On Saturday, I had my first major live-aboard mishap. I was getting back on board No Tan Lines, and misjudged where I put my toes on the toerail. The wind was blowing pretty hard and I thought I could make the 3 1/2 foot step from the dock onto the boat since I do it all the time.
I got my right foot on there just fine. But, when my body was halfway between the dock and the boat, my toe slipped off the toerail and my legs instantly went straight down toward the water. Instinct caused me to throw my upper body on the deck at the same moment. My right shoulder took the brunt of the impact. Max (age 17) and Mason (age 12) heard me holler, and came running.
I managed to claw my way onto the deck, turned over, and looked at my leg. It was very deformed. Nauseatingly so. The muscle had slid into my upper leg so my leg was flat on top from the kneecap up, and then there was a 90-degree angled huge mass of flesh.
Max said, “Oh, Mom! That doesn’t look right!!!” I thought it was bones piled up in my leg like that. I hope he and Mason aren’t scarred from seeing it.
I wish I’d thought to take a picture right then but I was too busy trying to figure out how I was going to walk down that looooong dock to get to the car for a trip to the hospital. Max ran down the dock to get Richard, I very slowly limped and stumbled down the dock, and our captain (and the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly), Brian Whiddon, heard the commotion, jumped out of his boat, and drove us to the emergency room. Max stayed on the boat to watch Mason and they received frequent text updates.
The muscle corrected itself before we got to the E.R. Several x-rays. Nothing broken. Muscle and nerve damage to my leg and a sprained right shoulder.
Swelling isn’t going down yet. When I touch it, it ripples like a water balloon. Pretty, huh? My left shin has an 8-inch long bruise on it and my right arm is bruised from the impact. My left arm is sore but no bruising. I also have a cut on my forehead that I think makes me look kinda tough. I am boat bound for several days but I have lots of good people taking care of me. Our awesome Dock 4 neighbors have called, texted, facebooked, and dropped by. We have enough dinners to last us a week, along with a beautiful cake, thanks to our friends Marilyn and Bob.
My leg pain is much better but my sprained shoulder is wreaking havoc on my sleep and my productivity. I changed my mouse from right-handed to left-handed, which took some getting used to. I also use Dragon Speak when I have a lot to write. My arm is in a sling and immobilized because lifting my arm hurts like a bleepity bleep bleep. I feel like I’m in a straight jacket.
The best part of this entire ordeal was that NOBODY SAW IT HAPPEN! However, if I’d hit my head and fallen in the water, I might not be here today. I will be so much more careful getting on and off the boat now. Another dock neighbor dropped a battery on his toe this week and broke 11 bones. Bad things come in threes so we’re waiting to see what happens next before things calm down here on the dock.
I am sooooo glad we hired two new employees over the past year. My goal was to ensure there was no single point of failure in the company if something happened to one of us. I guess I’ve been a good trainer because I’ve spent more time on my back with my leg being elevated and iced than I have been on my laptop. And, my awesome people have kept up with everything!! The downside is I’m running out of good Netflix movies to watch. Anybody have any good recommendations for excellent Netflix and Hulu series to watch? Please chime in in the comments box below! I’m bored out of my mind. Your recommendation may very well keep me out of a straight jacket! Oh, wait…I’m already in one.
Part II of this story IS HERE.
We appreciate your feedback! Feel free to leave comments below!
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- Minor Surgery Aboard “No Tan Lines” During Tropical Storm Alberto!
Angela Hoy lives on a mountain in North Georgia. She is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the President and CEO of BookLocker.com and AbuzzPress, and the author of 24 books.
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Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
Learn more here: https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/
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So sorry to hear this, Angela. I’m catching up on some emails so that’s why my “get well quickly” message is tardy. I hope you’re feeling better. I’ll read about your doctor visit now.
Angela, our friend in Sausalito (CA) recently described an almost exact same accident she had getting onto her houseboat. Broke 5 ribs! I certainly hope you are back on your feet soon. Aloha, Judy Pearce
Oh my goodness!!! Sending big healing hugs and prayers to your friend!!!! 🙁
So sorry to see this but so happy it wasn’t worse! Please be careful, we need you! Feel better…Tiger Balm and Biofreeze!
OMG, how awful! I know that feeling of realization right after such an incident. “Something is seriously wrong.” You aren’t quite sure of the details, but you know life has changed from a moment before. I’m glad it wasn’t worse, and I wish you a speedy recovery, and as complete a one as possible. We all love you, Angela.
Gosh! So glad there are no broken bones. It sure looks painful, tho. Prayers for quick healing.
