babying vs caring?

[shalora]

So I don't think I've mentioned it here, but I broke a toe about a week and a half ago. Stress fracture, not a traumatic break (and this will become an important point later on). First bone I've ever broken - which is probably surprising, considering all the dancing I've done, but that's neither here nor there. When I'm home, I'm living on my

Comments

[ruhaniyyih]

You're doing great at taking care of yourself. Dance is a great thing for you, and you still get to decide how far to take your body. You always have that absolute right. Good on ya.

[maiden_midwife]

I know it's so hard for you not to be dancing, but you are doing the right thing. It's even harder when people are telling you that you SHOULD be dancing again already. You know your own body and how to take care of it. Other dancers may tape their toes to the next one and keep going, but have you ever looked at a retired dancer's feet? I've seen a few that are pretty mangled from doing too much of that "tape it up and suck it up" routine.

[shalora]

Right - and of course it's different for professional dancers too, because if they can't dance then they can't make money, and they might well lose their place in the company - they *have* to keep dancing no matter what. I don't - and I can't risk actually damaging myself, for multiple reasons (both practical and emotional).