After a few weeks of being lazy on the weekends, I got out on Saturday with my camera. Actually, I was feeling lazy, but Leena pushed me to go out and walk a bit. I really wanted to stay home and futz around with my now-broken iMac and see what data I could recover from it.
So, I got out, and it was pleasant out. I walked over by Grand Central Terminal, and across 42nd Street I slipped on some melting ice. There's a slight slope there in Pershing Square, and with the ice melting it was covered in liquid water, and I didn't realize there was ice under the water until I suddenly, and painfully found myself sitting in it.
I was in sort of a daze, but a few people asked if I was alright, and I said I would be. Then I got up and hobbled to a decorative rock, large enough to function as a bollard, and sat for a little bit. Then remembered there's an indoor public plaza (one of New York's Privately Owned Public Spaces) so I limped over there to sit a few minutes in a chair, and write in my diary.
Fortunately that was very close to a subway entrance with an escalator that got me very close to the crosstown shuttle to Times Square, which wasn't a far walk from the elevator down to the N platform, that I took one stop up to 49th Street where there's another elevator up to the street.
Then I had to limp home a few avenues over. After crossing 8th Avenue I called Leena to meet me at the corner nearest our apartment as I was thinking I should go to the urgent care clinic there. She was almost at the subway on her way down to Macy's, and I realized we'd crossed paths, on the opposite side of 49th Street, though she doesn't normally pay close attention to what's around her, while this time I was distracted and focusing only on the steps ahead of me.
She said to skip the urgent care and she would fix the sprain at home. So, we did that. She rubbed some Indian liniment, called Volini, which is mostly linseed oil and menthol, on it, then went down to the pharmacy to buy an ice pack. By then my ankle was swollen, and had a monstrous bulge on the side. The pharmacist recommended she give me Advil and keep my ankle elevated.
We did that. Icing it every couple of hours for 20-30 minutes, rubbing that Volini on it, and I kept it up on a chair...
By bedtime Saturday night the swelling was reduced. My ankle just looked enlarged, without that round bulging ball on the side. So that was good.
Yesterday was more of the same... Although it didn't change much throughout yesterday. The big change was Friday evening...
Today I've hobbled my way to work. I had a plan that I'd walk to Times Square and get the 3 train that goes right to my office, without needing any stairs between the start and finish. But by the time I walked half a block I changed my mind. Instead I took a local train at the nearest subway station and changed trains downtown to a 4 train. That involved a few short flights of stairs, but was a lot less than the further walk to Times Square. And despite walking a lot slower than usual, got me to work a little earlier than usual. Go figure.
Going home is going to be a different story. I don't think I can take the 4 train to the same station because I probably won't be able to force my way off the crowded rush hour train. I'll need to take a different route.
I've certainly slipped on ice before. It's part of winter, and hell, I went to college. This is the first time I can think of that I've bruised more than just my dignity.
So, I got out, and it was pleasant out. I walked over by Grand Central Terminal, and across 42nd Street I slipped on some melting ice. There's a slight slope there in Pershing Square, and with the ice melting it was covered in liquid water, and I didn't realize there was ice under the water until I suddenly, and painfully found myself sitting in it.
I was in sort of a daze, but a few people asked if I was alright, and I said I would be. Then I got up and hobbled to a decorative rock, large enough to function as a bollard, and sat for a little bit. Then remembered there's an indoor public plaza (one of New York's Privately Owned Public Spaces) so I limped over there to sit a few minutes in a chair, and write in my diary.
Fortunately that was very close to a subway entrance with an escalator that got me very close to the crosstown shuttle to Times Square, which wasn't a far walk from the elevator down to the N platform, that I took one stop up to 49th Street where there's another elevator up to the street.
Then I had to limp home a few avenues over. After crossing 8th Avenue I called Leena to meet me at the corner nearest our apartment as I was thinking I should go to the urgent care clinic there. She was almost at the subway on her way down to Macy's, and I realized we'd crossed paths, on the opposite side of 49th Street, though she doesn't normally pay close attention to what's around her, while this time I was distracted and focusing only on the steps ahead of me.
She said to skip the urgent care and she would fix the sprain at home. So, we did that. She rubbed some Indian liniment, called Volini, which is mostly linseed oil and menthol, on it, then went down to the pharmacy to buy an ice pack. By then my ankle was swollen, and had a monstrous bulge on the side. The pharmacist recommended she give me Advil and keep my ankle elevated.
We did that. Icing it every couple of hours for 20-30 minutes, rubbing that Volini on it, and I kept it up on a chair...
By bedtime Saturday night the swelling was reduced. My ankle just looked enlarged, without that round bulging ball on the side. So that was good.
Yesterday was more of the same... Although it didn't change much throughout yesterday. The big change was Friday evening...
Today I've hobbled my way to work. I had a plan that I'd walk to Times Square and get the 3 train that goes right to my office, without needing any stairs between the start and finish. But by the time I walked half a block I changed my mind. Instead I took a local train at the nearest subway station and changed trains downtown to a 4 train. That involved a few short flights of stairs, but was a lot less than the further walk to Times Square. And despite walking a lot slower than usual, got me to work a little earlier than usual. Go figure.
Going home is going to be a different story. I don't think I can take the 4 train to the same station because I probably won't be able to force my way off the crowded rush hour train. I'll need to take a different route.
I've certainly slipped on ice before. It's part of winter, and hell, I went to college. This is the first time I can think of that I've bruised more than just my dignity.
