I Smell

I started playing soccer this year. I grew up loathing soccer (aka - football to our Euro friends)...I grew up in soccer country. I think every kid I went to school with played soccer and some even went on to get on traveling teams and other "prestigious" leagues.
After 31 years, I decided that I was going to give soccer a shot this year. I thought by taking on soccer, on top of softball and dance class, soccer would be the sport that surely injured me. Not so.
I got injured last weekend. I managed to come out of our tough semi-final soccer match unscathed and proceeded to get hurt in a softball game shortly afterwards. I was playing 2B and an outfielder (I call him 'Guido') threw the ball towards second and it took a bad hop before it made a direct hit on my shin bone. Maybe I was still in soccer mode..trying to block the ball with my legs...I'm not sure. All I know is that it made a loud smacking noise and proceeded to blow up on the spot. I thought I could finish out the inning but I realized I could barely stand. Upon further inspection, I had lace markings from the ball ingrained into my skin. I couldn't stand to look at my own leg! I spent the remainder of Saturday and Sunday with the leg elevated and trying to keep weight off of it - except when I went to go see Toxic Mouse Saturday night (nothing could make me miss their last summer show).
I've been putting icy-hot patches on it during the day to try and bring the bump/swelling down. It's been working. On my Tuesday trip to the grocery store, I bought some Salonpas patches - they're supposed to help with bruising, which is what the injury has become - a blotchy bruise. I threw on a Salonpas patch yesterday and today and I have to say - my sinuses have never been clearer! Salonpas is a Japanese brand and I know my aunt used them for her muscle/joint aches. Anyone who has ever been exposed to Asian medicine knows that it has a tendency to smell. Especially joint/muscle remedies...think VapoRub times ten. So as I type this up, I am imagining little white waves of vapors making it's way up my nose.
I hope no one thinks that I smell like a little, old Chinese lady - cause that's kind of how I feel.