After a year of basketball...

Every Tuesday night I get together with somewhere between 9 and 16 friends for basketball over at Heritage International School. We're mostly white folk from America but there is fair representation from all over the globe. We often begin our two hours of full-court basketball with prayer and have never had an injury on the patchy concrete court - at least not the weeks I've been there. So wouldn't ya know it...

This week was my very last week to play basketball with these friends here in Uganda and as I'm running back up the court during our second game of the night I trip over my own feet somehow and hear that dreaded sound, "POP." As one friend puts it, "Usually POP means STOP." Somehow the top of my foot seems to be in contact with the cement and the sole of my shoe is pointed skyward. My momentum carries me limping off the end of the court and I can tell this funny dull ache in my ankle is going to grow in intensity - and quickly. I call a buddy to come step in for me and I sit down on the side of the court. My ankle hurts more. I lay down in the grass. My ankle hurts more. For about five minutes the pain grows in intensity and I think of how embarrassed I'll be if I pass out, so to save face I try to look as nonchalant as possible - I'm just hangin' out, leaning on my elbow, here in the grass...

~ My swollen ankle with a pretty bruise ~ Well, as quickly as the pain came on, it abated. And although I did feel little twinges of discomfort, there was no pain to speak of when I walked (or ran) on it straight. So I played the rest of the night - not quite as intensely, of course. It wasn't until I got home that I could see a bit of swelling and a very nice bruise taking shape below my ankle bone. Krista quickly suggested an anti-inflammatory, elevation, and ice, which I have dutifully followed. Today the swelling is considerably better but the bruise remains. There are still little twinges here and there but overall no worse than the day I twisted it (but not much better either). Of all the weeks to twist my ankle, I twist it the week I'll be carrying boxes up and down stairs, loading and reloading the truck, and moving to Kenya. Hmph. Not very convenient if I may say so. On the other hand, it's quite minor, and for that I am exceedingly thankful.  -Shauen