OUCH!!!

Yeah, that was the first word coming out of my mouth when I sprained my ankle while playing badminton last Wednesday. It was a bad bad day. Started with work that needed to be done by the end of the working hour, a trip to the post office to get the rebate that made me late coming back to the office (and the boss throwing a disapproving glance my way as I made my way to my desk); which in turn resulted in me not having enough time to properly warm up for the badminton session. I decided (foolishly, now with benefit of hindsight) to just go for my badminton session without a warm up session cause I was just too eager to play after missing a couple of sessions due to work commitment. What a big big mistake. All was well for the first half an hour, but when I decided on a last game after sitting down for too long, as written in fate I was down like a "nangka busuk" after I awkwardly landed on my right foot with a bad angle of the ankle.

As I was on sitting on the court, the pain just overwhelmed me and I think the adrenalin rush gave me a high. Everything looks blurry, the pain was throbbing, I could not breath properly, felt like the blood is rushing everywhere and yet nowhere. The people who played with me was asking if I was alright and told me to take off my shoes and told me to apply some heating oitment. One kakak was rubbing the oitment and massaging my feet and ankle, boy that was brutal, my instinct was to kick her away! But I just bit my lips and endured. As they moved me to the bench, I was still high. The pain was still there but it felt more like a gentle throbbing. They asked me if I was able to drive my car home. After like 10 minutes, I kinda felt the pain is subsiding (but later I would find out I was tricked by my body to think that) and thus I told them that I felt ok and that I am confident I would be able to drive the car home. At that time, I was still able to put some weight and pressure on the foot.

Arrived home to hear my mak being concerned and nagging me for being careless. I put ice on the swollen area. Rested for a while and took a shower. Rub some more heat rub and compressed the ankle with bandage. Elevated my foot while I slept. RICE. Woke up the next morning, put my feet on the floor to go take my shower and instant shooting pain up to my knee and I was screaming through gritted teeth. I had to shuffle, painfully and put all my weight on my left leg (which caused the left leg to cramp up) and head to the shower knowing that I have to shower because I have to go see the doctor without delay. It took me like nearly an hour in the shower manouvering and using the toilet seat as resting stool when my left leg cannot take the weight anymore. Called to office to tell my sob story and asking my mak to take me to the government clinic nearby.

My mak, who has not driven in like 7 years ( I am her driver nowadays), had to reacquint with her driving skills and slowly we made our way to the clinic. Saw the doctor, was told to get an X ray (which was only available at 2 pm) and to go back and see him after the X ray. We decided to go home first and go to the clinic again at 2pm as it was only 9.30 at that time. But I asked my mak to detour to my office so that I could make sure that any pending jobs will be taken over by someone. And before we head home, I asked my mak to go to the nearest pharmacy to get me a cane. Walking is slow and painful without some sort of support.

Came back at 2pm for the X ray. The X ray itself was pretty agonizing since I have to make sure my foot does not move as the X ray was taken. Believe me, when you have a swollen ankle, putting them at an angle and keeping them still is torture. Went to see the doc and he said the bones are ok, so it is only the tendons that is making me feel pain like hell. Got three days MC. Rest most of the time during that period. Felt better and more confident of putting pressure on my foot today and so here I am back at work. The driving was ok but the task of going up the flight of stairs was irritatingly slow. Thank goodness I have the cane, my superb mak and caring colleagues. :)