Saturday, August 30, 2008

Breaking News

Well, this morning my pain is down and I have more movement in my arms. Heck, typing is practically easy. However, the fingers on my right hand are swollen like little sausages and flexing them is difficult. The angry purple bruising on the palm of my hand is almost vanished but I still have this cheetah-spot pattern from the asphalt that will likely linger for a while.

Friday, August 29, 2008

You win again gravity!

This is a little embarrassing. Yesterday, at the car wash, whilst carrying the empty soda cans out of my car, I tripped and fell. Hard. On my wrist. There was that half second that seemed to hand on forever when I could feel myself about to fall over. And then I fell onto the asphalt. My knee and my my right hand stung immediately and then I realized that I could not actually get up. I just could not put any pressure on my hand.

By the time I got home I wa unable to use my hand for anything. I could move the fingers but not rotate my wrist of arm, or apply pressure. I took a tylenol and applied an ice pack. Two hours later with no improvement, Andy took the me to the hospital.

Taking x-rays was very difficult. I simply could not extend my arm to lay it flat. The technitian got frustrated, I think, and forced my arm in place, which caused me to scream and swear like a sailor. Not cool.

The good news is that I did not fracture my wrist. Hooray! I have a wrist sprain. The bad news is that it hurts like hell and there's nothing to do except take aspirin and rest. I was not thrilled to be told this. My arm hurt way too much to be a "sprain." The nurse wrapped my arm up in the bandage and put my arm in the sling. If I had a camera I'd share a sad picture of me with my arm in a sling, still in my pj's because I can not manage to raise my arm enough to get dress.

Today I feel better but I'm still in pain. I can move my fingers without pain (yes!) and can apply enough force to do simple things like open a can of soda. Last night I could not and then discovered that I was too tired to figure out how to open the can with my left hand. I can lift my arm but not extend it straight. I can not scratch my nose with my right hand, for example. Or brush my hair.

I also realized that while I am a Lefty, almost every daily task is down with my right hand. Which is frustrating.

My knee, however, is a festive shade of purple but does not hurt. Odd. Then again I have not been up and down a dozen staircases today. Given the chance, I'm sure it will smart.

All in all, I'm sore but fine. And I do look silly in the sling. Andy says I should get an eye patch. Not because I need it, just so I can pretend to be a pirate, which would make me feel better. :) I think he's right. Argh!

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Wonder Who He Is


I've been scanning old photos from Center in the Park for a 40th anniversary project. Yesterday I found a treasure trove in the file room. My favorite photo so far is mysteriously labeled: Joe Brown, First Driver.

I assume Mr. Brown was the first bus driver for Center in the Park. Still, the photo is funky. People just do not wear leisure suits enough nowadays.