An accident?

I broke my ankle to save myself. It was not on purpose to break my ankle but it was on purpose to save myself. The irony is that I am usually the one to tell everyone to watch where they are going.

It was supposed to be a short walk to the park on that breezy Sunday morning. The narrow side street did not have a real elevated sidewalk but only a narrow curb that unevenly stuck upward. It was either you walk on it or on its sides depending on where it was more even. Switching steps, it was  like hopping around. Quickly, the sound of a fast-moving vehicle crept up behind me and I immediately began to be aware of my steps. Without any warning, my right ankle collapsed inward and my immediate thought was to step my left foot to the left and out to the street to balance myself. But the thundering sound of that oncoming vehicle stayed with me. Quickly twisting my body to turn to the left, I dropped my bag and forced myself to fall on my bottom on the sidewalk.   I gave a scream of agony as I fell and almost immediately, a van careened by without stopping.   There was no way it could have stopped if I fell on the road.  My husband who was ahead of me swerved around and screamed "Did he hit you?" In my amazement, my voice replied with a strange calmness "No. He did not." I knew beforehand.   

There was no pain right after I fell and even as I was held up on both arms. I cringed when I saw my right ankle bulge like a golf ball under the skin. It looked alien. The depressing crunching sound of the bones and muscles rubbing together as I was lifted on both arms foretold that this was a serious break. I still did not feel pain but as I clumsily dragged my strange-looking foot into the backseat of the car, it began to swell quickly. All I could think of was flying to the nearest hospital.

Now I will have to remember to tell airport security that there are metal screws in my right leg. Keep it warm is a friendly advice. This unexpected event has opened up another world to me - those with metal-encrusted limbs.  Apparently, it is not uncommon.