Friday February 20, two days before my birthday, it happened. I broke my foot. Here’s how it happened…Darryl and I went to the capital for Committee Weekend. This is a time to sign up and help plan summer camps for the youth we work with. Well, in the Peace Corps office, there is a box of free stuff in the volunteer lounge and I was going through it, checking things out. I found some pants that were pretty nice so I decided to try them on. I went into the bathroom and put on the pants and I was pretty excited that they fit so well. So excited, in fact, that instead of coming out of the bathroom like a normal human being, I leapt into the air to show off these pants and came crashing down on my foot in a terribly awkward way. (There is a step up or down to go in or out of the bathroom and it was higher than I’d anticipated.) So, the bone snapped Friday, I had surgery on Monday, stayed in the hospital overnight and in a hotel Tuesday night, and was back in my site (welcomed by a crowd of questioning neighbors who watched as Darryl carried me up to our second floor apartment) on Wednesday.
People wonder (or maybe I wonder), why now? Why here? I’ve never broken a bone before in my 26 years of athletics and clumsiness, and there are a few theories about this broken foot – Number 1: I’ve lost about 25 pounds since coming to the DR and maybe I wasn’t used to my new body’s air time. Number 2: I’ve had little to no calcium in the last 6 months. Could that be enough to change my bone density? Not sure. Number 3: Maybe it’s a lesson in patience and letting go of control. I was finally getting projects up and running (volleyball team, after school third/fourth grade program, English class) and now, all these things will have to start without me and I can’t stand it! There was a fight between two girls at the first practice, and the teacher who’s supposed to help me with the after school program left Darryl to do it all alone . I like to have my hands in a little bit of everything and now my hands can’t be anywhere because they’re busy crutching my foot around!
And so, I am frustrated…and learning patience, how to accept help, and learning to trust that other people can do the work and if they don’t, there’s always next week.
In other news, we got the apartment painted before I broke my foot. This link has pictures from painting and my birthday and a new video of the painted apartment. Check it out!
March 4th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Everything looks great !
March 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
sorry to hear about the foot, but when do we get to see those fabulous pants!?! Love ya! Take care of yourself
March 4th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Glad you are back at the site, but how often will someone check your foot?
And you did not have 25 pounds to lose!!!! (BTW I found those pounds on me)
PLease take care of yourself.
March 4th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Hi Mrs. B/C!
I am really, really sorry about your foot! I hope that it will heal soon, so you can keep saving the world! Haha, we all miss you!
Love,
Beth!
March 5th, 2009 at 9:42 am
OMG! I missed your birthday and my baby has a broken foot
I wish I were there. As always, you never cease to amaze me with how you learn your life lessons. Anyone else would say, “poor me” but you look for something to learn from this little mishap. I love you and miss you terribly!! Hugs to you and Darryl! XOXO – Momma
March 5th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hi Mrs. C. Soooooooooooooooo sorry to hear about the foot. I hope you feel better soon. So what’s happening? Do you like it a the DR?
Love,
Tins
March 19th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Hi Trenita!
I’m finally on spring break and just now having the time to read your post in detail. I’m so sorry to hear about your foot…but totally jealous to hear that you have lost 25 pounds! That’s a lot…where were you hiding it before?! I do hope your foot heals quickly and you are back up to speed before you know it. Perhaps God truly is trying to teach you that you don’t have to do everything yourself and that everything doesn’t have to be done perfectly to be done well. Like you said…there’s always next week!
Love,
Martha
ps. I ran into Julia Walthall at the Chicago O’Hare airport and she told me how her parents are there visiting you right now. She also mentioned something about glitter…