In a New York Minute

I suffered a major injury during warm up. How unexpected and embarrassing! Who does that? Leave it to me, Miss Coordinated and Graceful, to experience a major injury doing a simple movement. I was literally about 10 minutes into warm up and jumping over a pvc pipe that was no higher than my knees. I took off from 2 feet and landed on 2 feet. I didn't trip, fall, or do anything clumsy. I definitely wasn't doing anything dangerous or cool. 

When I got to CrossFit Lander, I was 100 percent healthy. In fact, I had posted several PRs the week before. But, when I landed, I knew immediately that something was not right. I felt a tear. I am also fairly certain I heard it tear as well, but it all happened so quickly. Although, I am not a medical professional, I knew in my gut my worst fear had come true. I had injured my achilles tendon. In a New York minute, everything had changed. 

I was unable to walk. In fact, my foot was dangling from my ankle. When I tried to walk, it was like my brain was not connected to my foot. I could not make it move at all. 

That is when I noticed the entire class had stopped. Everyone came to my aid. Soon, my ankle was on ice, which was actually snow from outside in a Safeway bag. I was definitely not going to be able to drive myself home with my foot of rubber. So, I called my husband to come and get me. Two of my friends from the gym teamed up to drive my van home. 

Upon arriving at home, my husband who is a chiropractor, did the Thompson test on my achilles. This showed that my foot did not move at all which is consistent with an achilles rupture. After visiting my normal PA Jim Hutchison, the next day and having an MRI a day later, it was confirmed that I had a complete achilles rupture.

This news was devastating. I had been the strongest I had ever been. I had worked very hard to prepare for the CrossFit Open and had big plans to do the Wyoming Open and Masters competitions this summer. I had just gotten my consecutive bar and ring muscle ups that month. I am a teacher who works on my feet all day long teaching 2nd graders. Most importantly, I have 2 beautiful daughters whom need a mom with working limbs to drive them to practices, make them dinner, do laundry, and all of the other glamorous tasks mothers do everyday. It seemed cruel that on January 24, 2017, just 5 days before the 2 year anniversary of having 3 holes in my heart repaired, I would now endure another life changing injury that would require surgery and a very long healing process. I felt blindsided.... this injury had no warning. It is crazy how life can change in an instant.