Okay, so the day started with me presenting the introduction of my thesis at the Intermountain Graduate Conference at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. I took the long way there, but still arrived there when I had planned, I just got a scenic view of the Utah marshes and LOTS of baby geese and ducks! The conference is a joint effort of Utah State and Idaho State Universities English departments, so there are alot of english papers presented, however they do invite papers from all aspects of the humanities; theatre included. Therefore, I got to submit and was accepted. I had some good questions asked at the end of the panel, and it helped me see a few areas I could clarify, and restructure my introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the paper.
On the way back, I got the sad call that Grandpa Warner (who Dallin shares his birthday with) had just passed away. Grandma Warner died the end of December after a long hard battle with Colin Cancer, but Grandpa seemed to be doing well with the emotional ramifications and was physically fine as far as anyone knows. I think he was just called home to be with his sweetheart. We will miss him, he is a good man.
(These pictures are from my wedding, I would like to say they aren't that old, but as Tacey is 12, that story doesn't hold water)
Tacey and McCade were sad, but Dallin made us cry when he said with tears in his eyes "I am sad because he shared my birthday."
Then, I returned to Pocatello to rehearsal for Pippin. I was having a GREAT rehearsal. I was finding all these character choices that were cool, I was really selling it, and basically enjoying the creative process I love so much. Well, as I was doing my dance solo I did a sasche'-step-leap which I have done about 5 million times in my life and I felt like someone hit me in the back of my heel with a board. I fell, asked the director "What was that?", he replied "What do you mean?" I said "I felt like someone just hit me in the back of the leg with a board!" He said, "Well, no one was up there with you." It then hit me that I was in big trouble. He asked if I was okay, I said no, that I was pretty sure I had just snapped my achilles tendon and needed an ice pack, my phone and a ride to the hospital. (Thank goodness Portneuf Medical Center is on campus and only 1 1/2 minutes away!) I called Shane and all the tests at the ER pointed to an achilles tendon rupture, as I had suspected. I went home on pain medications and crutches and had to wait the weekend before I could find an orthopedic surgeon to see.
Well, although we are VERY sad that Shane's brother Tate has had 3 knee surgeries in the last year, we were glad he had a close, personal relationship with a very good orthopedic surgeon! He called the illustrious Dr. Casey Huntsman at home, and worked the phones Monday morning. (For which we are truly GRATEFUL!) I was in the doctor's office by 10:30. He looked at me, said we could get an MRI, but really it would just prove what we already knew. We opted not to waste the time and money. I explained my situation with grad school, the play etc. He normally does surgeries on Wednesday and Friday, but volunteered to pull some strings, and since I had only eaten a small bowl of cereal several hours before he said "Don't eat anymore!" And I went into surgery a little after 5:00 that night.
When he got done, he told Shane that my achilles tendon was 'shredded' and there was nothing left but a few random threads. He also said that because I never walked on it after I fell, and had it immobilized so quickly, that I had avoided damage in the surounding tendions and ligaments in the ankle. I guess that is unusual. (But then . . . so am I!) I am now in a soft cast, with my leg up, thinking that when Mom gets back from helping with funeral plans tonight that she needs to paint my toes, and Laura needs to come paint flowers on them! I also have come to realize that since I am so short, I own no flat shoes, and now I have to get a pair of flat shoes, that I won't care that only the right one is worn out! BUT, since that is my biggest worry, I am VERY, VERY lucky and blessed. The doctor says I won't leap quite so high, I won't stretch quite so far in yoga, but I will have full use of my foot and I
will be able to do all of those things again. I am currently proving myself even more miraculous because I have little bit of tension in my leg, but really no pain. I don't even need a tylenol! I am a little shaky and groggy today, but I think that is to be expected after anesthesia. All in all, some horrible events with the best possible outcomes...
This is what I get to look at right now. See what I mean about my toes? Eight weeks on crutches is going to give me a long time to look at them, I'm thinking they should be pretty.
Well, in what proves that I am EITHER incredibly talented or the ISU Theatre/Music Departments are truly desperate, they have reblocked Pippin so that I can still do my role! They were adamant that they did not want to do the production without me. So, they will have me enter and exit in blackouts so I can hide my crutches, OR since I am the EVIL QUEEN they will have the men carry me around. My dance solo is obviously not going to happen, but hey, if that is it; LIFE IS GOOD!
Tacey is happy to step up to the plate and help most of the time, since I am really limited for the next 8 weeks at least. Dallin is really sweet; he brought me his Rubix cube so I would have something to do while I was stuck sitting all day. I also found jellybeans on my arms when I woke up from a nap; a little love token from my Dallin. McCade didn't look or talk to me for the first 1 1/2 days. It really bothered him to see me hurt. When Shane carried me in from the Hospital, his little eyes were big as dinner plates and full of fear. I am glad I was home before they went to bed, so he could see that I was okay, and I could hug him for a bit. I think he is doing better.
Shane is being an AMAZING husband, thinking up and hunting down all sorts of random things to make my life easier while I get better. He also has to keep the house going with extra people here for the funeral. We have also had lots of friends and family volunteer to help with everything going on; we are thankful for everyone's well wishes and support.
Hopefully we won't have another blog eventful in this way for a LONG time!
Lots of love and gratitude!
Danielle
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