Let’s talk about one of those days that literally knocks you off your feet.
Last, last Friday (28.03) at work, in the afternoon – about an hour before my shift was supposed to end – I was helping out in the Garderobe (that’s the German word for the entryway where children take off their coats and shoes).
The children had just come in from the garden and were in transition to Imbiss – their afternoon snack time. It was that lively, slightly chaotic in-between moment where boots come off, jackets get tossed, and everyone’s attention is somewhere between snack and song.
Most of my colleagues were already in the singing circle, so I was alone in the Garderobe with a few children who were still undressing. At that moment, some children began to argue over a toy brought from home – it was “Freaky Friday – Spielzeug Tag”, our themed day where kids bring their own toys – and before things escalated, I stepped in to take the toy and store it out of reach.
I reached up quickly, trying to keep the peace – and you guessed it – one wrong step on a child’s shoe, and I lost my balance. I fell backwards, hard, straight onto my lower back.
Let me say: no children were harmed in the making of this real-life cartoon moment. Just me. And my spine.
The aftermath? A fractured L1 vertebra, a very uncomfortable weekend, a hospital visit, and a temporary love affair with ibuprofen and Novaminsulfon. The good news: no surgery needed! The not-so-good news: the bone is still healing, continuous pain, and I’ve got four more weeks of sick leave to not lift anything heavier than my coffee mug.
And yet… I haven’t fully disconnected. I could have, honestly – and no one would blame me. But staying gently involved, even from bed, somehow makes things feel a little more normal.
So in between rest, tea, and shifting pillows around, I still finalised this month’s Big Kids lesson plans, put together matching worksheets, and kept in touch with the Big Kids Team so things could move forward without me.
One of the things I’ve also been most mindful of is a child who had just been transferred to me as my key child that very same week. She’s been having a really tough time settling in, and just as we were beginning to build our connection, I had my accident. Thankfully, three other educators have been working closely with her to support the process, but I’ve been checking in regularly to stay involved from a distance. It’s not ideal, but I didn’t want to completely disappear at such a sensitive time for her.
Oh, and because I clearly don’t know how to sit still, I also cut out laminated rain boots for the Garderobe – because yes, even the coatroom deserves some structure… even if my spine currently has none.
Meanwhile, I’m also tackling my B2 German course… Let me tell you – sitting for a 3-hour online class with a healing spine is a journey. Most of the time, I’m just shifting around, trying to find a position that doesn’t make my back scream – which isn’t easy when your grammar book wants you to sit still for three hours. I’m planning to attend Präsenzunterricht (in-person class) tomorrow (Monday), but I already know I’ll be that student who randomly stands up in the middle of a listening exercise just to stretch out. I might even send my teacher a heads-up email titled, “It’s not rude, it’s just orthopedically necessary.”
Am I exhausted? A little.
In pain? Still, yes.
Grateful for painkillers? More than ever.
Proud that I’m still part of what’s happening at work somehow? Absolutely.
Surprised how much you can still get done while recovering from a back injury? Honestly… yes. Turns out, with the right pillow setup and some well-timed breaks, being productive from the couch is totally possible (though I wouldn’t recommend it as a long-term strategy 😅).
So while I may be out of the building, I’m not out of the loop. Work still happens. Kids still grow. And German grammar still refuses to make sense on some days.
But hey – I may have hit the floor, but I haven’t stopped moving forward. Just… a little slower. And with better lumbar support.