Do you believe in miracles?

2011 will long be remembered by me as the "year of the miracles."


  I witnessed my first miracle in mid-July when I entered the waters of a swimming pool for the first time in 45 years.  There in those "hallowed" waters of the local YMCA family swimming pool my teacher Laurie taught a "water phobic" (that'd be me, Peggy Miller) that it was safe to put my face in the water and blow bubbles with no need to fear drowning.  Not only that, I actually learned how to face float and back float well enough to consider myself a "pollywog" by YMCA standards.  As far as I'm concerned, Laurie should be considered one fine miracle worker!  Here we are, shown below, on the final day of class.

And today, yet another miracle...


I just returned from my dr. appointment in Wichita....it was the one that would decide whether or not I had healed substantially enough to finally, after 5 weeks wait, get a "short" arm cast.  I "half-jokingly, half-serious" told family and friends that I was taking along my pj's and a book because there was no way I'd be leaving there WITHOUT my elbow showing!  It was a strange turn of events that followed.


When I got there today, "Old Lefty's" baby blue cast was removed first thing.  Each of the 3 times that I've had a cast removed, I've taken a photo so I could see improvements.  (trying to think in a positive way)

This was taken on August 8th, just 4 days after my accident and 2 days before surgery at Wichita.  The external fixator device that Dr. Goin put in place here in Hutch, shown above,  helped to hold all of the broken parts together long enough for Dr. Chan to operate.  

Here's the way it looked a couple of weeks back,  right before a new cast was put on.  There was so much swelling it seemed.  

Finally, how it looked today, 5 weeks into recovery.  Although you can't see it from this angle, there is a distinctive prominence that concerns me on the left side, near where I broke the ulna.  To me, it gives my arm a very crooked appearance, not quite what I wanted to see.  Dr. Chan didn't think it would be a factor and he just attributed it to swelling that is still occurring and the way that I'm carrying the arm right now.


After the x-rays were taken, I waited in Dr. Chan's office for his verdict to come back-"Short arm" or "Long arm"?  Which would it be?  I was kind of beginning to feel like I was a "prisoner" awaiting sentencing or something.  I already had done 5 weeks "time"!  Couldn't he consider a week off for good behavior or something?


Friends, time for "miracle #2"....check out the photo shown below......

After looking at the x-rays, Dr. Chan felt that my arm could "leap frog" over a short-arm cast and go right into a hard plastic splint.  He was very adamant about the fact that the wrist and fingers have got to start moving, and soon!  His decision came as a shock to me--I was just praying to have the elbow finally exposed.  The decision to use the splint instead of another cast is kind of like going from steel-toed work boots to flip flops.


Kim "the taskmaster" over in physical therapy evaluated my condition and got me started on more exercises to help get my wrist moving once again.  Right now, that body part is "on strike" and it's convinced my left thumb to join the protest.  I have faith that things will get better, but I have a tremendous amount of work ahead of me and many, many weeks of therapy.  


So tonight, here I sit for the first time since August 4th with both limbs, more or less accessible.  Although I have to wear the splint for the next 4 weeks, I am supposed to take it off 4 times a day for 30 minutes each time, in order to do physical therapy.  And although I am happy to have it removed, that old fiberglass cast provided some pretty good "peace of mind" for me.  When "old lefty" was in there, things felt a lot more safe and sound.  And now............


I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't scared and nervous about this change, because I AM!  What if I hit it just right?  Yikes, what if I let the door slam on it?  I'm thinking about being in a crowded Dillon's or on the playground at school.  Will I make it another 30 days without reinjuring it?


And once more that Bible verse from the book of Matthew comes to mind, "Oh ye of little faith....."  I'm thinking pretty sure that God wouldn't stay with me through 4 casts just to run away on the 5th one!  I just need to be careful and trust that this part of "the plan" is going to lead me on to the next stop.  And by the way, you CAN'T miss seeing me-I swear that the color of this splint has GOT to be "get the heck out of my way neon pink".......  


Have a safe weekend family and friends-Good night all!