Beware the Ice of March

 

Before I step out the front door, my feet automatically slip into my Icebugs. What are Icebugs? They are studded winter boots. I’m a total fan, but I learned about them the hard way.

This March, I’m celebrating the one-year anniversary of “My Big Fall.” My big fall came during the year 2020, when many people weren’t happy. Lockdowns, masks, failing businesses, all sorts of inconveniences prevailed, some life-threatening, others simply annoying.

I had my complaints like everyone, but life was humming along as usual when I stepped outside one fine March morning, having decided not to wear my boots equipped with YakTrax. True, it was icy, but the boots were in the back of the closet, and I deemed them somewhat of an inconvenience, so, telling myself that I’d be careful and that I was simply going out to the car, I headed out the door.

The day was spring-like and beautiful. I breathed in the fresh air, looked around, heard a chickadee warble its spring song and promptly forgot to walk with caution. All it took was one misstep. Before I knew it, I was falling and heading for the ground. One second I was upright; the next moment, I was down.

Oh-oh, was my first thought as I lay there and took stock. Had I broken anything? I’d landed on my right side and my hip came to mind. But no excruciating pain followed. I breathed a sigh of relief as I checked other major limbs. Nothing was broken, so I slowly got up and went about my business.

I thought that a few days of recuperation were in order and then I’d be back to normal. Was I ever wrong. I failed to understand that I’d hit the ground hard. The pain began within several hours and increased. After several days of increasing pain, finally, I went to a doctor. According to X-rays, I’d suffered a bruise. Nothing to be done but allow my body to heal itself.

Without going into the boring details, I’ll just say recuperation took much longer than anticipated. Two months later, the pain had lessened to a dull ache. By midsummer, I was almost back to normal.

The one positive aspect of my whole experience was my discovery of Icebug boots. They’re easy to step into and rather cute. Most of all, they are convenient, and I’ve vowed to keep wearing them as late as June, if I have to.