Something that marked the end of April and much of May and June was a mishap during school recess that left me with a fractured rib.
We were playing kick-the-can, and Anne was it. As I raced to the can before Anne, our legs got tangled, and I caught a tuft of earth just wrong. The next moment, I was airborne—then not. I landed hard on my left side and immediately heard and felt a crack. Within minutes, the pain made it clear that school was over for me that day.
I went home, but lying on my back was nearly unbearable. Over the next day or two, I noticed blood in my cough, which was concerning enough that I decided to get it checked out.
An X-ray confirmed that I had a fractured rib in the front and two ribs out of place along my back near the spine. Thankfully, there was no fluid in my lungs and no puncture, praise the Lord for that. I don’t know where the blood in my cough came from.
The following weeks were slow-going. Basic movement became a challenge, and I learned quickly that sneezing and laughing could become some of the most painful activities known to man.
I was so grateful to have Nathan here to help with chores around the farm. I used him like an ox to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
After several weeks of stretches and rest, I was finally able to get the two ribs in my back to shift. I asked Stephanie to help me with an adjustment, and to our surprise (and relief), both ribs popped back into place. Almost instantly, the pain in my back was gone and has stayed gone since.
The rib in front is still tender even now. If I carry something heavy on my left shoulder, like a sack of feed, I’ll feel it for a day or two afterward. But for the most part, I’m back to normal.
In fact, I’m even back to playing kick the can. And just a week or two ago, we were playing Gray Wolf, a version of hide-and-seek tag. It was dark, and Kenton was the wolf. I was a sheep. In my sprint to escape, I ran around the garden, tripped over the compost pile, and went flying again.
This time, while midair, I distinctly remember thinking, Don’t land on your left side. So I twisted and hit the ground on my right, scraping and bruising my arm and leg. But no broken bones this time!
Maybe it’s a sign that perhaps I’m getting a little too old for running games in the dark.
Maybe.
P.S. I apologize that I keep accidentally sending the wrong post. I’m not sure how I’m doing it. 🤦🏻♂️ I’ll have to eventually just send that draft once I find a good place to put it. 🙃
Juan David 