When people ask how I broke my leg, I almost wish I had a more dramatic story to tell. It seems so ridiculous that so much damage came from just missing the last step on my way down the basement stairs. I wasn't even rushing. Just missed that step, came down hard and my ankle just snapped underneath me. Down I went. That nasty cracking sound and the instant, excruciating pain still makes me feel sick whenever I think about it. Ugh!

I screamed for my 12yo son, who was upstairs, to run and get my in-laws. They live in an attached apartment, thankfully. My MIL took the kids to her place while my FIL called for an ambulance. When the paramedics had to pull my leg into alignment in order to splint it, was the closest I've ever come to passing out. The pain was unbelievable.

Once at the hospital, I got xrays and was informed it was a very bad break and would require surgery. They put me under in the ER in order to set the break and put me in a half cast before admitting me and moving me to a room. Where I sat for 5 days before getting surgery, which is a story for next time :)