Today on day #200 since my accident last August, I feel fortunate to be able to remove the splint here at home. As I type this blog post with ease, two hands working together, I can well remember all of the times I had to do this with one hand only. Folks, I can tell you right now that was not fun! But at least I could type one-handed and I tried to remember that during those times when it took forever and a darned day just to type a short blog post.
I know when I go to my dr. visit on Friday, that there is an outside chance that one last surgery will have to be done. I'm not looking forward to asking Dr. Chan about it, but I figure it's better to just ask about it right up front and get it over with.
A part of "old lefty", from the pinkie and ring finger down to around the base of my palm is still very numb. Even with physical and occupational therapy, it has remained the same. I've known for some time, heck I've known all along, that they might have to go in and take care of the ulnar nerve by doing something similar to a carpal tunnel release. And if they do that, then it's back in a long-arm cast for another month. I'm going to wait and see what the good doctor says and just go from there.
Dr. Goin, the surgeon who did the initial emergency surgery here in Hutch on the day of the accident warned me that his surgery was only "the first of many that would be needed." I guess my idea of "many" was the number 2....looks like I may have to double it or something.
My bike now stands on the indoor trainer and I've actually ridden it very little in the last month. Somehow, I have just lost the heart for doing it. To be right honest, I'm kind of fearful of taking it out on the street again, fearful of falling another time. I'm thinking "old lefty" couldn't stand another accident like the one in August and for sure, I want "Red Green's hardware" to stay just where Dr. Chan put it. I've been through too much to wish for it to be any other way.
So once again, I'm leaving the decision up to Dr. Chan as to whether or not he wants me on a bicycle again. If he says "OK", then I will summon up the courage to ride again. If he says "NO", then, well, I guess I've got one heck of a nice bike to sell.
And you know, as time has gone on I have grown to appreciate the beauty of that last bicycle ride that I took. Maybe it's because I'm beginning to realize that it might well have been my last one. But man if it was then it was a perfect one, well at least until the end.
That was a delightfully cool early August morning. After days upon days of record breaking heat and no rain, August 4th promised to be a respite from summer's unrelenting high temperatures. A reading of "74 degrees" showed on the Medical Center "time and temperature" as I flew down the street heading south at 6:30 in the morning. Everyone I passed seemed to have a smile on their face that morning. It was if all of us had found the strength to feel "human" again after having to endure one of the hottest summers on record.
Heading south down Main Street, I came across my good friend and former student, Mike Fazio, as he was working at his job for the City of Hutch, hanging up the banners for the upcoming Emancipation Day parade. I waved and yelled "hello" and just kept right on flying down Main Street with little worry about what was soon to happen.
I took the bike path, only this time as I noticed some dark rain clouds building up in the south west, I decided to come off of it a little early. I love a good shower, just not THAT kind. I headed back up Main, stopping to talk a little bit with Mike about the chances of our riding bikes together again soon. After that brief stop, I was heading home once again.
Right before I came upon 14th Street, I decided to make a detour and head over to 17th Street where I had been noticing a couple building a beautiful garden area outside of their home. All summer long I had been meaning to stop and tell them what a nice job they'd been doing. I figured that August 4th was as good a day to do that as any, so off I went.
They were kind of surprised to see a woman on a bike come peeling into their driveway. I stopped and introduced myself and we talked about 5 minutes about what they'd been doing and we were strangers no more. The clouds were getting darker so I thought I'd better head on home.
With almost 10 miles on my odometer for the morning I felt good. And for whatever other crazy reason, I was happily speeding along...really, going way too fast. By the time I rounded the corner heading to home I glanced at my speedometer and saw I was going between 9-10 miles per hour. Well, it's a little hard to make the turn into your own driveway going THAT speed. So when I saw that I was going to miss it, I just decided to do what any normal "10-year old" bike rider would do....I tried to jump the curb and the REST is history.
No matter what happens on Friday, no matter what Dr. Chan's final verdict will be, I'm grateful for everything that didn't happen to me that day. And really, still grateful for what did. Having a busted up arm for this long of a time has taught me so much about how I was looking at life and I'm telling you, the way that I was looking at it wasn't always the way I should have been. The 4th of August wasn't the best day that I ever had but thankfully it wasn't the worst either. For these, the littlest of things, I do so give thanks.
Good night friends! Stay well and at peace....
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