Didn’t know if I would write this but realized I must.
Last Friday, September 16, I slipped off a curb. Sun in my eyes, loose sandal, in too much of a hurry.
Fell hard onto the pavement on my right side. Did not black out at all, no bump to my noggin, no shiny stars. Just a swollen right arm. A misshapen swollen right arm.
Folks at the place where I’d just left – the residence where my mom lives – extremely helpful and kind. Careful not to let my mom find out – might have upset her – or might have whooshed beyond her comprehension.
Ambulance to hospital. No siren but what a bumpy ride. Travel on a freeway with an injured body part and you feel every jostle along the way. Yes you do.
Kaiser – great hospital care. Thanks, Kai. Wonderful medical staff at every juncture. Lots of x-rays. The technician was so kind and worked quickly because he realized my pain. He even put on a protective vest to help hold me as I was close to fainting. A few bruises all along my right side, but most importantly, a dislocated right elbow, two parenthetically shaped fractures around the elbow, one on ulna, the other on humerus. Nothing humorous about this however.
Elbow relocated in socket (under lots of codeine – no pain from the reset – yay!) CT scans to make sure the reset was correct – it was. CT machine a very strange halo apparatus. Arm fitted with temporary brace. Kaiser staff professional, compassionate, and knowledgeable to a man and woman.
Permanent cast appointment for Tuesday. Then on to full healing. At my age, could take a while. Maybe physical therapy.
Much love and assistance from older son who stayed with me through entire hospital camp out (not nearly as much fun as Scout camp outs were when he was younger) and visited every day once I was home; from hubby who came as soon as he could (had been working other side of another county) then brought red roses to cheer me, and continues to do everything possible to help; from daughter-in-law who brought food, sympathy, offered all help, and will take me for cast appointment; and from grandchildren who remind me how incredibly special they and their parents are. Everyone very loving – I am so lucky.
I’m right-handed so this is a pain in the as… no, a pain in the arm. Typing with left hand – I’m sloppy and hitting buttons that make a mess out of my writing. Making corrections is so annoying – tend to make more errors – ugh!
Working on a large desk top so it’s uncomfortable for right arm which I can’t support correctly. Don’t own a small laptop I can prop on my knees while in a comfy chair. And drugs making me a bit sleepy and dopey.
All of this to say – please forgive me. This will be the last post on this site for a month or two. And I may not read or reply to your posts as often either.
I will return. This is only a small hurdle. I have many big ones I intend to conquer. I intend one day to publish, I have much more to write, and hope you will return to see what I’ve discovered along the way.
Thank you for your support, friends. See you in the break room.
Comments on: "The Day of a Small Hurdle" (59)
Oh, poor, poor you! What bad luck… However, having had similar injuries in my life, I think you are now at the worst possible moment, when everything still aches, nothing is comfortable, you are still under shock, etc. It’s amazing how the human body adapts and I hope you’ll soon find your way around things. Patience. Meanwhile, sending you positive energy and virtual hugs!🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹oh, and some roses. (Not expecting an answer for this)
Περαστικά! (This means Get Better Soon, in Greek)
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marina, thank you for the greek healing message – i love it.
i will get over this –
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Oh bummer. An unnecessary reminder that we shouldn’t rush. Hope you mend quickly.
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definitely shouldn’t rush when sun is shining in your eyes – thank you for your wishes, peggy.
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Good grief, Shari! The trouble you get into! I hope you’re feeling much better.
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i don’t usually need this kind of set up to get into trouble.
thank you, jacqui, for your kind wishes.
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Ouch +++ I know the difficulties of not being able to sit in comfy chair with laptop on lap. It is difficult and its a good idea to take a break while you heal. Hopefully it will be quick and you’ll be back before you know it and achieving those hurdles that you are going to conquer and then sail over. You are so lucky to have such a loving helpful family. They’ll help you get through this. Will one of them take you to visit your Mum? Anyway sending cyber casseroles and hugs from Australia. Perhaps now is the time to catch up on some reading. 🙂
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still, it’s easier than trying to write with my recessive hand using a quill pen and handmade ink on parchment. counting blessings over here.
i’ll find a way to visit my mom after surgery (yeah, surgery after all – sigh…) when arm is safely cradled in a hard cast. sadly, she’s unable to determine passage of time, but she will retreat even further if i don’t visit.
right now, am facing my shoulder to the west and – ahhhh – caught your hugs – thank you.
