Okay, perhaps that is a strange way to title and start my post, but I AM thankful for my bones. And, today in particular, I am very thankful that all of my bones are in one piece and working the way they should.
On the way out the door this morning I somehow managed to trip down our apartment staircase (not so gracefully)…. don’t ask me how I managed to get my foot caught under a stair and then slide down 3-4 more stairs on my shin, before landing on my knee cap……. I really have no clue how I managed to create that unique tangle, but I did. The initial fall left me wondering if anything was broken, but thankfully within 20 minutes it was clear that I had made it out sore, but still in one piece.
We all have moments like these in our lives – close calls, near misses, etc….. times when the universe allows us to take one step back and reflect for a moment on how lucky we are – reflect for a moment on just how much we truly take for granted. I take for granted that my bones are all in working order, that I have no problems walking around or doing what I need to. Only when I almost broke my kneecap did I take the time to pause and realize how thankful I am that I am healthy and that I can do anything I want to do without having to worry about any sort of mobility issues.
While I am still in a lot of pain and have a few spots that will metamorphosize into colorful bruises in the next day or so, I am thankful for the reminder I had today. I take so much for granted that I really should not. I think we all do.
I had a similar (okay, far worse) experience in graduate school when I was rear-ended by a one ton truck (yes it is true) at 55 mph. I walked away from the accident with all bones in tact, but with what is referred to as a mild traumatic brain injury (or post-concussive syndrome). I could not conjugate verbs correctly for almost six months, reversed letters (wrote them backwards), and struggled to have the energy to do anything other than sleep. (I would work for four hours, go home and sleep the rest of the day, wake up for dinner and sleep all night – common reality of those with head injuries). It took years (YEARS) to recover. I remember that my goals went from high power career goals to wanting to be able to work myself back up to an entire work day, instead of half days. Suddenly I cared more about verb conjugation (something I took for granted) than promotions and raises. It was a very humbling experience, one I learned a great deal from – and one I would never want to repeat.
I was one of the lucky ones, the brain injury mostly healed itself and the residual effects only show up when I am highly sleep deprived.
Today, 281 days ’til 40, I was reminded of how lucky I am and that I have a lot I take for granted that I should be consciously thankful for. I hope that you too can pause and take time to express gratitude for the many things you take for granted. May you be granted this moment without having to bruise your kneecap.
~400daystil40
Fortuitous Forty!!! 
irishsignora
May 16, 2012 at 00:11
It’s probably terribly wrong that I now have “Dem Bones” playing in my head. Glad you’re okay!! — Kelly
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:15
🙂
doubleinvert
May 16, 2012 at 00:11
I’ve managed to so far not yet break a bone. I’m truly thankful for that and hope I never will.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:16
Me too… but I hate to declare it too loudly in fear I might then break one!
msmckibbon
May 16, 2012 at 00:28
So glad to hear that you’re not too banged up! Heal well 🙂
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:16
It builds character 🙂
buckwheatsrisk
May 16, 2012 at 01:09
wow! i’m really glad you are okay in both counts of this story! i almost lost a girl who is like my own daughter yesterday, she stopped breathing twice, her Dad had to preform CPR…so i know what you mean…she is alive, and i to am thankful for another day for her and me!
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:17
Oh no – how very scary!
buckwheatsrisk
May 16, 2012 at 18:02
it was, she is out of hospital and home, but they don’t know why it happened and she has some major health issues, so i don’t feel like she is out of the woods yet…everyone else is just elated she’s home, something in me doesn’t feel right about it yet.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:47
😦 Scary…. I hope she is okay.
buckwheatsrisk
May 16, 2012 at 20:06
me too..but i fear she won’t be for some time, she hasn’t been for years.
Louise Behiel
May 16, 2012 at 03:36
I had a nasty fall last year…and yes, it makes one grateful.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:17
Definitely!
craftythriftydecoratingwifemom
May 16, 2012 at 03:45
We do all take a lot for granted. My sister was rear-ended by another car when she slowed to go into her driveway and lost all memory of emotional connection to everyone. Isn’t that wierd? She was very glad to be single, but it was strange knowing who Mom was for example, but having no emotion.
