Note To Self...

When you add forty years and forty-+ pounds with muscle memory that has Alzheimers and competitive spirit that should slowed down it adds up to P.A.I.N.

I went to my niece's yesterday afternoon for hamburgers and swimming and visiting. I shoulda just stuck to those things, but they had set up a volleyball court in their back yard so they could play with their friends, their kids and grandkids and even an old aunt who should have just sat and watched.

But, no, I had to decide I couldn't stand to watch. After all, it was one of those sports I was (was being the 'operative' word) good at in school, forty + years ago. Not one minute into my playing time, our side was trying to get the ball over, there was a mis-hit and I went to save it. First upon turning quickly to try get to the ball before it hit the ground I stubbed my toes and lost my balance. Things went south from there.

I fell. I fell all over the place. I did a great landing with my left arm under me. You get the idea that you might have done a super "oh, no" when you actually hear a popping noise at the same exact time that pain rips through your body... I did manage to get up and my niece was like,"Aunt Helen, are you okay???" I told her I was okay but that I needed to sit for a bit and went back to my chair and sat.

I turned to Bro, who was sitting by me watching all the going's on, and told him I either separated a rib or broke a rib. We sat and watched the youngsters and visited for another hour. Bro drove us home and I hit the muscle relaxer and the pain meds. I did get some rest last night, but I'm here to tell you that I won't be going to make the big save any more.

I might have been able to be the she-ro when I was way younger, but I've got to figure out some way to shine that is age compatible now. Because it's not fun to hurt like this. So take heed, my friends, because one of these days there will be a time when you say, "I can do that!" that you really can't, despite what you think.