the sprain ...

I love my children.

I really do.

But that doesn't mean I can't see their weaknesses.

Dizzle is a wonderful child. She's smart and artistic. She's caring and thoughtful. She has the running form of Ryan Hall.

look at her foot placement vs. mine. she wins.

Dizzle is on point. Doodle, not so much.

Truth be told, this kid is awesomesauce.

Dizzle's big problem lies in her utter lack of coordination. Sure, to some this might not be seen as a deficiency, but as the spawn of two collegiate athletes, Dizzle is sure coming up short in this department. 

Not a day goes by that I don't have to tell her to pay attention to what she is doing.

She trips. She falls. She gets hurt.

Usually, it's just bumps and bruises. Yet, on occasion, she goes all out. Once, she knocked out her front tooth when she tripped and slammed a laundry basket into her face. And twice, she has broken her elbow, due to her inability to put her hands out when she falls.

Like I said, I love her to death. But the girl is clumsy. And as she's not getting better with age.

Yesterday, when I picked her up from school, she told me she had fallen on the playground and had gone to the clinic. I expected the usual scraped knee (which she had), but then she walked. Or should I say hobbled. Two days before our 5K and Dizzle can barely make it from the school to the car.

Fan-freaking-tastic!

Apparently, Dizzle was playing "Ballet" during recess and she tripped on the curb and fell. Not convinced that she had a serious injury, I subjected her to a battery of test.

Hop on one foot. Flex and extend. Walk flatfooted. Walk on your toes. March. Single leg squats. Run.

She failed them all.

Add that to the fact that her ankle looked like this ...

Left leg, where did your ankle bone go?

And we were hightailing it to Urgent Care. The exact place I wanted to start my holiday weekend at.

Fortunately, Dizzle's x-rays came back clean. She was diagnosed with a bad sprain. And is now rocking an Aircast.

The big problem here (other than missing the 5K) is that the splint makes her clumsier than ever and the doctor isn't 100% sure that she doesn't have a growth plate fracture, which apparently don't show up on x-ray.

Now we have to wait five days to see if she improves. If not, she needs to visit the orthopedist to get a cast for 3-4 weeks.

My gut feeling? We are just delaying the inevitable.