How is it already September?

2021 already seems a blur, doesn’t it? Amongst the litters of random masks along street sides, joining crushed cigarette butts in holy matrimony. Mr. Baby is 26 months old. It is like yesterday we were stuck in a fucking bible camp after a most religious city in Alberta. I began watching Lucifer last night, finishing off season five. In great delight, season six is out. When I was staying with a friend’s mom during my third trimester of pregnancy, she caught me watching the devilish show downstairs once and was horrified. I got a sound Christian disturbance lecture and had to sneak my Lucifer viewings, else be cast out quite likely. If only people within the bible camp later knew a raped whore was cradling her newborn baby amongst them. Baby daddy has been blocked from any of his shenanigans after not wishing Mr. baby a happy birthday two years in a row. Good job, deadbeat. Plastering pictures of #daddyslittleprincess across Instagram and Facebook with his fourth child 6 weeks younger than my Mr. baby. He finally decided to introduce her to the world when she is nearing two years old. Some people value images more than what’s ethical. He has followed the exact trajectory of gross predictability I had assumed upon him and am ever more confident in how I have protected Mr. Baby from him.

Upon lighter news, I can walk in shoes as of two days ago. Well, I am allowed to be in shoes. Six weeks ago, tomorrow, I had my surgery. Stuck in my mind is the anesthesiologist had told me she had broken her ankle, too when her child was 16 months old. She had just moved from South Africa to the UK. Have you ever felt that with someone, a stranger, with such small exchanges, you both just see and understand it from one another? She understood, which goes a long way. She understood the nightmare first hand. And there she was, many, many, many years later, talking to me. I suppose I will make a longer post about all that ankle recovery stuff, as I did find some random blog posts on broken ankles did bring me great comfort. However, the ones I found did NOT have quick recovery, and mine certainly has been. I want to show some light for another version of recovery. It is weird to still feel disconnected from my body, I’ve practiced dance for over 18 years, which is all about walking and connection to your body. Of all the things. I waddle and limp at the moment, but I practice a lot each day to strengthen the left side. I have been very lucky my pain has been little to none throughout this experience.

Unfortunately breaking my ankle was one of the best things that has happened to me in the last couple years after Mr. Baby of courseeeee. My sister has been staying with me and helping, I think of her as a sister hubby. Like damn life is easier when you have someone helping with a kid. Like holy CRAP this is easy, comparatively. I’m feeling this way being busted up, looking forward to when I am fully able to reap the glory of an easier work load FINALLY. She helps with the morning, brings him to my parents in afternoon, does all the laundry, dishes, pet stuff, and various other little things. She has my back against my parents and I forgot how she always was that when I was growing up too. She is ten years older, but people used to always think she was my mother when I was a child. I vividly remember that. I do cooking for all of us most of the time, I love the deep cleaning, and she has my card to do the grocery shopping. Definitely don’t miss dishes, laundry or various other things. She has felt more accomplished and empowered instead of laying around at home all day. And when I am better, she is going to continue on as like a nanny and I will keep sharing all my food and sending her money. I truly enjoy that such a horrible traumatic event has been an amazing thing for both of us, and not out of some deranged optimism, it is shining in our faces how it was the only way to really create this opportunity. Go figure.

My sister is “disabled” with a brain injury and autism, she struggles holding down a regular job. Not from any slight of capability, she just needs more breaks because of her health. It is so fucking stupid how cookie cutter society tends to be in the detriment of so many brilliant minds and powers in the world. Yet, ironically, we are obsessed with progress. Being my nanny she can take as many freaking breaks as she needs, and someone won’t be barking down the pipe at her. She gets everything done every single day, she gets things done quickly after I ask or even mention something. She is a better worker than most people I’ve worked around. I just wish our mother wasn’t a narcissist, as matching us together would have made sense. Not telling my sister my life was so easy LOL LOL OLOLOFLOSLFOSFKDESOFKDOFK LOLLLLLLLL and things were great at home LOLLLLL. Thanks mother dearest. The second my sister found out about my ankle she came powering over and saw me stranded, surrounded with meats, almond milk, and various food from the fridge on the floor, the shelves. Mr. Baby had cultivated what he wanted to eat, and I was helpless in child mining. My parents had left me and I was struggling. I told her how things have been even before the ankle and she was horrified. I had thought my sister was working full-time, thanks to mommy dearest. She wasn’t, she was broke and working 2 hours a week thanks to Covid. Now, here we are. I am less of a slave to motherly life/work/household chores and she, has an abundance of food, more money and a purpose. I also, finally, can date as before I had no coverage and my precious babysitting hours from my parents I dedicated to work and a bit of Pilates. Gosh, like she can do an evening which I haven’t had. Now, where will Mr. Boyfriend be? haha. I am the happiest I’ve been in a long, long while, even with the broken ankle I have been just so happy.

