6 degrees of Geekdom

At the beginning of the month we had a big snow storm (we only had three storms all Winter & they were all big. But the resulting snow kept going away). Oh, it was nothing to rival the Winter of '78/79. But it was harsh. Most of northern Michigan was plunged into dark and cold under the weight of 2-4 feet of heavy snow, some ice and a lot of wind. We had a lot of refugees in the hotel that week. For whatever reason, I, in my hotel room was immune to the disaster around me. However, I was not immune to the humors of Fate and her sisters.

The night before the big storm, I realized that I was out of milk. I knew I did not want to trudge through the snow to get it in the morning. So I went across the street. There was a half inch of snow on the ground. The grass was bare but the water in its cells was starting to freeze so it was a little slick. No problem. Got milk. Started across the street headed home and...

Right leg firmly planted on the ground the left poised to be the next step, the second my foot touched it slid. And it slid. And slid. And slid. It didn't stop sliding until it couldn't go any further. I did not fall. But I had a damned hard time straightening up. And when it did it felt like someone let a load of barbed eels loose in my leg. The fire and tearing sensation went all the way down to the ankle. When I took my first tentative step I felt the line of pain snake from the inside of the thigh at the top, down to the knee and wrap itself around the outside of my calf and down to the ankle. I cried the last 20 feet to the door.

Within minutes the cold set into my toes. I felt like I was getting frost bite. Then the whole foot went cold. The pain was so bad I decided to call the hospital. They paged my doctor. I cried at him. In the morning I went in to see him. Got ex rays. Got meds. Got two days off work for my trouble. And another day off because the storm killed the power to the hotel & my machinery. I made up for those three days in the remaining 4 days of the pay period.

So after we got caught up from the chaos, still gimping. I went back for a follow up. And the doctor got worried. The WORST look on a doctors face is one of near panic. You know... the look that Riker got whenever Geordie mentioned the possibility of having to eject the warp core? That's the one. He got it when he started feeling around the hamstring where the knot was.

"Oh my." Funny when Takei says it. Not funny when the doctor says it. "You've torn your glute."
Of course I have. I am a geek who has done nothing athletic since school & I've torn a glute.

Yep. Tore my ass. Ripped myself a new behind. Then he says "the tear goes down to here" the middle of the hamstring.

I'd like to say "only me." But a lot of the comments of support indicate that I am not the only one who has ever done that. Turns out its mostly an athlete's injury. Irony. The definition of my life.

So.... while one thinks that would leave me lots of time to sit on my butt and do nothing, one would be wrong. It is extremely painful to sit. To lay down. To roll over.

Yeah. "Woof"

Who knew geekdom had sports injuries?