Monday, January 21, 2019

It's All Fun And Games Until You Break Your Leg

Some of you who have been following me on social media for years already know that just about five years ago, I broke my leg.

In half.

On roller skates.



It was pretty brutal.

Not only was it a blow to my body, it was a huge blow to my ego! How could I get one step out of my front door and break my leg right in two?!


I am a child of the 70s/80s and a teen of the 90s. There was no internet (yet) and so I spent A LOT of time outside, hanging out with friends on my roller skates. I went to the roller rink every weekend and had a blast. 

Fashion through these eras changed a lot. The 70s are a blur as I was a small child then but I remember the 80s as being very....bright. I didn't really take an interest in fashion until the 90s hit and it was allll about that flannel


Through all of those years, I still had my trusty roller skates. I carried them everywhere. By the 90s, the 4 wheel roller skates had gone out of style for the newer, modern roller blades. No, thanks, I couldn't stay up on those, heh. Skateboards had a sneaky way of sliding out from under me so roller skates it was!

As time passed, my skates became less and less important as I had oh-so-important teenage things to do. My skates were hung up without so much of a blink and I didn't think of them until many, many years later.


Life went on as it does and I was busy with life things, until one day as I was talking to my daughter, I thought I had a great idea! Because I was in my late thirties and my metabolism had slowed to barely even a crawl, I was trying to think of something fun we could do that would get us all healthy and in shape. My daughter was ready and excited with me to go for it, so after we rock, paper, scissored it, my daughter was going to ride the bike and I was going to slap on my knee socks and roller skates and we were going to have a great time! She ran around to the backyard to get her bike, and I slipped right on into my awesome knee socks and skates, rolled to the front door, opened it, stepped one skate out, and....

*KUH-CRACK*

No skating for me that day, or ever again. 


And that, my friends, is the story of how breaking my leg at 37 years old, 10 days before my oldest son was supposed to graduate high school (I was still in the hospital when he walked across that stage), made me realize that I wasn't as young as I "felt" I was.

It took me awhile to process because I always felt healthier and younger than I actually was. I learned with a quickness that I was absolutely NOT. Since then, my constant focus has been my health and I am happy to say that today, things are back on track. I'm losing weight, exercising, and eating a lot healthier than I ever have. Will I ever step into roller skates, again? NOPE.

However, any time that I would like to feel young, I can just throw on a flannel and, yes, I still wear my knee high socks (from Chrissy's Knee High Socks!) as well, because they are perfect with boots and many of the things I still wear. 

Well, ok, and because they are sooo cute and will never go out of style!


When did you realize that you aren't as young as you used to be?

31 comments:

  1. Ouch!!! That sounds painful. I have actually never broken a bone and I most certainly do not want to. I actually just got back from a ski/snowboarding trip and everyone said I needed to be careful so I wouldn't break anything. Luckily I stayed pretty safe!

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    1. It was, but the worst was actually recovering from it. I'm glad you stayed safe, breaking a bone is the worst!

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  2. Oh no. I am so sorry to hear about that. As a kid and teenager I love to roller skate too. After reading your post I wonder if I am brave enough to give it a try again.

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  3. I broke my leg when I was in my forties and like your experience, changed my outlook on life. I am much more cautious now and my free wheeling nature hates that.

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    1. Totally! I have never been so careful in my life as I have since I broke my leg, lol!

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  4. I'm not sure I've ever been as young as I used to be lol. I have a connective tissue disorder that has left me in pain for most of my life. I don't really have memories of painless sports (though I'm sure that when I was like 10 and younger I did). So, for me, the perspective is really different. I can say, though, that as I've gotten older a lot of my issues have kind of piled up. My joints don't just ache because they're shaky, now they pop out of place, so I'm not able to push myself through the pain to do as many things as I used to.

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    1. I am so sorry. That sounds so painful! I hope you find relief <3

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  5. That sounds pretty darned painful! Mine came when I fell while mountain bike riding. I had always been pretty good. But after taking about a year off, I decided to chase after my husband up a hill. Well, I didn't have the muscle and couldn't unclip - and so *bam* right on my side. My whole left side was black and blue and I couldn't sit down for a long time. Aging is hard, but you are so right - focus on your health and it helps a great deal!

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    1. OUCH! I guess I always assumed that my body would just bounce right on back into sports or physical activity...NOPE, lol.

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    2. That was really sad to feel that, i knew and i always felt older every time the new year ends and every time i celebrate my birthday..

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    3. Somehow, birthdays and such didn't bother me then...but they do now, lol!

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  6. Ouch that sounds really painful. And so sad that you missed your son's graduation!

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    1. I cried the whole time I was in the hospital and felt so, so bad (and dumb lol). I've made it up to him since even though he said I didn't have to, "Just stay off of roller skates, MOM!" Lol

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  7. Oh it looks painful.. I was only an active one. Wish I wouldn't have such injury.

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    1. It was, but I think it hurt my pride more than anything!

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  8. While I have my own roller skating break story (all three major bones of my ankle, shredded tendons, plates, screws - the whole nine), I was in my twenties at my oldest son's 6th birthday party. I bounced back from that.

    No, my moment of "OMG I AM OLD" came when I attempted to fill in for a coach in a swim team fun relay 2 years ago at 39. Thought I was going to D.I.E.

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    1. Ouch! Yeah, I now have a rod, plate, and pins in my leg. I call it my cyborg Skynet leg, lol.

      I would definitely die, omg! <3

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  9. This must've been one for the books. The pins in your leg sounds painful.

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    1. It took awhile to get used to, but I don't think about it much anymore!

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  10. Ouch!!! That sounds so painful. I am 22 years old and I have never broken a bone *touch wood*. I hope I never do! And I agree it is extremely important to think about your health and well-being especially as you get older :)

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  11. I know how it feels like. I got a broken bone when I was 10 years old and it was really painful and van feel it up to now.

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  12. That sounds really painful. I really can't imagine the pain that a broken leg. But I can feel the pain on your post.

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  13. Missing your child graduation is more painful that having a broken leg. So sorry to hear about that.

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  14. Oh my gosh! In half!! That sounds so extremely painful and hard to heal. I'm so sorry you missed that. I've never broken a bone but my son who's six already has! I bet it's harder the older you get.

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  15. looks so painful. i can't even imagine the pain that a broken leg, it is really painful.

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  16. I think it must be so hurt. I Cannot imagine the pain that brake leg. I hope you are okay now.

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  17. I am so sorry to hear about that. Its very painful. Hope you well now.

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