“No broken bones,” she said, pointing a plastic pen at the space between the ankle joint and the lower fibula.

“But you have a severe grade two ligament sprain.”

“Can I drive?” I asked.

“Not with your right foot,” Dr.

Miller said, opening a tall lower cabinet.

“You can’t put full weight on that heel for at least two weeks.”

She took out a heavy, rigid black walking boot with thick Velcro straps and a rounded rubber sole.

She carefully wrapped my ankle in white cotton padding before tightening the three black straps across my shin and instep.