So, Marion and I went cross-country skiing today up in Breckenridge. It was a nice day for it, if a little windy. Unfortunately, parts of the trails were icy – the wind had blown the loose snow away. Coming down a short, steep, section of trail, I didn’t have a lot of control. The trail took a turn to the right at the bottom, and there was a drop into a creek if you missed the turn.
I could tell that I wouldn’t make the turn, so I managed to head left into some soft snow off the trail before the turn. Unfortunately, when my skis went into the soft snow, they dropped into it. My right ankle folded over and I flipped over completely and ended up face down. I thought I’d sprained my ankle, because it hurt, but I could still put weight onto it. A passing skier named Tim was kind enough to carry my skis back to the lodge, and I used my poles as support while I hobbled back to the lodge. It was probably close to 1/2 mile to get back.
I stayed in the lodge with ice on my ankle while Marion got in a little more skiing, then we came back down the mountain. I had her drop me off at the emergency room so that I could verify that it was just a sprain.
It wasn’t. The doctor who looked at my X-rays said I’d “smashed” my fibula. He also said I must be a really tough guy to have been walking on it. I don’t know … there’s pain, but it’s really more uncomfortable than painful. Now I’m concerned that I have deficient pain receptors. In any case, I now have a splint that goes up past the knee on my right leg, and I have to keep all weight off it for two days. Tomorrow morning, I find out what my options are. The ER doctor said he believes that I’ll need a screw on the inside of my ankle, and a plate on the outside. Not what I was looking for when the day started.
Ah, well. My first broken bone. I’m sure my parents would be so proud, if they were still around to hear the story.