Goin' Toe to Toe

Yesterday you took the quiz.  Well, it really wasn't much of a quiz because you all know me so well. So here's the recap of almost one week ago.

Last Tuesday was International Peace Day.  The Lower School participated in a Peace Day assembly. Prior to the day we made peace pinwheels (link here) so we'd celebrate "whirled peace."  Different grade levels prepared artwork and songs and poetry.

At 8:10, the kids grabbed their pinwheels and we headed to the auditorium.  We didn't sit in our usual place.  We were assigned to the balcony.  This is a big deal when you're in third grade.  The 4th and 5th graders sit up there.  Never us.  We hiked up the stairs and found our seats. 

As we were finding out seats one of my students totally bit it.  I was surprised since this student is not klutzy and has pretty decent gross motor.  I shrugged it off as just a random occurance and found my seat in the middle of some of my boys.

The assembly began with a youtube video of K'naan's song which was popular during the World Cup Wavin' Flag.  We had a great time singing it along while then the fifth graders entered the stage and sang their own remix of the song with EAB lyrics.  At this point I noticed a problem.

To our surprise, in the front row were several parents.  The balcony seating is such that the front row it set back and thus people in those seats have a difficult time seeing the stage.  The parents were leaning forward and had children standing on the ledge (that's another story).  So, me being the good teacher I am, saw there were better available seats for the poor girls stuck behind these oblivious parents.

I slipped down the row while the students on stage transitioned.  I stepped out into the aisle and fell.  Not a little but hard.  Where there should have been a step, there was air.  Apparently in the auditorium design only in the balcony which is without stair lighting they have stairs which span the length of the aisle but inbetween there are shorter steps which do not.  I didn't realize this and fell.

When I fell, I landed first on my right arm and breast.  Ouch!  Then as I fell further I felt my right ankle (yes that one) twist and my left big toe did something.  Right away I was just shocked and in instant pain.  Our two third grade assistants, Valmir and Rennan, were right there and jumped up to see if I was okay.  I definitely wasn't then so I sat there for the most of the assembly.  At some point to test out if I could walk I moved up a row but I had stopped thinking about the assembly and only about my ankle.  Was I going to have to go back into the stupid boot again?  Seriously?  I was so careful and this is what I get for trying to do something nice?  I was frustrated!

At the end of the assembly, we stood up and walked to plant our pinwheels.  Throughout I could only think about my ankle.  This really sucked because as my students were doing something pretty amazing I was focused on my stupid ankle.  I hobbled back downstairs to my room with my class and sent them to Portuguese for their specials.  At that point I was forced by Erica and the boys to sit and ice.  While I was in the middle of trying to do some work I realized that I looked ridiculous, my ankle really hurt and decided it better to go home. 

In typical Megan-fashion I got upset.  The boys made a plan while Erica was away for a bit, to take me home and Valmir would sub the rest of the morning.  It was only a half-day so my teacher guilt was limited.  I got a ride home from Vanessa who was at school for a meeting .

So yeah, while the rest of the world was celebrating International Peace Day with pinwheels and assemblies and poetry, I was celebrating it from my couch with pillows propped up under my legs while I iced my ankle and toe. 

The status now is my arm is still really bruised.  I definitely am going to have a lovely calcium or rock hard, egg sized, growthy thing in my right bicep for life.  My ankle's swollen and a little tweaked but slight.  My biggest problem is ironically my left big toe.  I didn't realize you could do this, but I believe I've sprained it.  Seriously?  I sprained my big toe?  Only me. 

This means in addition to the continued rice-ing (rest, ice, compress and elevate) and ibuprofen popping, I'm also wearing my tennis shoes with everything.  And no, not cute tennis shoes.  I have to wear my like workout Addias ones.  Remember the temps here are in the 90s and fashion in Brazil is well, much more sheiky than the U.S. so I'm definitely getting checked out by neighbors, colleagues and random strangers on the street.  And no skirts.  When it's hot.  Yuck. 

I went toe to toe with Peace Day and I think Peace Day won.  I got whirled but I missed out on the peace.