Twisted Ankle

When I first saw a thread on a forum titled 'Twisted ankle', I thought it was just a case of bad English, until I experienced it myself.

'Twisted' is right.

About 3 weeks into the school term earlier this year, I was in the school hall getting ready for the flag-raising ceremony when my Science boss asked me for a document.

Boss: Do you have the (document) with you?

Me: Oh, it's not with me right now ... er ... (I think) it's at my cubicle. Do you need it now?

Boss: Yes. Is it on your table? I'll go and get it.

Me: (Not so sure, worried about Boss not able to find at my messy table and watching the time for flag-raising) Oh, no no no. I'll go get it.

Boss: No no no ... it's ok. I'll get it.

Me: No no no, I'll get it ... Ow!!! ...

It sounds comical and funny when I recount what happened to my friends and family, but the pain wasn't.

I twisted my ankle when I was making my way out from the hall. I did not see the drop from the hall's timber-strip flooring to the corridor's concrete walkway. And the fact that I was wearing heels didn't help.

The pain was acute. I froze for a minute. 

After that, I limped for the rest of the day, and a few days after.

The doctor gave me one or two days' mc and some painkillers and pills for reducing swelling.

I thought: give it a week or two and see how.

There was a slight but persistent pain on the ankle after that, which caused me to continue to limp. I thought: give it a month or two and see how.

It got a little better, but the pain comes back in the morning. In the afternoon, it gets better but on and off, the pain comes back to haunt me.

After PSLE and I had more time on my hand, I went to see a renowned Chinese physician, Cha Heng Choy, who has a PHD in what he does, highly recommended by my school gardener and netizens.

He said that it's an injured ligament. After 7 sessions of massaging or 'tui na' of my ankle, sometimes causing swelling because he rubbed very hard on it, it didn't get better still. In fact, after spending $210 on the massaging, I think it got worse. The pain was more frequent.

So I went to the polyclinic yesterday, waited for 4 hours for consultation, and 1 more for x-ray review, hoping to get a doctor's confirmation that I was being paranoid, and that it would just take a slightly longer time to heal.

The doctor suspected that it was an injured ligament, but the x-ray showed that there was a blurred area in my joint at the ankle. The doctor was not able to tell me much, except that there was a 'defect' at the ankle joint, and referred me to a specialist at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

What a depressing present to receive on my birthday! I felt like crying.

I asked if a surgery would be necessary, but the doctor was not able to advise me much. She said 'sometimes, physiotherapy is enough'. I think she was just trying to make me feel better.

I am quite worried that I can't wear heels when school reopens. I am going back to work and I don't want to look like I need 'special' treatment for whatever reasons.