If you read my last weekly update you know I have lived in Gothenburg’s neighbourhood Guldheden lately. I moved here on November 30th, the very same day as I moved out from my other apartment (but that’s another story).
After having recovered from fourteen days of experiencing flue symptoms, I feel good today. My left foot doesn’t feel as good though. One day after moving in I wanted to check out the area. I did have a fever but, as restless as I usually am, I didn’t want to sit still in my apartment the whole day. Rather than following the big road, I aimed to take a shortcut through a stretch of woodland. I stood with my bike at the top of a flight of stairs, pictured above, considering whether to turn around or continue.
It can’t be that hard, I thought. No big deal. I led my bike down the first flight of stairs. No problem. But as I reached the bottom of the second flight of stairs, I noticed the icy spot too late and slipped to the ground. As I lied there, with the bike almost on top of me, I felt a sharp pain in my left foot and actually started crying — like a little baby. This surprised me, as I didn’t think I would be that sensitive. However, a minute or so later I stood up, lifted the bike up, photographed the ’scene’, laughed a bit at my clumsiness, and limped away.
The day after the accident I sat still basically all day — apart from when I crawled, or jumped on one leg, to the bathroom. By day two my foot had swollen so much I could barely put on my shoes. By day three I didn’t have to jump on one leg to get to the kitchen or the bathroom anymore. By day five I wondered when the swollenness would go down. By day seven, I went to see the doctor.
As for the flu symptoms, I started feeling something during the last day of November. Fever and chills followed by a runny nose, cough and a headache. When I had had a headache every day for a week (otherwise I rarely get headache) plus a severe tiredness, I almost thought I had the swine flue. I gave it a few more days. No improvement.
I realized health is something many of us take for granted. Now I know how it feels like to not have the strength to walk up a somewhat steep road without needing to catch your breath halfway up. Or getting shortness of breath when walking or cycling.
December 9th, I cycled to the doctor. I took the temperature, a blood test and some throat test. Fortunately, no flue virus. Only fever. And the nurse thought my foot would have healed properly within a week or two. In the meantime, she suggested painkillers. I declined. I have never used/liked them. When you take painkillers, you fool your body to believe your injury isn’t as serious as it is and may use your injured body part as usual, which can lengthen the healing process. I don’t know what caused the exhaustion though. But I’m glad it’s gone.
Sometimes, I excel. Other times, like after my accident and yesterday (when I didn’t update the blog), not to mention my recent lack of blog commenting, I fall short. But regardless of which, I’ll keep going.
I hope you’ve had a great December so far!
By the way, I saw this sign outside a pub here in Gothenburg a few days ago. Brought back some good memories.
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December 13th, 2009 → by Erica Johansson
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