I have many health issues and try to take nothing for granted. My power wheelchair for distance, like grocery store, reminds me. I saw one of my docs at 1:30 today. At 6:30 or so he called me to recommend I talk to my endocrinologist about doing another round of osteoporosis med because it built my bone back up well but I’ve been on mega steroid doses for asthmatic bronchitis and that leaches bone like mad. How many docs do that? Not his specialty, saw me 5 hours earlier. Not my PCP. Amazing, and I’m glad he’s on my team.
Hope you heal well from your fall. The colors you’ll be turning was about the first thing I thought of because it was evident you were whole.
Janet
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:18
It sounds like you have more experience in this area than I do, and yes, when we are really hurt or ill having the right doctor makes all the difference in the world! 🙂
Denny
May 16, 2012 at 04:02
You made an amazing recovery from your car accident. I know how much effort and determination is required to achieve what you have. You certainly know how to conjugate verbs now! Knowing something of your history makes me value your writing skills even more
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:19
🙂 Thanks!
narf77
May 16, 2012 at 08:20
Bones are indeed great things…they are what stops us from being amoeba’s and amorphous as well as only able to dribble around the floor. I dare say dribbling down the steps would have been less painful, but trying to manoevre your way down the street boneless would be a most difficult task. Today, 282 days till you turn 40, I am MOST GRATEFUL that you have bones because I have a most vivid imagination and the only career path that may have been available to you if you were born boneless would have been something revolving around a John Carpenter movie… 😉
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 10:20
This made me laugh! 🙂 I always liked watching Kaspar the Friendly Ghost as a child…. I could be boneless that way!
cav12
May 16, 2012 at 11:00
I can relate having had 4 car accidents. (none of which were my fault by the way) I believe they are messages telling us we need to change the way we do things and how we look at life. Glad you’re okay though.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:52
Oh wow… Yes after my major car accident I had two more in the following two years… none of the three were my fault either……… Yes, I do think they can be very, very powerful messages in our lives!
charlesmashburn
May 16, 2012 at 13:39
I agree 100%! We have much to be thankful for, and I love your attitude about the mishap. Great post!
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:50
😉 🙂
rachturner
May 16, 2012 at 15:00
Glad you are ok now and have recovered well from your car accident! Wow.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:49
Thanks! 😉
viveka
May 16, 2012 at 15:11
Not a believer – but sometimes there is somebody watching over us .. what ever it can be. Terrible ordeal you went through and you came out nearly “whole” on the other side – a lot of that are up to you … but to get a new chance on live is a fantastic gift – to get a new book with unwritten pages to fill. Personal I have so fare won over my cancer and I’m so thankful – even if I some days want my old life back without all problems the treatments has given me – afterward I feel very ungrateful and guilty. It’s better with 70% of my old life then 0%. When things like this … when we “cheat death” – happens to us, our body and souls gets new years to look with.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:49
Yes, you are so correct!
rabidmongoose
May 16, 2012 at 16:22
1. I’m glad you are OK
2.
3. Your main point on the topic of gratitude is a powerful one. I’m trying to articulate a thought, but it’s just out of reach…I’ll be thinking about this all the way to work. Thank you for sharing.
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:47
Thank you!
The Quiet Borderline
May 16, 2012 at 18:40
Your strength shines through.
Sounds like a traumatic event that you went through and years of recovery, wow, well done you.
I also landed dead bang on both of my kneecaps a few days ago, in front of about 4 people in the rehabilitation program. I was so embarrassed but the pain overtook me and I didn’t really care about how I fell/looked! Proper grazed up my knees and blood, bruises and everything.
I am thankful that our kneecaps are still in place and in-tact!
400daystil40
May 16, 2012 at 18:48
Thanks so much. I hope your knees heal soon!
The Quiet Borderline
May 16, 2012 at 18:50
Thank you. Still bruised but healing nicely. I hope you too!
Paws To Talk
May 16, 2012 at 22:16
One of our humans had two knee surgeries this year so you are very wise to be grateful for your bones. After watching our human recover, we are happy to have all of our bones intact.
Bella and DiDi
400daystil40
May 17, 2012 at 08:37
Yes, bones are a good thing!
Naomi Baltuck
May 20, 2012 at 12:20
A very interesting blog–thought-provoking!
400daystil40
May 20, 2012 at 16:28
Thanks!