So tonight I sat for four hours in the emergency department of our local hospital… With mostly a bruised pride. Because it was me; the wellness coach, the vibrant life project founder, sitting here after an injury that was definitely an example of a symptom of getting caught up in distraction!   It did give me a chance to pause, a chance to think. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.

How’d this happen you might ask and why is she sitting in emergency… So here’s a bit of back ground on the day.  It was a busy clinic day and although it was hours before clinic was to start; the 2 nurses were asking questions about patients for the day and both lines of the phone are ringing, folks wandering in 3 hours early, we’re out of paper for the copier and gloves.  So, pretty much the start to a normal clinic day.  And all the while I’m saying out loud, ” just one thing, one thing at a time”.   Almost as an attempt to escape the unending deluge, I started running down the hall to grab the phone, I turned the corner and oh…. there it is, the desk…. and my foot meets one large immovable object.

I remember a searing white hot pain that overcomes my body, brings on an overall sweat and then the gasp for a breath! Hoping it was just a stubbed toe and that it would go away shortly, I took a deep breath and continued on. I ignored the pain and, didn’t look at the foot to see if there were any obvious signs of trauma.  Approximately, 6 hours later when I finally did look the swelling was considerable and the discolouration was very noticeable.

So tonight, I sit in our local emergency department pondering what happened.  To while away the hours, I did manage to grab a book; “Take Time for Your Life” by Cheryl Richardson.  Oh, the irony!  An oldie and a goodie!  A book about creating “Extreme Self-Care” in your life. Before you say – “oh, I don’t have time to do this”.  I’d like you to consider that if you want to live a life of high quality you MUST make your life a priority! And this means getting to know you, and responding to your values and desires.  Living life to your highest priority, being selfish and replenishing yourself so that you can give the most to your important connections; family, friends, work, whatever is important to you.

Tonight as I sit in the local emergency department, I am learning that it could have been worse, the fracture could have been displaced and then surgery would have been necessary.  Instead I’m sporting crutches and being non-weight bearing for the next few weeks.  Time to take time for me.