It’s been over 6 weeks since I broke my ankle and I spent 4 weeks on crutches and 2 more weeks in a boot. I’m a proponent of trying to take the things that happen to me (good and bad) as an opportunity to learn and grow and this experience was no different. In the beginning 6 weeks seemed like forever, and now it seems like it was nothing. Yet another reason perspective is everything!
What happened? I was hiking with my 115 lb rhodesian ridgeback Toney and his girlfriend Harley. They were playing, got out of control, and flew into the side of my shin. I rolled my ankle and broke off the maleolus of my left fibula. I had no idea it was broken. I’ve never broken a bone before and figured it would have to hurt worse than it did. I walked down the mountain, did the proper R.I.C.E treatment. Taught a class the next day, came home and R.I.C.E’d again. I taught two more classes the next day and finally accepted that it wasn’t getting any better. When I went in for an x-ray, the prognosis was a clean break. That’s when I finally cried “I do not have time for this!”
The moment I fell I had two things simultaneously go through my mind: vanity thought “what if I won’t be able to wear high heels?” (I still can’t and have a feeling it will be a while…). But then I thought “the Universe just knocked me over to force me to slow down, sit, be present and vulnerable” and that is what I have been focusing on – thank you Universe!
Some other lessons I learned from this experience:
- I definitely had to re-learn how to ask for help. I needed people to do everything for me! I tried to take my kids with me everywhere to be my sherpas and doormen but that wasn’t always possible. I couldn’t even carry a cup of coffee from the counter to a table. One night early on I tried to get a glass of water up the stairs to my bedroom and it took me 20 minutes!
- I learned that my kids are way more capable of doing chores and helping out than I give them credit for or expect of them. This definitely shifted the “mom does most and you do a tiny bit” paradigm in our house!
- I learned to look at and approach things differently, especially when it wasn’t the easy route. I had two trips to Southern California planned during my crutches phase. One for the Vimmia retreat and the other for the Venice Beach Intensive workshops. My first instinct was to cancel at least the first trip, way too hard to do- right? I was advised by a friend that was crippled for a long time to do everything I could during this time and to learn as much as possible. It wasn’t easy, but also not as hard as I thought it would be. Being out of your comfort zone is where the magic happens- right?
- I learned to say “I am grateful for my broken ankle.”
- Professional lesson? Huge! From the second day I was in the boot and crutches I took class, primarily sitting on a small stool, and figured out how to do at least 80% of class. My mantra was: “when in doubt just plank”.
It was an amazing “intensive” for me on how to help people modify the entire class for foot, ankle and knee problems and made me even more proud of this Method for how accessible it is no matter what condition you’re in.
With love and solid bones,
— Jill
I am a teacher in training at TDM Ottawa and I broke my ankle yesterday. I hope with all my heart that I can be as strong and positive as you, Jill. I’m itching to get back to the community!
Thanks for this post, I needed it today.
Thank you Jill for sharing your vulnerability and for always being an inspiration to be a better person, student, and teacher!