn’t find a non-emergency number for one. So I called the hospital, the operator listened to me and said he would patch me through to someone who could help. The next thing I heard was 911 emergency, how can I help you? I almost hung up, but quickly explained that hurt myself and was in pain. It was not an emergency. The lady said not to worry it sounded serious enough to have them send someone out to me. Not to worry. So I quickly got dressed, put on clean underwear and put together my medication and a dress on. Of course, Sarah helped me.
When the ambulance arrived. Around 10 am. I was ready to go. Sarah put me in my office chair and wheeled me to the stretcher. I said to them I was embarrassed that I couldn’t walk and they said. It is ok that is what they were there for, and besides, it was a Sunday, and nobody got sick on Sunday. The boys who were there said with a huge smile. The inside of the ambulance was so neat and had little lights everywhere. So many Dymo labels too. They should get a huge discount at Staples. You know as I was wheeled around the hospital, there were signs everywhere about “zero-tolerance for abusing the staff”. I was shocked. The ambulance driver said it happens a lot. I said that was horrible because most the people in healthcare just want to help people. He said, well people like you make up for it. I could have cried.
Well, spent most of my time sleeping in the hallway. I didn’t get much sleep the night before because, for some reason, I wanted to go to the bathroom every 2 hours. I only fully rested when they gave me something for the pain the relief was enough to help me sleep. I was finally taken upstairs for x-rays on my knee. That is when they told me that I fractured my tibia. She said after looking at the x-rays she couldn’t believe I had walked on it for 2 blocks. I said I think it was adrenaline, I was scared. She agreed. The look on her face was complete awe and shock. I had to believe her it was true. After she left, I had no idea what that a Tibia was so I looked it up on my phone. Click the picture for link to the website.
I was returned from the MRI scans when my daughter arrived at the hospital to hang out. My daughter Raisa was celebrating her birthday, and I didn’t want to ruin her special day. I made Sarah stay home because I didn’t want to have people inconvenienced by the long wait times. I really didn’t think it was serious. She has me laughing and joking in no time. She updated all the family on what happened while I was in and out of sleep.
They sent me home with drugs and pain killers with my new friend, thank god I didn’t need surgery or a cast. I could shower. Say hello to my little friend.
Here are the pictures of my left knee,
I saw about 3 days later.
This is an ariel view of the tibia. the white part is where it was impacted. 
hospital picture of my leg when I went to the fracture clinic
Now, I have been resting and wishing this was over for about 2 weeks now, I still haven’t mastered the crutches yet, I don’t hop. Just kinda like walk really slowly. I made mistakes occasionally and put weight on it. But it only really hurts when I sleep. I have another 8 weeks or less to deal with this but meanwhile, my kids are keeping me happy with tea from Timmies, take out food and snacks. OH and lots and lots of chocolate. I have an appointment on March 3rd for a new brace, I will keep you posted. I have another appointment with my family doctor on March 2nd, to get ODSP to help with the bills. I will keep yall posted. Laters.