I’ve been homebound more than I have in any part of my life, even with earlier bits of Covid I was going for a walk every single day for the baby to fall asleep, have fresh air or grab some small groceries. Since the injury, I didn’t leave my apartment for two weeks, then another three weeks. Now it has been two days and I have little to no interest leaving at the moment again. I look forward to when I am well enough to be in my beloved reformer Pilates and a really cool team training gym I had joined the pre-signup for prior to being hurt. I can’t waittttt to be there all the time and surrounded in a community. I miss the insanity of my pole dance community, I miss aerial hoop, I miss the crazy glory of how much pain you endured or executing a cool trick. The same crew predictably every day. I doubt the team training will be as nuts as a dance crew is, but regardless will finally be satisfying my thirst for athletics. Maybe that is where Mr. Boyfriend will be as it will be a regular routine for both. Although it has been worth the sacrifice not doing what I have wanted to in taking care of Mr. Baby, the first couple years are so crucial. I see my surgeon again in late, late October. Will see when I am cleared for harder exercise, and gosh, the retraining in stilettos? My precious, beautiful, beloved shoe collection, how I miss you.

I finished the rest of my counselling and it always leaves me with clashed realities, she has been impressed by my intelligence, as was my last counsellor. I miss being in school with the gliding possibilities and shared minds alike. The reality of whatever Miss Chloe and the reality of my passions have slept an early grave for many years. I had mapped out the exacting plans to have my Ph.D in Psychology by now, little unaware of long depression and a circadian rhythm sleep disorder to wreck destruction on it all. I quit my antidepressants for the first time in several years in the midst of an abusive relationship, an infant, and the waking of Covid. How fun is that? And I’ve been okay. I’ve been great. Go figure. Sometimes I wonder if I hold onto something not in the cards, instead of letting it go. I finally was doing okay, back to Miss UBC. Then, pregnant. Haha. Next, pandemic unravelling what work I had known for so long. I think it would be nice to forget it all. Because, what is the point, really? And I don’t mean that in a melodramatic melancholy way. I mean, practically. Except if only the limbic system recognized logic.

I always did think I would be a dominatrix. Like a Psychologist/Sexologist/Health Psychologist and then also a Dominatrix. That is something, too, I miss the BDSM community. I will go to the shibari training when it is open again and learn how to tie people up, artfully, haha. I suppose, perhaps I have had it a bit backwards all along. It might just be full-time Dominatrix first, then something else later. Another, for years people have thought I was in burlesque or asked me why I am not. Haha, I spent so much time around burlesque dancers and strippers, too, training around them. I just thought work was the path back to school. I miss volunteering, I worked at the hospice palliative care for a few years as a clinical volunteer, helping alongside nurses. It would be nice to do what I truly want to do, instead of what is necessary to navigate the world. I think it’s possible though, I had an insatiable ennui and anguish before Mr. Baby, despite the unfortunate how to be circumstances, I think it is possible now as that emptiness is gone. Guess we shall see.

Infinitesimal

There is much to say, 11 days post surgery on my ankle now. See the surgeon for check up in 2 days. Not looking forward to it as crutches are just bloody exhausting. Things have been fine, and good, more so because I actually have help for once and because my pain is next to none. Else, I would be a bundle of nerves and tears. I got a bunch of vitamins, I do little exercises each day. I work a tiny bit, and I rest often. I found a ballet rehab program online and another little rehab thing to do in air cast once I am back in that. I miss having baths quite dearly.

Tonight I have thought much about a favourite song of mine, and a favourite poem. Both have been favourites of mine for several years. At one point, the song was infectious to me, married clearly to my brain and emotions. I can remember many of scenarios and people I was around when I listened to it or introduced it. It isn’t quite as stuck to me, but the word infinitesimal still gets to me. I’ve always wanted to have it tattooed on the side of my hand. I think it should happen sooner than I originally planned. Before, I never got tattoos as it was better value of myself in my offline job. Now, that is no more and no matter. This word means so much to me.

I will say, also, I enjoy the reference to Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk in the song. As he is my favourite author. I met him once. I was too star struck to mutter anything sensible. He signed my book and took a picture with me.

