The Cost of Things: A Broken Foot in Winter

by Rachel S

The actual breaking of my foot cost nothing. Well, I put money in the meter ($1.25) and then crossed the street. Somewhere in that daytime walk on a flat road in flat shoes, I rolled my foot. It hurt, but more like the pain from a stubbed toe than a serious break. The next day my foot was swollen and bruised to epic proportions and my coworkers insisted I go to the hospital. Verdict: broken foot (fifth metatarsal, so be precise). I was on two crutches for a week, one crutch for another month, and then just a boot.
What it cost:
$287: ER bill
$115: an air cast boot
$40 co-pay for follow up with the orthopedist
$180 in missed work hours
$65 in various cabs
$60 more of Chipotle I bought for dinner over the weeks.
Non-monetary costs:

— Multiple phone calls and frustration with the insurance company over who they cover and how they bill. (My boot was billed separately from the hospital. Our system makes no sense.)

— Physical pain, in my foot, arms, back, and other leg (from crutches).

— Missing various social occasions because they involved walking.

— No actual privacy on the Metro because it turns out that everyone wants to ask you what happened and/or tell you about they time they broke bone X. (Seriously. People just stared at me until I would take my headphones out and talk to them.)

— Time and energy spent debating how likely it was I would be assaulted or harassed when an older man offered me a ride downtown one morning. I know that statistically, most women are harassed or assaulted by people they know, but in my own experience, when an old man I don’t know starts chatting with me and offering me things, it’s not usually just to be nice. I probably would have been fine, but I declined and hobbled my way to the Metro.

Silver linings:

— $100 Uber gift card.

— Wool socks from my mother. She is the best.

— After exiting the DMV hearing a woman behind me say, “Oh, you make me feel so much better about my life!” because even though she brought the wrong form, she at least didn’t have a broken foot, too. That’s me, spreading joy.

— Being permitted to board the airplane first.

— Turns out an air cast is a really great ice breaker for conferences, parties, or other forced-conversation events.

— Being able to escape said events early “because I’d been standing for an hour.” No one questions you.

— Friends bringing me soup and drinks and chocolate.
TOTAL: $747. Despite generally seeing a nice part of humanity come out of its cold winter shell, I would not recommend breaking your foot.

When she’s not hobbling along the streets of Washington, D.C., Rachel S. swims, reads, and bakes a mean loaf of bread.

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