Surgery Is As Good As A Holiday
Note the medically professional dressing of panda band-aids. I ran out of the 'proper' tape, so am making do:)
A few weeks ago I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand. The good news is that it has been extremely effective in relieving the carpal tunnel symptoms I was experiencing, and after the first week, not particularly painful. The other good news is that for weeks I have been hardly able to do a thing that requires any sustained effort or lifting anything or even twisting with my right hand. I haven't been able to do the dishes, sweep the floor, chop wood, work in the garden, cut vegetables, write or type. For almost two weeks I didn't even drive. It has been marvellously relaxing!
I have been.. pottering. Reading, weeding with my left hand, rearranging books and eclectica, tidying shelves, having cups of tea with my friends, and being very grateful for the sustained help from Paul and my lovely daughters. This afternoon Posy and one of her school friends chopped a load of kindling for me.
I even went to Melbourne and had my older two children cook for me and do the dishes, and in return I tidied their shelves and rearranged their books and educated them about all the edible weeds growing in their lawn, for which I am sure they were very grateful..
Paul gifted me with banksia cones from his garden. I put them in a dish on the table. This is about the level of activity I have been indulging in.
Over the last week I have recovered lots of strength and mobility in my hand. Yesterday I swept the floor for the first time in a while, and it was entertaining in its novelty. I can now type using both hands for twenty minutes or so at a time. I can lift slightly heavier things. I can dry some of the dishes! I can do the laundry and hang it up, I can cook but I still can't cut up the veg.
It has been a really lovely life hiatus, hibernating in front of the fire in the depths of winter and contemplating where I've been and where I'm going. It is also good now to be able to start to pick up the threads of life again and get back to being a bit more useful.
Spring is coming, and with it a whole year of fresh new ventures. I can't wait!
Comments
I wonder what you discovered about yourself in your resting time?
Welcome back
Cheers kate
Linda in NZ
Enjoy your week end!
Patricia/USA
Anna, you are so right!
Fran, tidying is eminently possible with one hand, and luckily, photos don't show the dirt/dog hair/cat hair/human hair all over the floor:) Wooden floors are the best, so forgiving of dirt. Paul vaccuumed thoroughly two weeks ago, and then it was two weeks until I swept. That was some haul of dust. Still haven't cleaned the bathroom. Almost a month now! The girls have been fabulous cooks and bottle washers and I haven't pushed their goodwill too far..
I'd love to see you crank up the old blog again - it was always a joy, and spring is a wonderful season of new beginnings..
Linda, thank you! And yes, it is very humbling to realise the generosity of friends and family, from the neighbour who brought me soup, to the friend who folded my washing for me, to my girls who have uncomplainingly stepped up to do more of the household chores.
Patricia, thank you, and yes, time for contemplation has been very fruitful. I hope your weekend is enjoyable and that the Florida summer is not wearing you out too much. I love every change of season, from warm to cold and cold to warm, so I hope your cool season is just around the corner..
Gretchen Joanna, yes, i chose mid-winter for surgery as I had a lot of pruning to do in other people's gardens before i could indulge in surgery! And it has turned out to be a perfect time for hibernation and re-evaluation. i should take six weeks off every winter for that purpose:)
PS Only some shelves are tidy. There are plenty to go on with:)
Winter is the time for sleep and recuperation, and you have done that in true style. Glad to hear that your hand is healing and that Paul (and I also assume the Jo-collective) are looking after you.
Did you get the snow last week? Bonkers...
Cheers
Chris
Now don’t you go typing for extended periods and wreak your wrist again.
Love Lucinda (bugger the Wordpress Blogger feud. I have to post anonymously)