Top O' The Morning To Ya

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Even though I spent a year of my life in Ireland and it was one of the absolute best years of my life, St. Patty's Day has come to denote a more recent, more painful memory.

Rewind to St. Patty's Day 2007. SkyBlue and Lou held a party to celebrate Lou's birthday. It was our annual dual Lou's birthday/St. Patty's Day celebration. After the corned beef and cabbage dinner, my mom broke out the green margaritas....the Irishritas!

They're the normal Jose Cuervo variety with green dye. We didn't grind up microgreens or spinach or anything scary!

Anyway, I'll just give you the abridged version of the story...Combine a couple Irishritas, high-heeled boots, some Black Eyed Peas, thick carpet, and a bit of random dancing. My mom went to twirl me and my boot heel caught the carpet...I fell into the (solid wood) end table. I quickly got up, brushed the twinge of pain aside, and resumed my evening.

The next morning, I couldn't move when I woke up. I knew I bruised something and so I hobbled around and went to work and school the next two days. That Tuesday night, I went home, exhausted from my day, and flopped on the couch. As I flopped, I crumbled in slow motion as my ribs cracked and crunched beneath the weight of my flop. Breathless and delirious with pain, I slowly curled up on the couch and tried not to breathe.

The next morning, I called my doctor who immediately prescribed x-rays. The X-ray tech wouldn't tell me the results, but I wasn't stupid enough to miss the huge CRACK in two ribs.

My physician mercifully called me in some pain meds. I sat on the couch for two days, doing my best to not inhale/cough/laugh/sneeze as I healed.

The St. Patty's Day celebration of 2007 ended with a two-week stint of pain that is only appreciated by others who've broken ribs! I've been careful to never again combine Irishritas, high heeled boots, carpet, and dancing!