A Look Back to Look Forward

Three years ago on this date, I fell on the ice and broke my ankle. My ankle twisted under my leg.  I sat on the ground and knew right away something was terribly wrong. A young lady and another women saw what happened and asked if I was okay. In my masculine voice I said I will be fine. I sat on the sidewalk gathering myself, knowing that my car was another block away and my office was several blocks away.

As I started to walk the pain in my right ankle was excruciating. I knew I had done some damage the extent unknown. I reached my car and drove back to the office. I don't know how I did it, I did. When I got there I sat at my desk whincing in pain. I went to the urgent care centre, hoping I would be back to work soon...

Within 10 minutes of arriving I was having an X-ray and an hour later it was confirmed I had a broken ankle. Surgery was scheduled 3 days later. Throughout this ordeal I was firmly convinced I would be back at work after the weekend on Monday.

Reality soon set in, after surgery I saw this cast and realized I better sit back and make the most of it because it would be 8 more weeks before I was back at work.

I decided to make the most of this opportunity. I journaled my experience daily on social media. Over the next 6 weeks until the cast came off I experienced 2 really bad days.  I posted about my bad days and within minutes I had multiple phone calls from friends and family who cheered me up offering support. I had a few visitors, however, mostly, my best support was my partner Shelley who was my rock, my inspiration. She helped keep my mood positive and one of the things I liked, not at the time though, was the practical jokes she played on me. Her humor is contagious and I will never get enough of it.

Again another sign that the old Andrew would not of handled this experience in the same way. I would have been irritable, frustrated, ripped that cast off and bitten the heads off of those close to me who were offering support. The rabbit hole of depression would have been easy to slide into.

I understand how ridiculous this negative behaviour is. It serves no purpose what so ever. It also indicates what a shit I had been, how disruptive my life was.

I have come along way and handle situations much more positively. The last number of years my life has been more positive, more stable and much happier. Breaking my ankle has turned into a watershed moment in my life and I have not looked back.