I wondered what kind of lesson God would wish for me to learn from this whole "PEGGY MILLER IS GOING TO TRY TO JUMP THE CURB WITH HER BIKE" fiasco. I'm starting to see one right now and once again, as a teacher-I am sure a slow learner!
When the cast came off on Friday, it was a scary thing. In fact, I almost wanted to say, "Put it back on. I need it to protect me!" Although I was so thankful not to have to carry that heavy burden any longer, it DID provide me with a sense of security. Now I would be faced with the possibility of someone running into me, an errant playground ball crashing into me at recess time. The final words that Dr. Chan said to me as I left the office were, "Be careful not to fall!" and he meant it.
Since leaving my appointment Friday, I have been working diligently on all the exercises that Kim prescribed for me. I do them 3 times a day, more if I can. This I have to tell you, they are NOT fun! In fact they are downright painful. But I choose to get better so I do them anyway. I've also been doing "contrast baths", soaking the left forearm in very warm and then very cool water. Wish I could tell you that it's really making a huge difference in the swelling. But really, I don't see it yet. Here's a photo of "old lefty" this morning.....6 weeks into the future from August 4th:
The doctor has a few concerns, with good reason, about the massive amount of swelling still in the wrist area. That's why it is so important for me to keep up the regime of exercise and the contrast baths. The range of motion in my wrist is probably about 25-35% of what it should be and I'm hoping to regain as much as possible. I am not holding out for 100% and although I know that's not looking at it in the most optimistic way, I prefer to not have my hopes "dashed" when that doesn't happen. My plan is to work very hard to get what I can back, but to be grateful in the end for what ever returns.
You know how all of us are, right? We just move right along life's path every day, taking for granted the wonderful and amazing bodies we are all given. The lungs breath in and out and we don't have to worry about it. Our hearts just keep on ticking and our blood knows just the path to take to keep us all alive and going. Our eyes see, our ears hear even the softest of sounds. And our hands give "high 5's" without even thinking about how to do it. Folks, here's the where the lesson learned comes in.....
For the least, no I say for the VERY least of things I have learned to be, not ONLY thankful, but very cognizant of. Things that I once took for granted, I now notice almost instantaneously. I have had some improvements, and even though they are tiny in respect to the whole scheme of a working body, they mean "hope" for me.
This morning I noticed for the first time that the thumb of "old lefty" has FINALLY left the "picket line" that it joined with my wrist. It has decided that maybe it's time to get back to work. I found this morning, almost accidentally, that my thumb can now flex enough to touch each of the fingers of the hand. It's a bit of a stretch but I CAN DO IT!
I can use my left hand to cuff up the right side sleeve of my t-shirt. I can now push a Dillon's cart with both hands instead of pulling it with the right hand. The Dillon's workers are grateful for that-I've wiped out a couple of displays at the 5th Street Dillon's here in town with my wild, one-handed cart pulling style! LOL I can kind-of, sort-of use my left hand while driving and every light switch that I turn off or on is done left-handed. See? It's really not all bad! Only seems as if it is!
The one thing that has improved that I truly am grateful for is that I can now use both hands to type again. What a blessing! I am nearly as fast and accurate as I was before August 4th. Sure makes typing these blog pages so much easier. I was grateful that my son, Grahame and my sister, Cindy helped me keep my blog going during the worst of times. Just glad that I can now do most all of it on my own.
As I look at the pages of this blog, even the ones way earlier than August 4th, it has been interesting to see the road that I've been on. What innocently began as a way to chronicle my journey on the Bike Across Kansas this past June has now become my Bucket List journey. Hey, I say "thank you" that you care to choose reading this as well as my gratitude for the help and encouragement each of you so freely give to me and the others around you each day.
I've said that this has been the most expensive bike ride that Peggy Miller ever went on! With hospital bills coming in daily (thanking God for BC/BS health insurance) it's easy to see that this hasn't just been a small issue to take care of. Things will probably never be the same for "old lefty" but as my children, and many others have reminded me...I should be thankful to still have my arm with a hand attached to the wrist and 5 fingers that for the most part will try to do what is asked of them. With a "lump in my throat" right now, I say they are exactly right!
Have a wonderful Wednesday my friends! Take good care of yourselves-NO curb jumping by any kind of vehicle, ok?
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