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Good luck with the surgery and hopefully you’ll be back on deck with your Mum quickly. Glad you caught my hugs.
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i always catch the hugs – thank you.
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🙂
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I hope you have a complete and swift recovery. I know nothing can keep you down!
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thank you, rob – i’ll get better and i know it could always be worse – i’m still among the lucky.
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I’m terribly sorry to hear about your accident. Given the dislocation and the fractures, it’s completely understandable that you need a month or so away from blogging until you recover. I hope you get well very soon.
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thank you, bun,for the good wishes. i will heal and will be back in about a month.
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See again before too long! Get well soon. 🙂
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thank you
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Shari, I can’t say that I know how you feel. Having an upper limb broken is harder to go through than a lower limb mishap. I type with my one left hand all the time, but I’m also left-handed and took a special class to help with where my fingers go on the keyboard.
Do as the doctor says. Take all the love your family has to give you. Don’t watch goofy shows on TV.
We’ll wait for your return. ❤
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i’ve thought about you a lot as i’ve gone through this situation. have already given up capital letters – were causing too many computer problems. my one-handedness is temporary. yours is not. amazing how much you accomplish with one arm. i really admire you. 🙂
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Hush! I’m just doing what I need to do the best way I know how to do it. Everyone does the same thing.
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what i should have said is how much i admire your accomplishments – period.
how is your writing coming now? hope you’re making the progress you want to achieve.
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Obviously, the arm is not stopping you from doing what you love on the computer. I’ll write you an email about my “progress”. 😛
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injury very much slowing me down, not writing posts or working on books – arm at odd angle when on computer – will stop all computer stuff after tonight and will not be back till i feel better.
still, i’d love to know about your progress when you have a moment.
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I feel your pain! I had the exact same thing happen a few years back to my right arm when I slipped on ice trying to rescue a chicken. The pain was VERY interesting. Immediate surgery was needed on a football play-off night (surgeon not happy!).
Anyway, I hope you are feeling better by now. Hope you’re not gone too long–but then it gives me time to catch up on posts I’ve missed of yours this crazy summer. maybe you’re being told from higher-ups to slow down (that’s what people told me–though I had a hard time believing them).
Best wishes.
Love,
A
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a doctor’s gotta be a doctor when needed, right? my dad spent his early medical years making house calls – folks under 50 have no idea what that means.
thanks, adrienne, for your support and your wishes – means a lot to me – surgery tomorrow to repair, then i’m hoping for quick recovery; pt of course will help – as boo boos go, it’s not that bad.
how’s the farm? i bet it’s beautiful in autumn. hope all your kids are doing well human and goats.
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So sorry to read this. It sounds super painful. Sending you positive healing energy and hope you recover soon! Rest up and take care of yourself.
Peta
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thank you, peta – no pain meds today, also no electricity all day until half hour ago, 100 degrees or so – no exaggeration – but i am getting better and i send blessings to others who contend with much worse.
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Ufff …
Glad to hear you are on the mend!
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thanks, peta – going to be a longer, slower journey than i first expected, but i am on the mend.
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Your typing with your non-dominant hand reminds me of drawing with the non-dominant hand – expressive lines, movement . . . your copy vibrates. I actually like it A LOT!
Saying a healing prayer for you every day and sending xxxxx’s for your boo boo.
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six years ago when my mom fell and broke her right shoulder, she and sat side by side while she discovered the peace and beauty of painting – with our left hands. yes, it can be done – thanks for your loving comment, judy.
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Oh, no, Shari! I hope your recovery is a smooth one, even if it’s not quick.
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thanks, ilene, i appreciate your support – 4 hour surgery but i get cast off oct 6 and begin occupational therapy oct 7 – best to hope for is 90 percent arm extension, but i’ll take it – i’m very far behind on following anyone’s blog and i know you’ve posted recently – looking forward to reading about your adventure – for now, i must get this arm in better position which means i must get off the computer. 🙂
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Dear Sharon – pls forgive for my not having seen this till now – oucccchhhhh! Am hoping you’re feeling better by now. Love how your post underscores gratitude – crisis always reminds me how much I need others.
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thank you, Daal, i appreciate your kind thoughts. definitely healing, cast off Thursday, occ. therapy begins Fri. Am certainly leaning on the kindness of others to make appointments, etc. so grateful for nearby friends and family as well as for support of on line friends.
crises do show up when we don’t expect, don’t they?
