Liberation!!

The cast is off and another is not going on!! I now have a brace that can be removed for bathing (yippee!!) and some assignments to get my fingers into a fist and my wrist flexing more.

I must say that my wrist feels funky and looks very strange - but it has loosened up even in the hour since the cast was removed. It's going to take some time but I'm actually typing with both hands (not just one or two fingers on my right hand!!) and I have hopes for the future and recovery!

I still do have pain meds tho - and based on the difficulty I'm having making some wrist/arm movements that's probably a good idea!

All in all, a good day!!

Final (I Hope) Week

Next week at this time I'm very hopeful that I will no longer have a cast on my right arm - it's been a long time and I'm ready (I think!!).

It's kind of scary though! The other times the cast has been removed, my wrist has been very painful and I've babied it - so I'm sure it will be painful this time too. But I am getting more function back and I can't say that I will miss this thing! I'm looking forward to a real shower (I'm sure my hand is gross!!) and someday using the blowdryer again! In the meantime, I have to give credit to Donna (my stylist) who came up with a pretty good wash & wear 'do!!

And I know everyone will appreciate it if I can once again sign my name and have it look normal and not like a demented third-grader! I just can't get my left hand to do what I want it to do!Thank goodness I don't write many checks anymore!

Casts, Dust and Stuff

Now if that’s not enough to get your attention!! 1.5 weeks left on the short, lime-green cast and I’m really anxious for it to be gone! The skin on my fingers and exposed part of my hand is scaly, dry, peeling and generally yucky! I’m hoping fresh air and being able to wash will cure that! There is a silver(ish) lining to this ordeal – I haven’t bitten my fingernails since March 2 – the day of the “event”. I couldn’t reach my right hand fingers for a month but my left was available!! I just didn’t do it – and, for the first time since I was very young, I have the beginnings of real fingernails! We’ll have to see if I continue the “good” way – I want to but I’m weak!!

Dust –everywhere I look there’s dust – and I just don’t do anything about it. I can dust with my left hand – but I’m used to picking up with one hand and dusting with the other and THAT ain’t happening! Oh well – it’s not going anywhere! Maybe by my birthday I’ll be able to do more with this silly hand – I hear the physical therapy is terrible but it must be done – SIGH!

This is National Library Week and we’ve got programs galore going on – including beaded booked thongs tomorrow night – really cute and I hope we have lots of teens come make some! Ridley Pearson is coming for a lecture Thursday evening at Central Library – big doings!! The Rescue Squad next door gave us a beautiful basket of goodies for NLW – they’re always so good to us – time to start planning for their special week!

Not much going on - it was sunny and nice (cool) today - great spring day! My azaleas are almost all in bloom and look great as usual - the grass is looking better each week - it's a good time!

Rainy days and Saturdays

Another Saturday - another NCIS marathon (yipee) - and more rain. Best news of all, my taxes are done and filed!! I'm waiting for an acceptance email, I sign a form verifying I am who I am (and no I couldn't immediately find last year's return) and then wait for the money!!

I'm getting ready to pack for Computers in Libraries next week - it's always fun and educational!! So many interesting things to learn about - and bit by bit we're starting to implement some of them at work! It's going to be a bit more difficult with one arm but that's the way it's going to be this year! Maybe next time!!

Speaking of casts (ok I really wasn't but I am now!) this one is worse on the inside than the other two - it's almost gummy (yuck) but fans help. The pain is a little more because of the arm rotation - I REALLY have to remember to take it slow (not a strong suit) and be assured that it will be better. 3 more weeks to my next appointment - splint time I hope!

Unfortunately there's no "group" meeting this month -- watch out May!

Another cast - another month . . .

Another trip to the doctor - another cast cut off (goodbye purple hello green . . . yes I know the picture is of a left hand!) and more x-rays. The bad news is that the wrist has shifted a little more (very slightly) from the last time 2 weeks ago. The good news is that's not all that unusual. It will probably mean that my wrist is slightly crooked (which I don't mind) and the bone will stick out a little and. as long as I have full function, that is OK.

The doctor said the only way to ensure perfect alignment is surgery & a plate. However, there are possible complications from that too. Right now, the complications from a crooked wrist and surgery are a wash - we'll see how things go!

Anyway, my long-arm cast is gone ane I have a short one, beneath my elbow. My poor elbow hasn't stretched in a month and it's a bit sore. But I now have no doubt that elbow movement affects the wrist! I haven't had this much pain since the accident! My arm now can rotate and tears come to my eyes - especially when it happens unexpectedly!

It'll get better - it will just take time - SIGH! My next appointment is in just over 3 weeks (instead of the 2 I was hoping!).

Taxes, Cooking and Misc.

Get your attention?!