Deborah
Some unique movie recommendations: Grabbers (2013), The Enchanted Cottage (1945), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) Hulu, Netflix, TMC! So glad you’re ok and hope you enjoy!
Awesome! Thank you!!! 🙂
Angela
I have done that too, but, fortunately, there was enough water between the dock and the boat for me to sink out of sight. I came up to laughter not the ER. Get well soon!
Oh my! Looks seriously painful! I fell off a treadmill a year ago when I accidently set it to go 10 mph! Everyone saw me fall tho! And because it was a No Judgment Zone (planet fitness) no one came to my rescue. Ha ha! The desk attendent eventually came over and asked if I was OK. Cracked my humerous which was NOT humorous AT ALL. I’ve recovered slowly. Happy to say my arm is at 90%. I’ll take that
Miss you guys do much. Will be retiring in May next year. Time for us to travel southward.
If you haven’t seen these already a few series we absolutely enjoyed are:
Patriot (2015)
Bloodline
Ozark
Take care. Love to the family.
So, a No Judgment Zone means nobody picks you up if you fall?? What?! 🙁 Congrats on the impending retirement!! We miss you guys, too!! Thank for the recommendations. I have seen Ozark and loved it. Will check out the other two. 🙂
Hugs and love to you guys, too!!
Ang
Angela, So sorry to hear about your accident! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery! In the meantime, check out Longmire and Hart of Dixie on Netflix. They’re both great!
YIKES! Poor you! What a horrible accident. The injuries look quite painful. Interesting how we all worry about you every time there’s a storm in Florida, and you always ride those out with ease and humor. It sounds like you have an amazing, generous “neighborhood.” I must say that I did get a kick out of some of the comments. It seems whenever we have an injury, after the prerequisite: “Sorry about your accident,” there are always a good number of : “That reminds me of the time time when I…”
Take care and keep us all posted on your recovery.
Best wishes!!!
Chinatown. The Hours.
That looks so painful! I’m sorry and I hope it all heals up quickly!
netflix…..pinky blinders
hope you feel better soon!
smile
Take your time healing. Slow and steady wins the race. Check out Jesse Winchester and Stephen Halpern on YouTube.
This was probably the best subtitled flick I’ve seen. Intrigue galore.
From Wikipedia entry.
Black Book (Dutch: Zwartboek) is a 2006 war drama thriller film co-written and directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman, and Halina Reijn. The film, credited as based on several true events and characters, is about a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II after tragedy befalls her in an encounter with the Nazis.
Wow! Sort of like me…Never broke anything in my life or any surgery, and when I did break my ankle, I shattered it and surgeon said it was the worse she’d seen (but I never had pain…)!
One older movie I love is Woolly Boys. 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes are always good for a quirky laugh too!
Oh Angela!! I am so sorry to hear of this. But your spirit is amazing, as usual. I hope your recovery is speedy and complete. Sending healing energy to you.
Hi Angela,
I hope you are better. I know what it feels to have pain when something goes wrong with our bones. I pulled a rib 4 weeks ago and it is still very painful. LYing down and resting keeps the mind wandering and dreaming up some poems.
I wish you to recover soon.
Barbara Sala
Feel better soon! Try tea made with ginger and turmeric (or if you don’t like the taste, get the supplements). They will help get the inflammation down. Vitamin C also promotes healing.
Watch Native America on PBS. The first two episodes are amazing! Can hardly wait for the others.
Dear Angela,
WOW! That is some accident.
You obviously are one who likes to live vigorously!
Best wishes on your speedy recovery.
Lou Shook
Wow! You’re like me. When you screw up medically you don’t go halfway. I had polio as a kid, with orthopedic complications. So my havoc got wreaked many a time from accidents. Overuse of my upper extremities lead to cratered rotator cuffs, so I can relate to and downright empathize about sleep difficulties. Hope yours end soon. In my case the dry observation of the late and delightful Betty Davis plays a prominent rôle in my life: “Getting old ain’t for sissies.”
Good luck, get well, and keep the faith. Aloha nui, Doc
Hope you get well soon Angela.
Always exercise extreme caution when boarding a small vessel, especially when the water is not calm. Trust me, as I spent 9 years in the merchant marine and observed many incidents during that time.
All the best.
Ouch! I hope you feel better soon. Here are some Netflix series that we like:
Lost in Space (their original series) – fairly family friendly
Daredevil and Jessica Jones – Good but on the violent side (and NOT family friendly, especially for young kids)
Thank you!!! Have my coffee made and am poised with my laptop in bed and the TV remote by my side. 😉
-Angela
A slip and fall can happen so easily on a boat. I know people who have died after falls from their boats, although in their cases, there was alcohol involved. Bad combination.