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yeeessss – unfortunately – hate them, but at the same time, they can teach me a lot about prioritizing…
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and not putting things off…sigh…
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and being gentle on oneself, dear Sharon – when I’m healing, I try to remind myself that what appears to be inactivity is really activity on the inside.
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So completely fed up with the clumsiness of trying to write on computer with left hand, and being forced to lean awkwardly to keep the cast arm elevated – my entire reply to you disappeared in the blog sewer because I accidentally grazed some aggressive little computer key. I can hear the chortles of the workers in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory as they slid my reply into the soup. So here goes again:
Thanks for the kind thoughts – yes, much creative activity going on in my head, but I have so much real work that must get done, on writing, and general business and home fronts. Everyone screaming, “Me first, take care of me first.”
Cast off on Thursday, we’ll see how much strength and dexterity I have. Must be able to drive again soon.
How is your own work daring, Daal? I’ve really enjoyed your Toastmasters speeches – you have such interesting topics.
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fingers crossed for you, Sharon, that come Thurs, all is far better for you. completely understand, particularly in light of knee breakages last year. was so over eager to over compensate that had to go to chiropractor to make up for everything else I made sore as a result. As for my writing, have yet to sort out how to pursue social media (in order to eventually market my novels), and actually write books at the same time…
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Wow! How prescient – just spent an hour on the phone with someone explaining how crucial social media is for writers to establish, even before sending a book to agents. Must be active, must have content, must have followers. Another topic for me to immerse myself in – in my spare time! Guess I’ll be seeing you around the social media campfire.
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It has to do with writers needing to show they’re ‘bankable’ to agents, as the industry is in such flux that they don’t know what to do themselves. As for we self-publishers, we can no longer simply produce. Now we must do the promoting that agents used to do.
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you’re right, daal, it’s all on the writer now.
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Hope you get well soon 🙂
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thank you so much – i’m on my way toward healing and determined not to let this hold me back.
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Praying for you to heal in all ways, Shari. Thinking of you and here to catch up with your writing. I’ll try not to make too much noise. ♡
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Thank you, Audrey. I’m getting there, though the process is slow. Diligently doing therapy as directed. I’m an artist as well as a writer so I need my right arm back. Your support means much to me. All words from you are music.
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Oh wow! Prayers for quick healing. I tend to fall a lot, so it’s only a matter of time until I break something.
Stephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
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Thank you, Stephanie, for your prayer. I am healing, just more slowly than I’d like. Very sorry to know that you fall often but I hope you don’t break anything ever. (Maybe a cup but not a bone!)
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I know you’re recuperating now, but I had to leave some more heal quickly wishes, and take care!
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Thanks, Roxie, your good wishes mean a lot to me. I am healing, just a slow process.
I’ve taken a look at your site and will be back to read more – terrific blog you have.
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Thank you, I appreciate your kind words! Take your time to heal well, sometimes we wish to rush and that’s not helpful. Come back when you can, offer suggestions, and add wisdom to your site when you feel able. I look forward to reading more!
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Thanks, Roxie, I’ll be back when I can type with two hands! (any month now – 😀 )
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Oh my gosh Sharon I’ve only just seen this! How horrible for you! How are you feeling now?
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Evidence: how much a flash of sunlight as one is stepping off a curb can change one’s life, right?
Was a much more serious injury than I’d first thought, requiring a four-hour surgery, and insertion of a five-inch metal plate and five pins near my elbow. I am now a bionic woman! I’m slowly healing, doing an occupational therapy routine 4 times a day. Occasionally achy, but overall just no strength and I can’t drive yet. Still, I consider myself very lucky. I didn’t hit my head, don’t have a terminal illness or chronic condition. So many other people deal with much bigger crises than this.
Thank you for asking, Suzie.
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So sorry to read about your fall. Take care of yourself and mend quickly! Hugs, Lori
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Thank you, Lori. I’m healing, but it’s a slow process. Who knew that a little slip off a curb would impose such a chunk of injury?
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Get well soon and try drinking alot of aloe vera juice, honey and lots of alkaline water. These 3 help the body heal and your cells to regenerate quickly. All the best.
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Thank you for the advice, Trav, very much appreciated. I’ve been drinking tea with honey, but I’ll try the others as well.
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