“Life will humble you.”
I read this somewhere online while wearing my AirCast™ and having sat on my ass the whole day. I’m currently recovering from a Jones Fracture and all my plans for the next few months have been put on hold.
Every now and then while reflecting on this injury, I find myself laughing at the irony. Having climbed so many mountains and ran multiple races, including ultra-marathons in trails, the one major foot problem I get is by rolling my ankle on a sidewalk 100 meters away from home.
This was no accident. I have always been proud of my footing and I always recovered from every misstep. My hubris was my downfall. Thus, the quote above resonates quite well.
As a person who takes pride on being active, I was taken out of the equation. A “season ending injury”, as my friends put it.
What can a humbled man that cannot walk do? At the very least, I can still write.
Back to (Almost) Zero
I had a lot of personal goals I wanted to achieve during this part of the year.
The Calatagan Trail Run was set for June 1 and I was already registered for it. It was supposed to be my return to the sport I love, but I guess it was not meant to be. Thankfully, the RD was kind enough to reserve my slot until next year’s edition. Much thanks to Wild Spaces PH for understanding. I’m now driven to return stronger and take on the longer distance in 2026.
Another run, the Bacolod City Marathon has been on my schedule as well. This one was on June 15 and took place in my hometown. While I wasn’t able to run, Shane pushed through. A weekend’s rest in my hometown was also good and helped me with my mental health.
I’m incredibly lucky that this injury wasn’t much worse. I still have the capability to workout using my upper body and aside from my right foot, everything else is still working well. I’ve been de-motivated, but unlike the pandemic where I halted all physical activity, I will push through with some exercises.
I’m glad I have a kettlebell in my bedroom. It got its most use in these few weeks compared to the last three years I’ve owned it.
Coping with the Recovery
Thankfully, I avoided a fully broken bone as well as a displaced fracture. Surgery was not yet on the cards. I dodged a very expensive operation and only needed some strict rest for healing and recovery.
I was prescribed an AirCast walking boot which made me able to shuffle around like a zombie. This was pricey, but waaaay cheaper than the alternative. So I put it on and felt like Robocop if he was only a lower right leg. Just thinking about the amount of money it cost still hurts a bit, though.
Recovery is hard when you’re partially immobile. I was just beginning to log my daily steps and now the 10,000 steps per day goal is so far away. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t pull the trigger on a pedometer because it would remain unused for a while.
I keep telling myself not to worry about things I can’t control for now. So, I occupy my down time with lots of reflections and goal setting for when I do recover.
That and loads of Steam Deck time. This has been another situation where I am thankful to have one. Who knew that playing Persona 3: Reload and Persona 5: Royale for hours on end would help ward away the negative thoughts.
Also, it’s crazy how hard it is to be a “person with disability” in Metro Manila. Elevator access is ultra rare, sidewalks are rarely even (even to the point of being hostile), and the heat is unbearable. I’m doing my best to avoid the outside world because of how sweaty my casted leg can get. I’m getting by with taxis and Mama’s car but I hate being a burden.
I’m writing this paragraph 5 weeks after the day of injury. There’s still not a detectable change in the x-rays, but I’m feeling much better. There’s no more pain when I’m walking around and I’ve gotten used to life with the Aircast. I’m back to walking at my top speed, but with an awkward gait. Still, I’ll take any improvement I can get.
Angels Around
I am very thankful to Mama and Shane, who have been with me all throughout this process. They have been very patient with my walking pace (while I have been impatient with theirs pre-accident). I am blessed to have them as my support system and could not ask for more thoughtful people.
I’m also lucky to have a work environment that is understanding towards this disability and not add extra hassle to my recovery process. As well as my work friends who have been my daily distractions from the occasional pain.
Also to my personal doctor, Jane, and my health-card appointed doctor, Doc Rodas, for all the instructions for my recovery. Orthopedic accidents are no joke, especially with the healthcare system in this country. Take good care of your bodies!
Every now and then, I still lose a little sleep because of overthinking. What if I just looked where I was stepping? I wish I could go back in time to prevent it. This has been one of my life’s regrets because of how avoidable it could have been.
But that’s life. It hits hard when you become complacent. An expensive and mentally-exhausting lesson to learn.
I’m okay, I’m fine. I’ll be better.
I just wanted to offload some of my thoughts and give a little update. Thanks for reading and keep those bones un-fractured!
-jgzn