Since you’re at a dock, you should consider some sort of stepladder arrangement for boarding. I see lots of us using one of those white two step affairs to board.
Glad you’re ok, and I plan to be more cautious when boarding my own boat from here on in after hearing of your fall.
Angie, so sorry for your injuries and the pain you’re experiencing. I feel kind of guilty that I find your stories so entertaining! Get well soon. I can recommend a superb Netflix series called “Bodyguard” but you’ve probably already seen it.
I have NOT see that! Thanks, John!! 🙂
Lordy! Will you please take better care of yourself, lady! So sorry to hear about the Purpling of Angela. For entertainment try PBS’s Passport: endless wonderful programs. It’s Channel Thirteen here on Long Island but I believe it’s available all over the country.
Thank you! I’ll check it out! I rarely see something on PBS that I don’t like. 🙂
Angela, your ordeal must be very uncomfortable, to say the least. The good news is that you are otherwise healthy, young enough to heal well, patient enough ( i hope) to give soft tissue all the time it needs to recover, supported by your family, and loved by all. When you feel a bit blue, think of the millions of people with troublesome conditions that will never heal. As they say, this, too, shall pass. Keep us posted on your progress over the coming weeks.
Yes, I have definitely been counting my blessings! It could have been so much worse…or it could have happened to one of the boys. 🙁
Mysteries of Laura (one season, sadly), Republic of Doyle (7), Death in Paradise (7), Father Brown ((6), Taxi Brooklyn (also, sadly only one season), Touch (2), Madame Secretary (4) for television shows. For movies – comedy thrillers, Knight and Day, Red, Red Two, thriller, Sea of Love. Romantic comedy, Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile.
Wow! Thank you!!! I now have enough to keep my occupied for weeks!! 🙂
Wow! Major bruising. At least nothing is broken. I wish you a quick recovery. Netflix series? I enjoyed “Ozark”, “Maniac” and “Orange is the New Black”.
LOVE Ozark and Orange is the New Black. Will check out Maniac. Thank you!! 🙂
Your bruised leg looks painful. So, the arm and shoulder pain you more. I’m sorry you had an accident. They always seem to happen when we’re in a hurry and don’t expect anything. Take care of yourself and take it easy, so you’ll heal more quickly. You could try U-tube. They have some funny and interesting things on there. Feel better soon.
Angela you really do have to stop acting like me. I would however like to know how you can do those things and not have half the town watching you like I manage to have?
Stay off those torn and abused parts for awhile and treat yourself with love and respect. Now if I could eat those words myself….
I FEEL for you, Angela. I am prone to mishaps and hope that you are back to TWO knees very soon!
BTW, your name is A.Hoy if you only use the initial for Angela….was boating in the stars for you? 🙂
Yeah, we laughed about the A. Hoy thing when we first started shopping for a boat to live on. 😉
Angela,
1) Glad you didn’t hit your head and fall in the water. That sentence made me think of Natalie Wood’s drowning. I was a fan.
2) I just recovered the full use of my right shoulder after two years (lifted light weights wrong at the gym). I’m so glad I didn’t consider surgery, but…patience, patience, patience.
3) I just watched Designated Survivor on Netflix. I liked many of the characters. Lots of snappy dialogue, fast action & Maggie Q! Also, in case any disabled females are reading this — some attractive guys, too. In the past year I have also enjoyed the following: The Killing, The Fall, Shetland & Bordertown.
Take care.
Bradley
Thank you, Bradley!! Yes, I’m very happy I didn’t hit my head, either. And, I have had shoulder issues for 3 years now so I know that not using the arm at all is the only way it will heal. Makes typing a (bleep) though. 😉
I think it would be a good idea to stay off your feet as much as possible. I do hope that you get well soon. You will be in our prayers.
Hi Angela,
If you have not seen the Room you may not want to! It’s pretty intense! I liked Morocco, The Duchess, The Paradise, Julie and Julia, Alias Grace, Incoming, The Guernsey, and P.S. I Love You.
Hope you are back to good health very soon.
JP
Thank you, Jana!! 🙂
My Goodness!! You don’t mess around do you! When you fall you do a bang-up good job of it!
Seriously, I’m so sorry you got hurt. It’s not fun at all. Good that you have so many good people around you. I hope you heal quickly.
Ouch! Those injuries looks very painful. Feel better soon, Angela.