Thursday, February 14, 2008

The Next Installment....

....in a series I like to call Sarah Injures Herself in Stupid and Amusing Ways. Previous episodes have included "How I Got a Concussion Getting into my Car" and "How I Sprained my Ankle in a Crosswalk, and What Happened Next" (my personal favorite). Today's episode is "How I Sprained My Hip Getting Out of my Car."

How I Sprained My Hip Getting Out of the Car

Now, the original basis for this injury actually has a really good tagline, which is "It's an old fencing injury." Pretty cool, right? Unfortunately that was about 6 years ago and it keeps bothering me. It's always worse in the damp and cold, but it had been doing surprisingly well lately. Yesterday, I stepped out of my car when I got to work. I did not slip on any of the available ice, I did not twist or wrench in any way. I simply got out of my car as usual, and three seconds later, hundreds of pain fairies were stabbing my hip with their shiny stillettos (knives, not shoes, although the shoes would hurt too). I occasionally get a twinge like this, and it usually goes away immediately. This did not. It kept hurting me throughout the day.
I decided at lunch it would be a good idea to go home (I live 15 mins away) and take some ibuprofen. I figured I would be about an hour and left my laptop in my office. By the time I got back to my place, the hip was hurting me so badly that I didn't take ibuprofen. I took something a bit stronger and promptly passed out. When I woke up, I was absurdly groggy and knew I wasn't going back any time soon. Also, it did little for the pain.
I don't know who I was going to call at this point (the details are a little fuzzy), but I began looking for my phone. I had left it in my office. So now I was stranded, in pain, and with no means of contacting the outside world.
In the search for my phone, however, I looked my purse. This was a bad idea, because a can of Diet Coke I had thrown in there exploded, over everything. So in my groggy, panicking, pain-ridden state, I also had to wash out all the contents of my purse, including some knitting (thank science for superwash) and some electronics that will never recover.
I completely lost it. I hobbled over to the appartment complex office and used their phone to call my mom, just about the only number I know by heart. Luckily, she came out, took me to get my stuff, and took me to the chiropractor's, where I found I had sprained my sacro-illiac joint (which I didn't even know I had) just by getting out of the car.
So, sorry about missing the knitting group last night, guys. I was a little busy.

9 comments:

La Petite Tricoteuse said...

hope you are feeling better!

Vicki said...

Ouch! Hope the chiropractor made you feel better (mine does). Pain is no fun!

Lorna said...

Damn, girl - sounds awful - now repeat after me..

Go to the apt complex office and have them WRITE down my phone no on your file - I am close and you know I'm always available... DO IT NOW (ok, after you hurt a little less) - And tell your Mom (or I will call her myself) to call me in cases like this so she doesn't have to drive a gazillion miles and miles per hour to help you! We're here for ya!

We were worried about you last night, but I thought it was your church group night...

I sure hope you are feeling better - Anything you need or I can do for you?

Valerie said...

We are here for you...we would be more than happy to help...if you want another number as plan c, write mine down..on the other hand I am getting you an emergency disposable phone that you can keep in your apartment and a spare bottle of ibuprophen for your office.

Valerie said...

Further to my prior, I really hope you are feeling better.

Anonymous said...

My word! ! ! !How awful. I can't volunteer to help "phsyically" but can offer "encouragement".

Take it easy ( I guess ) and take care.

Also listen to Miss Mom alias Lorna. She does give out good advice about communication.

Carol

DK said...

That was so not funny, and yet, I laughed out loud. Mostly at the "I sprained a joint I didn't even know I had!!"

I'm so sorry. Feel better. Make the kittens cuddle you. Tell your mom I said way to go, that was excellent momming. If I was less than 850 miles away I'd bring you alcohol and my portable Dog Smooches machine (she'd be happy to make you pet her, which is of course always curative).

Um, what does Lorna mean, your church group night? Have you gone all Wheaton College since I left?

Jen said...

Oh man, that does not sound pleasant. Hope you are feeling better. :)

Shirley said...

Poor you :0(

I'd never heard of the SI joint until mine went during pregnancy number 4 - cue lots of painful physio with a bump getting in the way.

Hope you feel better soon, I know just how much this injury can hurt.