Today at work my boss was driving the tow motor. And the brass tubing he had on the forks got stuck on this tarp that acts as a curtain to keep the cold out of the shop when I open the dock door. So I walked around the tow motor to the other side to hold it back. Well what I didn’t see was the back end of the tow motor pushing a skid towards me. I didn’t realize it till it was too late. It pinned my left leg (just above my ankle) between it and a square steel tube. 

I screamed out to stop and thank god my boss did so as quickly as he did. He backed up and the skid was pulled away. My leg was indented and a bruise was forming. At first I couldn’t stand on it and all I kept thinking was “please tell me I didn’t just break my leg”. So they brought me a chair and Scott (who is also a paramedic) took over. He was shocked at my leg swelling, but then I told him it was no more then normal since I am pregnant. He checked my movement and pulse in my ankle. Wrapped me with ice and got it elevated. 

After about 25 minutes we took it off. Movement was still good and it just hurt a lot and was bruised. Everyone kept asking if I wanted to go to the ER. After saying no, but getting the ok from my boss to go later if I felt it necessary, I was told to go home and they would pay me for the rest of the day. 

So home I went. And am now icing it and elevating it. It’s been about 3 hours now. Still hurts to walk on. Hurts to touch. But brusing hasn’t gotten worse. 

I know my boss felt horrible. He kept apoligizing over and over. He looked like he was going to cry. And after he found out it wasn’t broken he disappeared. My other boss said he was hiding in his office. I think he was just as shook up about it as I was. I was so scared. All I kept thinking was, “my leg is gonna break. My leg is gonna break.”  I thank my lucky stars it didn’t. I am honestly just so very lucky right now. 

It’s a good thing I deal with pain well. I think that helped keep everyone calm too. They were all freaking out. At first I was not talking and just breathing, and they kept asking me questions. I finally was able to get out that I was fine and just needed to breathe for a second.  And then began me laughing and saying I got promoted to supervisor since I was sitting in a chair in the middle of the walkway where I could see everyone. 

I think the best line was from Scott when he was checking the swelling in my foot for like the third time:

Scott:  when are you due again?

Me:  the 26th

Scott:  of this month?!

Me:  yeah

Scott:  what the fuck are you still doing here?!  I would have been gone a long time ago.