Today is February 10th, 2015

Today is February 10th, 2015. One year ago on February 12th I slid on my drive and snapped my fibula in two, right by my ankle. Yes flopping around in the wind two. If it wasn't for my army boots, it probably would have popped through the skin. I am very grateful for that. But I feel that it might not have broken if not for the constriction of the boot on my ankle. I will never know for certain.

Recover has been much longer than I would have hoped. I still have issues. I am pretty old, although I refuse to admit it. Recovery is in part psychological. For instance it took me almost the entire winter to get up the courage to put those boots back on. I did add a pair of yak trax to them.(snow trax version actually) and I took off the laces and wear them open. I'm also having flashbacks of crawling up the hill on my hands and knees to get to the car for Dr visits, and trying to wash at the side of the tub. I was so thrilled to finally get the tub bench and have a real seated shower.

I fell 4 times in the driveway last year. I'm on it just as much this year (because contrary to the almanac prediction I read, there is even MORE snow than last year) and I haven't fallen once. I am a bit more careful, but the spiky stabilizers really help. I also do the penguin walk I read helps you balance on snow. Shorter steps, body leaning forward. Remember this, it may save you at the very least, several months of inconvenience.

There are physical elements of my recovery too. The bone was a teeny bit short and it takes time for it to grow. They say it grows for about a year and I think it's just about there. I also tore soft tissue and that's taken time to heal. And circulation has been horrible. The cold of winter has made it worse. Toes on my foot are blue and have gotten frost nip when I go out to shovel.

I just found the solution for the circulation problem this week. Magnesium applied topically. I made a slurry out of water and Epsom salts and it instantly turns my blue toes pink. Amazing. I've ordered magnesium oil for easier application. The only other problem I have is a little pain and some swelling, mostly at the end of the day. I can deal with that and I feel I will have a pretty full recovery.

Another little side effect of the accident is that my hips got a little wonky from sitting and walking funny for several months, but exercise is helping a lot with that. The best thing to defeat old age is proper nutrition and exercise. I got the functioning brain together and I'm working on the functioning body.

The past few years have been surreal ups and downs for me. My income has increased so darn much that I am totally comfortable with my home business and my life. I still have to watch the budget, but at least I have a budget to watch. I found an incredible house. If you knew where I live, you would know that my house is an impossibility. My dream house was a tiny house in my neighborhood, and I knew that was impossible. But there was ONE here and it fell in MY lap. And at a phenomenally reasonable price for the neighborhood I'm in.

I treat the house like my own and take very good care of it, so the landlord is happy too. The only downside of it is the hill. And that's only a problem when it snows. I have miraculously managed to get out once a week so far this year, although I am very sore from all the work I have to do to clear around my car and the bits left on the hill from the snow plow. He can't get it all off and it has to be down to pavement for me to have any chance of escape.

Speaking of escape, I also managed to buy a car and I love that baby. It's such a beast. It can make it up the hill with a little snow and ice, when other cars can't and it's just front wheel drive. It is the cutest, toughest little car and just perfect for me.

So how can I let a little thing like a broken ankle get me down when I have had such wonderful luck. Well, I just can't. It was tough, but I'm walking now. I'm walking pretty good now actually.  Limping is rare and I'm back to dancing, I actually can jump a few inches off the ground. Working on that. Working on passing the one year anniversary without needing too much to drink too.