How To Get People To Talk To You? Just Get Hurt!

By notoriouslysinglegirl, October 22, 2016

 

Retired Vet:”What happened to your Knee?”

Me: “Nothing, it’s the latest fashion statement!”

(Conversations with a retired veteran in a wheelchair panhandling for money in front of Sprouts)

It’s been a week since I stood on stage, attempted to poorly sing “Teenage Enema Nurse (Killer Pussy)” accompanied by a ukelele, which concluded with me  crashing to the ground as my knee cap decided to dislocate itself.

I tried something new. I tried to be light and funny. I tried and I failed… and of course fell!

That was the beginning of the storytelling show I produce: Nurses and Hypochondriacs. Last Thursday was our Breast Cancer Awareness Show.

“Break A Leg!”

Read several text messages and Facebook posts…. It kind of happened… But I’m glad it’s not broken… Just an unstable patella, and tight muscles …

The best thing about producing a storytelling show with a medical genre: There’s always a few nurses and docs in the audience. Two nurses ran up on stage as I crashed to the ground. Several audience members shouted: “Is this part of the show?”

 My sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) kicked into gear. I was diaphoretic (drenched in sweat) and in excruciating pain 10/10! But smiled as I called up the first storyteller to get the show started!

Slowly, I slipped my knee cap back into place and the pain subsided to a tolerable 6/10! I was able to sit, stand and slowly walk to continue the show.

The show kicked breast cancers ass with beautiful, funny and empathic stories!

Once I got home, my knee was swollen like a big hot air ballon….

“R-I-C-E”

Rest

Ice

Compression

Elevation

A pack of frozen peas makes for a great ice pack!

And a trip to the chiropractor who suggested an MRI, (possible 2nd tear to my meniscus) I suggested : More R-I-C-E and a second opinion: Another Chiropractor, my friend Meg who  also performed a story on my show in May 2016.

Confirmed Diagnosis: popliteal instability due to tight gluteus maximus muscles. With a few cracks and releases, I was walking again with a normal gait with no limp!

I’m a former swimmer, triathlete, and current cyclist. Injuries are common. Bouncing back is the important part!

Wrapping your knee is no longer recommended, but taping is!

As I’m walking around town completing errands I frequently get stopped and asked :

“What happened?”

“Did you fall?”

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“What does that tape do?”

“Does it work?”

I’ve never had so many people just stop and want to talk to me in public. Usually, people are buried into their phones and avoid human contact. The conversations and attention are nice. Though I started to feel like a  bit of a sales rep for this KT Tape brand. And yes, it does work.

So if you are lonely, and want random people to talk to you… just get hurt… or actually just pretend and wrap up an appendage on your body!

Be Safe!