09/10/2022: Introductions and Current Events

You may have already seen the Home page, but I want to properly introduce myself. Hi! I'm Grimbark, aka spriterjohnson, and I'm new to Neocities! I found out about this website a few months ago, and I signed up, but I didn't do anything with my site until this week.

Why now?

That's easy! My leg is broken, and I needed something to do. I broke it while petsitting my parents' two dogs, Kaya and Grendel. The dogs didn't have anything to do with the break; it was just unfortunate timing. Luckily, my dad was able to take me to the hospital, and I was able to make it home.

This unfortunately isn't the first time I broke my leg. I broke it three years ago on September 13th, 2019. I remember the date specifically because it was Friday the 13th and the 50th anniversary of Scooby-Doo. I misstepped while trying to get into a nice warm bath after a night of partying, and things went south. Literally; the next thing I remember is being on the floor in pain. I got patched up pretty quickly, but it wasn't fun. Two months in The Boot takes a lot out of you. I had to take medical leave from college at the time to heal up; I wasn't able to make it to class on time.

Well, luckily and unluckily, I'm able to take it easy. I don't have a job right now, but I'm working to find one. Remote tech work would be ideal, but we can't always get what we want. For now, I'll take it easy, and I'll be back on the hunt in no time!

What have you been up to?

Not much, but I've been fiddling around with this website and playing video games. I hacked my 3DS and my Switch a while ago, and I'm using Custom Firmware to install tools to help with with my Let's Plays! It's not as high-quality as a capture card, especially since it goes through network bandwidth to send the video and audio to the computer, but it's better than nothing. If you're interested in hacking your 3DS and Switch, here are the link to the tutorials I used!

Do you have any advice about broken ankles or bones?

Well, step one is to try to avoid it, of course. It doesn't have much to recommend it. If you've never broken a bone before, it's a difficult experience, and it's hard to adapt to it. Your whole life shifts around this new thing, and it can be stressful and overwhelming. Please keep in touch with friends and loved ones, and listen to your doctor. Everyone's recovery process will look different, but I think I have some solid advice for what helped me:

Grimbark's Guide to Living with a Broken Ankle

Note: I am not a doctor! Listen to what your doctor tells you to do.

Remember RICE:

Rest: Stay off of your leg as much as possible!
Ice: Ice your leg every 3 - 4 hours for 20 - 30 minutes at a time to reduce swelling.
Compression: Keep the area compressed with bandages to reduce pain and keep the ankle still.
Elevation: Keep your leg at or above heart level so fluids can drain out of the affected area.

Take your medications on time, both the painkillers and whatever you normally take.
Learn how to properly walk with a cane / crutch, especially up and down stairs. Ask your doctor and / or look up guides online from doctors.
Learn how to get off of the floor without putting weight on your ankle. Push comes to shove, you might need to do so.
Ask a friend or loved one to help clean up your living quarters. Do not leave things on the floor, especially in walkways.
Try to stay with a friend or a loved one. You're going to need a lot of help, and it's best to not be alone.
Get anti-itch cream. The Boot itches a lot, but you're not allowed to scratch. Cream won't make it go away, but it can help.
Get a hand grabber tool to help you reach items off of the floor. Bending down is dangerous now!
Avoid walking at night, both inside and outside. You won't be able to see rough ground that could trip you up.
Have things to do queued up. For me, it's video games, cartoons, and this site. This will be different for you, but keep yourself entertained.

I can't stress enough how much better these things make the recovery. Last time, I kept pushing myself to go to school, and I was on my own for a few weeks because my boyfriend was out of state. I already tend to get lonely on my own, but not being able to walk was the final straw for me. At least I got to take medical leave and relax for most of my recovery, but I know not everyone has that luxury. Please stay safe and be careful if you find yourself in that position.

One thing that breaking my ankle has taught me is how inaccessible a lot of places are. I live on the second story of a building without an elevator, and all of the stairs are outside. It's scary getting up and down them! I'm worried I'll fall and break my face even on a good day; the building is old and rusty, and the stairs are wobbly and creaky. Having to navigate them without one of my legs working is a whole other story! It really puts into perspective for me how someone who is chronically ill or disabled has to navigate the world. I don't think I'd be able to invite them up for some tea simply because they couldn't make it up for tea.

My popo (grandfather) lost both of his legs to diabetes. He kept getting worse and worse until they had to chop off his toes, then a leg, then the other leg. He was a hard-working, stubborn man. One time, when he still had one of the legs, he climbed up a tree with a chainsaw to hack off a branch that kept hitting his house. Both of his sons were in town and were carpenters; they would have happily handled it for him. But, Popo wanted to do it himself. I understand not wanting to ask for help, but that's a bit overkill. I wish he would have taken care of himself.

He was very admirable in some ways, but he also serves as a cautionary tale: Don't push yourself so hard that you get hurt. You have people you can lean on, and you'll often find that people are more willing to help than you think. Don't discount yourself; you're not helpless, but if you're anything like me, you try to do too much on your own, and that can lead to danger.

Today's Final Thoughts:

Hang in there, reach out to others, and be kind to everyone, including yourself. Your world will be a lot brighter if you share your spark with others.