I’m almost 64 years old and have just experienced a new kind of broken—a broken fibula, a spiral fracture to be more specific.

It happened so fast and was really unnecessary. Yet it happened and now I have to go through the process and all that healing entails.

When I told my daughter she exclaimed, “Mom, you can’t get a break!” We both laughed realizing that yes, yes I had received a break. 😂

The Details

I got out of the pool and put on my flip flops with wet feet, mind you. A few minutes later I took one step down on our pool deck. That’s when my foot slid through the flip flop causing me to fall on my right ankle. Ouch, is an understatement. I was in pain!

My two granddaughters were visiting us and also in the pool. As a Nana my biggest concern was holding my emotions in check for them. I didn’t want to scare them, but I knew my foot was hurt really bad.

Tom wanted to help me up, but I couldn’t imagine trying. So we called 911. One look at my foot and the EMT said you need to go to the ER and have that checked.

Tom couldn’t come with me.

Our girls were ready for our neighborhood 4th of July Parade. We had decorated two wagons for them to pull filled with stuffed animals to make the experience complete. But Nana couldn’t be there now; I fought tears of disappointment.

I was grateful I was only at the ER for 4 hours—surprising considering it was a holiday. The bad news was I couldn’t get my pain meds until the next day. which leads to my next moment of gratefulness this break provided me.

All night long my foot hurt so bad.

It was a constant stabbing pain that made me groan like I was in labor. There was nothing to be done but endure the pain until morning.

I remembered One who endured stabbing pains for me, and He did it willingly. Jesus’ feet were pierced through on the Cross as He hung there for hours crying in anguish.

In the darkness of that night I had a fresh revelation of His sacrifice of love. I whispered with tears of gratefulness, “Thank you, Jesus.”

When dawn came the pain subsided to bearable levels.

Why is it pain is so much worse when under the cover of darkness. The morning light brought much needed relief with Tom’s ability to fill my pain medicine. Thank God!

“Weeping may tarry for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30:5b

I am now one week on the mend. I realize how much worse this could have been. How is it possible that I have no other scrapes, bruises or sore spots? It’s as if God caught me on the way down making sure no more damage was done.

He measures our pain.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

I may be broken, but I know the healer of broken things, my ankle included.