Yesterday while showering I had my foot propped up on the soap dish to wash my leg and out of the blue the entire soap dish fell into the tub. I should have know then that that omen was going to set the pace for the entire day.
I failed my Unit Manager Test with a 60 - by one question. The practice test I had scored at 78, but still joined two study groups over the weekend. I was bummed. Especially after getting perfect scores on my two writing assignments - bullets and a memo. It felt good giving the 'wood chucks' a run for their money - but the failure "red-lined" me from any academic awards. When I announced I failed to the class they didn't believe me. Shortly after Rick asked if I needed a hug. I said yes, but it actually came from Brett. Matt said he wanted to write a memo that said I didn't deserve to fail. I shook it off. There was a competition later that afternoon that I KNEW we were going to win to turn around the day.
Then we watched a POW documentary - and I'd get a little choked up each time retired Brig. Gen. Risner spoke. A great man who I had the privilege of interviewing way back when I was an Airman First Class.
During the Flight Challenge at the gym our flight made it into the finals ... and we finished first in the relay of crazy exercises - both heats. Between competitions Jen said encouraging words that made me smile. In the second round after running in a circle around a piece of paper I sprinted has hard and as fast as I could and one step before the finish line my right knee bent the not-right way as my right foot struck the ground. Because I was going so fast I had to come down on that same leg one more time to try and stop - then I collapse in pain on the aerobic step pushed up against the wall.
"Are you okay?" said one of the instructors. "No," I said fighting back tears.
So the fire department responded. And wouldn't you know it, the same Airman who debriefed me after the popcorn incident (read previous blog entry) was the one who arrived on scene. Despite a pedicure polish gone bad and an overdue wax job needed on my legs I ended up smirking. "I know you," I said. "You do?" said the Airman who looked 16. "Yep. We met last weekend. I was the one who burnt the popcorn."
They splinted my leg and called the ambulance. I had started shivering before the fire department got there and they made me lay down. First Jen was my pillow, and when she got up to get my backpack from the locker room my instructor Sergeant Bradley replaced her. Ezekiel rode in the front of the ambulance. Both Jen and Manny drove their vehicles behind me on the way to the hospital. Kory called my husband. Joel said if I needed a fireman all I had to do was ask. Everyone stayed until I was wheeled away.
Dan, the paramedic who attended to me in the back, gave me synthetic morphine. It was good stuff - I figured I had better take the pain meds while I could get them - no telling what I'd be sent home with. His fiancée just got a job at Yellowstone National Park so the Colorado Springs native will be leaving the area. "They need paramedics everywhere," I said cheerfully. "You can't have any more of that - it dropped your blood pressure too much."
The x-rays hurt like a son-of-a-gun. And luckily when I was over I got Morphine, Motrin and Vicodin. They even sent me on my with a Vicodin prescription. So, I'll be able to tough out the next few days with my leg brace and crutches. I have lots of experience with crutches. :)
After we were done at the hospital we met most of the rest of the flight at Old Chicago where I built a $22 personal pizza. I wanted olives (all three kinds), mushrooms, spinach, tomato, garlic, broccoli and basil. Only the first three toppings are free. I ate half, then just picked out the veggies. Afterwards I realized what I really wanted was a salad.
I'm starved his morning and took my last dose of meds about ten hours ago - I can't take 'em on an empty stomach. I need to hurry up and get ready for the day. JG flies in to Denver in just a couple hours. His timing couldn't have been more perfect.
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