The Dangers of Running and Five Minutes of Fate

I started a new job with 8 fingers on April 2. Here is the story:

I needed to give blood at 6 p.m. on March 28, so you can't get a workout in after that per Red Cross guidelines. So I got up at 5:20 and was out the door by 5:45 to run four miles. I had been eating bad since I accepted the new job and gave notice at the old place. I had been there for four years, had a lot of respect for the people there just needed security and more money! Stressed, melancholic, uncertain, etc...

So instead of losing weight I was gaining! Oh no , I don't have bigger pants anymore. I was five minutes past my get up deadline, but needed this run for all of the aforementioned reasons. I should have stayed in bed...

I ran up the hill to Forest Street and continued on Williams past the ballfields towards town proper (east). There are three fields there, and the town allowed them to put guardrails against the road, no shoulder or sidewalks! It is a beautiful country road with Lake Williams and the courthouse on the left and farms and fields on the right. It is an old country road, like I said, where the sun comes up over the city of Marlborough and is beautiful on these runs!

Anyway, I was facing traffic going by the first field, when I see a police cruiser turn his lights on a 1/4 mile ahead to pull a car over. The Car stops and then creeps towards me. Now, I am in full night gear, reflective hat, gloves , jacket; blinking armband and a six LED headlight. The car pulled into the driveway where I was trying to get out of his/her way. I have been pulled over for speeding in the past so I know people can panic. I was blinded by Police lights and went into the driveway to go around the car on the inside of the guardrail. (You never know what would have happened had I stayed on the road and tried to go around them). The car could have run me over, or the cop could have came out with his gun.

Anyway, I ran into this driveway, not fast at that point I'm sure and I tripped over a curb. Not sure how I fell, but when i got back up and went past the two cars, the cop asked if I was okay I said, "yeah, I guess."

I went over the guardrail got a few steps and took my glove off, finger bent slightly and hurt like a mother. The cop said, "are you okay?" I said, "no, I broke my finger." He asked if I wanted an ambulance, but I said I need to go to work after I go to the hospital; so i walked/jogged home and showered, dressed and did so. I did call the police for a report, he came to the hospital, and was po'd at me. I said, "hey, I have a badly broken finger through no fault of mine and will incur medical costs that I don't want to pay. (My hand was swelling up badly at this point.)

I was there for four hours, got a bunch of X-rays, and yup, it was broken pretty bad. I had novocaine and the doctor and a nurse reset the finger. they put a long soft cast on the two finger fourth and fifth digit. By the way, my wedding ring finger was swollen pretty bad too and badly bruised, good thing I took the wedding band off before the hospital! I had to go to an Orthopedist the next day for more X-rays and he put a metal splint on it. I had an appointment last Thursday, April 5, and he was able to see more as the swelling was down a lot. He said my finger was still off 60 degrees at the base and i would have a hook finger if left it alone. They scheduled surgery at 8 a.m. the next day and i had anesthesia. The whole ball of wax, I missed an entire day of work. I woke up with this, tough missing a day on my first week of work at the new job.

Anyway, five to six weeks to recover, running a little bit , but my push-ups and pull-ups will be badly set back again all because of five darn minutes! Not able to complete simple tasks at home. The yard-work will have to wait... Scared to run hard now. What a twist of fate! 

Keep bringing it, be glad to be alive and breathing good breaths. I will!