Today has the potential to be a very busy day - and I'm basically a very lazy person - SIGH.

My intention was to have my taxes finished in February and, when that didn't happen, to have them done by mid-March. However, I decided to throw myself down on the porch and break my wrist instead. Thoughts of taxes flew out of my mind but now it's the end of March and I don't think the IRS will care about my wrist ordeal! I have my stuff together so I need to sit down with Turbo-Tax and get busy (but first a blog post!!).

I'm also making a pot roast for dinner. I discovered that peeling (or whacking) garlic isn't easy with one arm at a permanent 90 degree angle - nor is chopping up an onion. Luckily help was at hand and the roast got properly browned, garlicked and onioned and is now roasting away. The potatoes, carrots, celery and more onions will be added later. Since the weather today is cold and rainy, this comfort food dinner will be great! Not to mention the leftovers!

Next Sunday I'm off to Arlington and the Computers in Libraries conference. I've checked the weather forecast and, right now, it's cast friendly! Tomorrow I hope to get a new, smaller cast, but cooler weather is always better with plaster I've discovered! I always enjoy this conference and am anxious to go again!

A Beautiful Day

It was a beautiful day and it started well at work. About 3, tho, my arm started throbbing. I hung in until almost five, (got in about 11) then came home to rest and get my arm in the air! Yesterday was my first full day at work - guess it can only handle one but not two days in a row!

When I got home I opened the back door and let the cats enjoy the many birds taking advantage of the puddle of water on the pool cover! They were mostly crows but a couple of robins dropped by too. Both Cleo and Quincy enjoyed the show - at different times of course!

After it cooled down and I closed the door, Cleo jumped up on the ottoman facing the fireplace. She sat there gazing first at the cold hearth then back at her "staff" willing someone (me) with a thumb to turn on the gas. Unlike last night, she was out of luck tonight. She'll have better luck this weekend - it's supposed to get cooler again.

Truly Blessed

I work in a great place for terrific people. Everyone's been so supportive and concerned with my progress with this hunk of plaster on my arm! Emails, phone calls, opening my soda bottles!! (I can open cans but not bottles!!). It really makes the entire ordeal a bit easier knowing that kind of support is there!

I'm very lucky that I have wonderful support outside work too. My friends, neighbors and family check to see if I need anything on their way to run errands and I've gotten lovely flowers and delicious fruit!

In case anyone is interested/concerned - yes. I woke up at 3:30 a.m.! I fell asleep at 10 p.m. and, in my dreams, I heard one ring - like a phone - which it wasn't - and "bink" my eyes flew open! I'm not good at lying in bed so I got up and here I am! I'm sure I'll be back in bed soon. In the meantime, a little surfing, a little reading and I'm good. What's really strange is that there are more interesting TV programs (in my opinion) on at 4 a.m. than during regular "daytime" hours - go figure!

Back to Work . . .

Today was my second day back at work - and I want to thank everyone who suggested I go back part-time! Four hours seems to be the limit my arm and I can handle!

Monday I did too much with the arm - I had the sling but not the waist band and that just allowed me to do more than I probably should have.

Today I had the waist band but I was still tired enough and my arm ached enough that when I came home at noon I took a pain pill and had a nice nap!! This evening has been much better!

I know that slow and steady is the way to go but I don't have a lot of patience - I'm sure that will come as a complete shock to my friends! - and it's hard for me to wait - - but, of course, I will!

PS: to my bank, co-workers for whom I've signed leave slips, etc. - that's not a forgery . . . it's my poor attempt to write with my left hand!!

PPS: kudos to the programmers who created an easy way to switch mouse buttons!!

Two Weeks & Counting

I have fingers!! On my visit to the doctor today he said the cast was too big and I said I couldn't use the sling because the angle wasn't right. He also said that the fracture has slipped a little but not significantly - probably because the cast was slipping.

Anyway, I got a new cast today and my fingers and thumb have been freed! I might actually be able to sign my name soon! My wrist (outside the cast) is a lovely shade of yellow!! My cast is now a "healing" purple - and I am using my sling!

Next appointment the 31st - and another cast - this time a short one!

One Week Down - Five To Go . . .

Well - almost a week now and my cast is like an unwelcome guest at a party! I took this week off and called Thursday to take next week off too. It means that I'll miss All Staff Day - double bummer - but since getting bathed and dressed is a MAJOR issue I thought it was a wise decision!

It's been amazing finding out just how hard it can be not to have use of my arm - even more amazing how cumbersome this silly cast is! And how right-handed I am!! The simplest things are now difficult and don't even ask about a signature!!

I have to say that sleeping has been ok - but I've noted more dreams using my right arm! It does help when it's cold so I guess Va. Power will be happy (when the weather gets warmer)!

PS my cast is bright blue!!