Cary, NC
I’m sure you can imagine all of the things that aren’t all unicorns and lollipops about getting in a car accident and getting a new titanium femur. But moaning and groaning just isn’t my style y’all. So in the spirit of good attitudes and positivity here is my list (so far) of things that are kind of awesome about breaking your leg.
1. People are going to stare. It is a fact. Wouldn’t you stare at a 5’11, 28 year old with a walker in Subway?! What is awesome about this is I get to decide what I do in response. My inner commediane will never complain about this kind of attention. My favorite response is a head nod with a simple “this is really messing up my tap dancing career”.
2. You get to use the electric wheelchairs at Lowes Foods and Target. If I do life right, I’ll never have this chance again. Might as well make the most of it! Video: Teresa discovers the electric wheelchair. Yes, yes I am singing “Rollin’ Dirty”.
3. I can watch as many Golden Girls episodes as my DVR can handle.
4. I’ve spent every Friday hanging out with my mom. A whole day of shopping, running to Dr. appointments, and soaking up all that positive mom energy.
5. I have two Gopher grabbers and really, the fun never wears off. You might need to get one next time you are at Walgreens.
6. My friends are letting me pick where we go for dinner or what movie we see – I even get chauffeur service!
7. I can use the handicap bathroom stall without guilt. So roomy!
8. Little stuff doesn’t matter as much. ”Oh nooo I spilled an entire frappuccino in the car . . . oh well, it could be worse!”
9. The excitement of learning to drive again. This time without the driver’s ed instructor who put his stinky feet on the dashboard or parallel parking practice!
10. The power of the handicap parking sticker . . . when I use it I feel like I’m sliding a Platinum American Express card across the counter and daring people to question my awesome privilege.
[...] 10 Ways Breaking Your Leg is Awesome The Re-Birth of My Friend Teresa Photography From Broken Bones to Rolling Stone! [...]
Ive spent the evening reading your blog, website and facebook. I feel like I’ve discovered a little treasure no one else knows about
Karen…I soooo was just thinking that same thing. I clicked on a link to the blog someone shared on facebook and now I realized I have been reading the blog for about an hour.
Teresa- you are FAN-FRIGGIN-TASTIC!!! And this post, aside form the “So you think you are too fat” post, is my favorite. A few years ago (I was 34) I broke my leg and joined the titanium club and enjoyed many of the same privileges that you mentioned above. To be quite honest I miss the attention from time to time
And now I am totally wishing I still lived in Spartanburg, SC…love your work and my oldest is needing some senior pics done. Oh well, guess I will have to settle.
I too just stumbled across your site from the link “So you think you are too fat” shared on Facebook–great read. And now after reading your car wreck post and relating to it so much because of a wreck I’d had a few years back, and now this post as I sit here with a broken foot, just wanted to say thank you from a simpatico spirit down in Texas (also in weddings, but a videographer).
Hi My New Friend Teresa,
I too joined the Titanium club this past summer. Although not as glamourously as you. I fell down my basement stairs. Just dumb luck that I missed the bottom step and went off the side. Had to see if it was broken, so I took a step on it… Anyhoo now I have a shiny new Ti upgrade to my rt leg.I have exp all 10 of these and a few more. Like the look of pure schock when I could transfer myself w/o assistance! I’m 36 not 86! Oh yeah And a Rehab Nurse!! Gotta keep your sense of humor best tool in the road to recovery. Mary Englebreit said we miss many laughs if we don’t laugh at ourselves:-D
Alyson
as others, stumbled upon the “think you’re too fat” (often thought that) post on FB, and am now wrapping myself up with your blog. You sound like a fun, wonderful person. will be reading more.
I just stumbled across your website from a scrapbook.com post about “So you think you are to fat…”. I am a scrapbooker but many times have gone through my own albums and said many things about the way I look, when everyone else is enjoying the fact that those memories are in an album to share for eternity. After reading this post I feel so ashamed for thinking such things and know plan to pass this on to everyone I know. As a matter of fact I am putting it on my pinterest board for inspiration (just in case I have a relapse). I posted this here because I too joined the “Titanium Club” in 2004. I was playing softball for my work and hit home plate the wrong way. I jumped up to say I think I have done something to my foot or leg and that finished the job. My first cast was an ugly, bulky white cast (after emergency surgery at 9:00 p.m.) so I was just excited to get a blue pretty cast a week later. Like you said it is amazing at how exciting a small accomplishment can be (like being able to take a shower instead of taking 10 minutes to wrap your leg and sitting on a lawn chair in the bathtub. I am adding your blog to my speed dial and look forward to reading more.