One year later

Later this week marks the anniversary of my 'me vs automobile' accident. 52 weeks since even the lessons of the late, great Green Cross Code Man failed to save me from getting bounced along the street by a car (at a pedestrian crossing no less.)

All in all it was a pretty traumatic experience that remains with me - and coming on top of having a bad case of (long) Covid just amplified that. In the end I needed a significant and painful operation on my foot - including some new metalwork - to repair the damage before spending three months completely housebound as I was unable to put any weight through my foot at all and pretty much all my left side was banged up. Even then I had another month plus where my mobility was limited and then further months of getting strength and confidence back.

Even now the residual physical effects are notable. The aftermath of any walk beyond a couple of miles is considerable. Basically for several hours after I can't really get around. It does mean I have to plan any trips very differently now (my New York break has required a lot of thought as traditionally I'd just pick neighbourhoods and wander all day - this just isn't doable now. Even recent trips to London and Swansea ended up curtailed as I overdid it early and then had to build in recovery time.)

I was never exactly fit and healthy but walking was a big part of what prevented me from becoming the size of a house and getting out of breath standing up. Now it really is a struggle and I haven't really replaced it which has consequences of its own for a Type 2 diabetic (and before anybody chirps in - I can neither swim nor ride a bike and at nearly 50 it is not my intention to remedy either now.)

Not to mention my foot just looks weird and misshapen (and it was never a thing of beauty!).

The mental effects were probably worse though looking back. I was definitely already in a dark place that winter after the on brand 2020 and the accident and the slow recovery really broke my spirit. With hindsight I have no idea how I managed to continue working for six or seven months given I really did not shake off that melancholy until very,very recently. I was clearly just setting myself up for a fall by not recognising and addressing things much earlier.

Still I did and I am starting to feel much better. Even if I do have a mutant looking foot and a risk averse approach to crossing the road now!