There is another word I would like tattooed on my other hand, ineffable. I do not have any songs or poems to reference to. It just feels proper and right in harmony with infinitesimal. Here are some descriptions of each if you like.

Infinitesimal

Extremely small.

Ineffable

Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words.

Here is the poem:

“And I, infinitesima­l being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
I felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind.”

Pablo Neruda 


Here is the song and I highly recommend you give it a listen:

Zelda by the Antlers

Zelda
You asked me to wake you
If I woke up before you
And you were still stuck inside

I’m here to tell you, “We’re not awake yet”

Zelda
We live between two worlds
A tunnel with two lights
Pitch black in the middle
[Like a dream’s dream (a copy’s copy)]

Zelda
It’s just not important
The small things we suffer
They’re infinitesimal

We swim in an ocean
It swims between us

Becoming 2% Cyborg |

A few people asked me to write about my ankle chronicles. Writing is what I enjoy anyways, didn’t take much convincing. I have more time now or an illusion of more time. Appropriately re-arranged time commitments. Anyways.

Monday, August 2nd

It’s 8 PM and my two year old went to bed relatively fast which is always a lottery win regardless of how much I work him out at playground. Some nights are just yeesh. Today was not a playground day as I had asked my parents to babysit 1-3 while I got my vaccine and grocery shopped. I didn’t want to exhaust myself further bringing baby to the playground. It’s surprising he went to bed from us just hanging out and playing inside for five hours. I’m about to get ready to do some work, as after babying it is time for salacious work. I take half hour reprieve. Fifteen minutes in I impulsively decide my stupid bunny statue needs to go on the balcony beside my tropical plants. A small task I kept meaning to do. My body says to me, this is enough.

My left ankle buckles and I go down. Harder than I ever have. Doing any dance trick, falling on ice, tripping over baby toys. I crash down with a thud on my balcony in completion and I hear cracking. I begin wailing in frustration, panic, anger. I hear another crack and I knew something was broken. My ankle had buckled, given out a few times before just walking. Nothing interesting. Mundane routines with a spark. I catch myself when I trip to not bail, I fall gracefully or strong onto proper form. Not today.

I had gotten my second covid shot that same day, 8 hours earlier and I am even more glad now given the vulnerability I am now and I am not freaking leaving my place aside from doctor appointments.

I dragged myself on my right side sobbing hysterically, across my apartment to my kitchen. I got up on my right knee enough to open freezer, whacked out a bag of delicious dragonfruit melody to sacrifice.

8:30 PM

As I iced my left ankle I called 911. For a flash second I thought I was overreacting. But I haven’t ever called 911 to be honest. Others have for me each time some nonsense has happened. Like i’m in denial. I sob my information to the clerk and she asks if someone can watch my baby and to put any pets away for the paramedics. I just think “oh fuck, I have to go all the way across the apartment again to shove my dog into my bedroom? urgh”. I hung up and began grabbing diapers, fruit from the fridge, and goldfish crackers for the baby in case I had to bring him. I grabbed a plastic bag, my phone charger, more and more hysterical with the ice on my ankle and dragging myself on my side using my right arm and right leg. My fucking left arm hurts from my vaccine so I feel extra frustrated the whole left side hurts. I drag myself to my dog sleeping in her basket under my computer and begin dragging her now heavy 8lb butt into my bedroom. She poked her head in her blanket as I shoved the basket of dog into my bedroom. I closed the door and began groaning as to hide my porn notes and work binders from my parents. I decide the nearest possibility of a purple canvas box of nespresso pods makes sense and dump what I can reach into the box, dump some random boring vanilla paperwork on top, and shove the box under my desk where the dog originally was. I dragged myself to the baby’s room and he was asleep like an angel. He looked peaceful and I was relieved as I didn’t need him crying and screaming about me being hurt had he known. I dragged myself a foot away then laid down to wait and sob looking at my phone over and over and over.

8:43 PM

I call my mom in hysterics how I fell and broke my ankle. I am relieved she picked up as usually my parents are in bed by 8 PM. They live a five minute walk but they got to my place the same time as the paramedics shortly after 9 PM. I laid by the phone mumbling and crying why it felt like it was taking awhile.


