I don’t do things halfway. I’m what they call an overachiever. If I’m going to do something, I like to throw myself into the task. That can be a good thing, or…

Last week I was visiting my son and daughter-in-law for the weekend. I got up early in the morning and slipped outside with a cup of coffee and my camera, intending to take advantage of the landscape and the morning lighting. I guess I wasn’t paying attention, because I stepped off the back porch and landed wrong. Down I went in what will become known as the klutziest moment of my life.

After a few minutes of crying and writhing on the ground, I happened to look down at my foot. It lay at a 45 degree angle to my leg, the bones protruding beneath the skin. OUCH! Yep, it’s broken in a rather spectacular manner. Not only that, but I sprained the other ankle and twisted my knee. Everything started swelling all at once.

My son came home from work, scooped me up (with me carefully holding my foot in place so it didn’t flop around too much) and took me to the E.R. where they verified that my ankle was, indeed, broken. Nice people there, but they have a way of stating the obvious that would have made me laugh if I hadn’t been crying. “You’ve broken your ankle,” the serious-faced doctor said after examining the x-rays. Gee, thanks, doc.

Then my husband and parents drove down to get me and my car and take me to a bigger city with hospitals that have actual surgeons working there. An orthopedic surgeon checked me over, again verified that the ankle was really broken, and that everything else was twisted or sprained but not broken. Then he wrapped my leg in a cast from toe to knee and sent me home to wait for the swelling to go down. In a week or two or three (gasp!) he will put me back together with screws and plates and pins.

So here I sit, staring at my toes and praying for the swelling to go down. I will eventually regain full use of my ankle, they say. I’m thankful for that, and for all the friends who have dropped me an email or note to tell me they’re praying for me.

If you’re my friend on Facebook, I’m posting updates there, along with a new Humpty Dumpty rhyme every day or so. You can find me at: http://www.facebook.com/ginny.p.smith

Your prayers for a speedy recovery are appreciated!