Found a new way to hurt myself!

If you've been keeping up with my entries, you know by now that I have discovered endlessly interesting ways to hurt myself at the ice rink.  Nearly all start with a caught toe pick (which, as I've said before, were invented by Satan).  Friday's lesson was no less interesting.  Will says he's never heard of anyone doing what I did - so I may have discovered a new trick - but don't be looking for it to become a required short program element any time soon.

So, I was skating backwards (always a good way to begin a wipeout) and learning some complicated foot stuff that essentially requires you to tie your legs into a square knot, untangle them standing on one foot starting with your knees, then do it all over again on the other foot - all while propelling yourself ass-first across the ice.  Of course - I caught a toe pick (have I mentioned they were created by Satan?) and went down in a blaze of flailing arms and skittering blades.  That part is nothing new - I've gotten pretty good at it, really.  The trick is in nailing the dismount.

This time, however, I elected to change up my normal fall and attempt to catch myself with just the right thumbnail, directly down into the ice...

After the fall was over, I knew something was wrong with my thumb, but didn't know what just yet.  I felt the bone, working my way up from the base and discovered, happily, that it didn't seem broken or dislocated.  So good so far.  When I got to the nail, however, I realized that the edge of my thumbnail was now sticking up at a 90 degree angle from what one would normally expect from a more well-behaved thumbnail.

Yep - I'd bent it back at a 90 degree angle, halfway down the nail bed. (go ahead and shiver - everyone I've told this story to was a little "squicked" by it)

Thank goodness I had gloves on so I didn't have to SEE it like that. (ick)  I immediately pressed it back down into place (with a rather sickening "click") and then had to decide whether to actually look at the results or not. Will solved that question for me - he insisted we look to make sure it wasn't something that needed a trip to the ER.

We went over to the side and I pulled off the glove, expecting the worst.  Fortunately, although there was some blood and it was already turning black and blue, it still LOOKED like a thumb, so we were in good shape.  It hurt like hell, but I have a high tolerance for pain, so no biggie and I finished the lesson.

The good news is that Anna was there, and we got to practice partnering some more.  I finally think I'm getting the hang of having a small, rather pushy perfectionist in my personal space :)  At least, it felt more solid than it has in the past, and I don't think I caused her any permanent damage in the process.  I do need to figure out how to get more partnering practice time, or I'm never going to get this down.  I wonder if you can rent a partner in the pro shop?  :)

The thumb is healing well, although I'm going to get to look at a white "fold line" on my thumbnail for the next 6 months or so.

Goodie.