All of this reminds me when I had knee bursitis on new year’s day 2016. I was so stoked I had moved back from Vancouver to the island and was living in a beautiful 1940s house with two close friends. They fell in love in that house, are married, live on same street as me in new apartment, and she just had left ankle surgery yesterday so aren’t we in sync! Sans the marriage. I had gone to bed, drunk, woke up 3 hours in mind numbing pain. I crawled down the cascade of wooden stairs sobbing to the living room for help from two other friends sleeping over from the party. They left without helping me, half drunk, and not understanding. They were freaked out they slept in late from their child being baby sat and left. I was angry and sad, I dragged myself to the freezer, got a bag of frozen blueberries and dragged back to my roommates bedroom. It was empty as he was in the other roommate’s room, his now wife. I laid in his bed, crying, icing my knee waiting for him to wake up. When he did, he helped me up and got me pain killers. I called my boyfriend at the time and he brought me to the hospital. He left me there and I found out I had knee bursitis, leaving with tiny crutches. I don’t remember who picked me up.


After 9 PM

Two really attractive paramedic guys arrive, I find it amusing one is older, I think late 40s and other early 30s. I would take both but stay longer with the older one, honestly. I remember when I fractured my left rib (aha this side sucks) at 18 I collapsed in a grocery store, xmas eve, as a cashier and this fucking turkey a customer was buying was the last straw. I had a handsome firefighter put me on oxygen and I tried to look pretty even in-between my sobbing. I never got coverage for that injury cause I had a small cough at the time. Thanks WCB. Back to current day, my older paramedic had tattoos on his fingers, his forearms, nicely pomaded salt and pepper hair. The younger one doesn’t look like he has tattoos, or if he does, is more discreet. Less liberal about their appearance. I hobble out with their help onto a stretcher and off we go. I was in the back with the older one, I knew he was a dad, it’s like an essence. He told me how his kid was grown up and how he just got a house. When he asked me how my pain was and I said 3-4 he said hmm 4-5 with jolts of 7-8? I replied, no, i’ve had a baby okay. He chuckled and said he was about to say. A dad gets it. Feeling your entire soul and body want to split in half and being in so much pain you barely can move or talk is not something I ever want to experience again. The need or wants of water or food is so beyond surviving the pain. Granted, I was induced. If you are a lady friend, and get induced, get the fucking epidural IMMEDIATELY. Fucking seriously. I recommend to not wait a few hours like me. Morphine does ZERO to help.

Anyways, I get passed from various clerks and nurses, waiting times of ennui and the olympics in the background. I remember being in the hospital once with the olympics once close to ten years ago. For this knife like pain I had in my side while at a club. My friend didn’t want to come but called me an ambulance and while I was squatting in pain outside waiting a malicious ex was there and pretending to be cordial. I was in too much agony and tears to be angry. Today’s “2020” olympics I am glad to not be facing. I like the olympics but not tied again to a hospital memory.

11:54 PM

I call my mom for a ride. I have had an x-ray by this point, met a doctor who said I broke my left ankle and was fitted an air cast boot by a nurse and given tiny crutches. She makes a comment how short they are. I wait for my parents by the very front entrance, I told the nurse my parents are old and want to be visible. She wheels me to where I want to be.

12:54 AM

Finally, my parents arrive. I seriously don’t know how they manage to make a ten minute ride an hour, but this is always how they are even when not bringing a baby and it drives me nuts. My mom calls me and I say…can you..please come…in? She does and asks me to come to car. I get annoyed and say, I need you mommy to come to me. I’m tired and she can’t figure out the fucking wheel chair, i’m getting frustrated and try using my crutches to go instead. I almost get stuck in-between the doors as she doesn’t help me and another patient behind me gasps out, I see her reflection in side of the doors try to catch me, despite further away. My mom doesn’t try to catch me. I catch my balance and don’t fall. I hop backwards onto the wheelchair and a nurse comes around to show my mom how easy the wheel chair is to use. He had been talking to a man who cruised in like bugs bunny on a casual jaunt, blood running down his eye and face. Blaise about being busted up. My mom finally wheels me to the car and I am ecstatic to see my baby and he is stoked to see me too. My dad helps take over, wheels me around carefully, and helps hold the door as I enter in to say hi to my beloved Mr. Baby.

I notice how my parents brought my baby shoes. I had no shoes. I had gone to the hospital with no shoes, nor had my parents brought me shoes. I had managed to stick my phone in my boobs under my jumpsuit and my keys in my pocket, no purse, no ID, nothing else as I had wanted. My older paramedic had chuckled when he realized what I had meant by, “I have my phone”, he had asked me, and he couldn’t figure out where I had put it until I casually took my phone out from my top in the ambulance ride to text a friend.

He exclaimed, “That’s what you meant by you had your phone!”

I replied, “Oh, yeah. Comes in handy.”