Okay, so I did that free seminar thing with Sensei back in November, right? And we snagged coupons for two free weeks of class, making plans to use them this month. I eagerly awaited our first class, last night at 8p.m., a time that seemed far too late. I kept watching the clock, trying to find ways to fill the time.
This is taking forever. What should I do? Wash dishes or something?!
Don’t worry, I didn’t stoop that low.
Finally, the hour drew near. Once again I perceived the heavenly choir of angels as I pulled my plastic-wrapped gi from the back of the closet.
It was almost surreal to bid farewell to my family as I went off to war. Or, just, you know, to a martial arts class.
Here’s a little recap in case you need it: If all had gone according to plan, I would have gotten my red belt in Taekwondo with my three daughters at the beginning of April. Instead, thanks to that Jiu-Jitsu injury that kept me from walking for 3.5 months, I got behind and was only able to test for brown in April.
Then, because of my “expert” negotiation skills, I “convinced” Sensei to let me test early for red and get caught back up to my girls. All would be right in the world again. I was fully back on my feet, slated to test for my red belt May 1. But on April 29, exactly nine months after my foot/ankle injury, I busted my knee.
Some of those who saw me on crutches YET AGAIN so soon said, “Man, maybe it’s time for Betsy to quit martial arts.”
I did not consider that an option.
Though I wasn’t able to catch up, I was at last(!) able to test for red this past week, which included some board breaks.
Trigger warning: I’m about to talk about another injury. If you’ve experienced Betsy Injury Trauma, you may want to move along.
But, for a delightful change of pace, I didn’t damage my left foot. Not even a foot!
This time it was my right knee. I dropped a larger-than-me human on top of it.
At the end of my women’s self defense class (the irony), one woman asked if I could go off-curriculum and show them how to throw someone over one’s back. No problem, but I didn’t stop to think that she was much heavier than I.
She landed on my leg, which elicited an audible “crack.”
Note: the pics have nothing to do with the story (until the end) but add a little levity, I hope. 🙂
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is an excellent time to get a procedure done. I was worried about finding close parking (wish I had a handicap sticker hanger thingy), or any parking, but the lot was all but empty. Score!
When a technician asked what I had done to my foot, I explained it was a martial arts injury. More details appeared to me needed. “Jiu-jitsu,” I replied. More still. “I sort of bent it backwards toward my leg.” And yet more. “It was a double leg takedown.” For the record, this person did not have the air of someone who does or knows much about martial arts.
Later I overheard this conversation being relayed to another technician who laughed at “double leg takedown.”
This post could also be called: Seriously? Again with the foot?!
I’m afraid so, friends.
Somewhere around my fourth or fifth Jiu-Jitsu drill attempt, I crunched my left foot beneath me. (Yep, that one again.) I drove my knee to the ground, as planned, but somehow didn’t leave enough space for my foot to flip over so the shoelace side would be down. Instead, with my knee to the ground, my foot started to flatten bottom-side down.
Go ahead and see what that must be like. I’ll wait.
You see? No bueno.
I kept going anyway, but then put my hand down when I wasn’t supposed to, so, knowing we’d have to redo it for that mistake anyway, I called a halt.
I just chilled, breathed through the pain, and a couple minutes later, was back on my feet, pain-free.
Isn’t the human body amazing? I’m guessing adrenaline kicked in and carried the day. I didn’t feel any more pain until sometime later, back at home, when I was walking around a bunch, out of necessity, and was like, “Huh. My foot hurts.”
I finished helping make pretzels for the Taekwondo belt ceremony and continued with my life. (Yep, same day. It was a productive one!)
Thank goodness this Taekwondo class was only a belt ceremony and not a normal lesson in all its running, jumping, kicking glory. There was, however, a bit of running: up to receive the belt, certificate, and Grey Poupon mustard packet. (That makes zero sense if you haven’t first read this.) Then running backwards to my spot on the floor. Afterward was just a bunch of standing around, talking, eating, and joking about decades-old commercials.
Though I again felt zero pain at the ceremony, once home, I was limping.