Hey y'all!
It's been a lil minute, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day, and anything else I missed.
Three months ago I broke my wrist… It's crazy how your whole life can change in a split second.
I learned a lot from a broken wrist though. It’s the kind of thing that comes without warning, like a hard breakup or a lost job. Those types of challenges can be painful, but they can also serve as a catalyst for personal and spiritual growth. They may knock us out of our comfort zone, but that’s where we grow. One second everything is just grand, then the next, all hell seems to break loose. BUT GOD.
Just think about how many times God allowed a negative situation in your life to turn out positive for His glory and the good of His Kingdom. That truth should give us all hope, because we know that there is no hopeless situation with the Lord. We all know the Bible is full of examples, and I believe what happened to me is a perfect example of this truth, too. WARNING: This post contains graphic photos.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
So here's what happened. It was just two days before Christmas, my dude and I had been invited to a birthday party at Golden Glide (a skating rink in East Atlanta). I hadn't been skating since high school (About 10 years), so I was very excited and nervous at the same time. Everything was gravy and I was doing pretty well, considering I had not fallen once.
My sister, who tagged along with us that night, somehow convinced me that I could skate a little faster. (OK, yes, I had only been skating to the slow songs and in the middle lol!) But I finally got up the nerve. We held hands as we started to pick up speed, I was having a blast, I can't even lie! However, as we came around to finish off the lap, we lost control and that was all she wrote... Oh, and I was under the influence too. (Consider yourself warned.)
BOOM! In that split second, I knew something was wrong.
A common reaction for anyone hitting the ground is to put out a hand to break the fall. Well, I did break my fall – and my wrist. I immediately grabbed it and felt as though I was going to pass out. Everyone rushed over to help us up, but I was done! I demanded the skates come off right away! The pain was so intense, embarrassment was the least of my concern. I had never felt anything like that before.
Not wanting to be a party pooper, I played it cool and sat on the side while everyone else enjoyed the rest of the night. I figured it was just sprained at most. ( I mean I've never sprained or broken anything in my life, so I didn't really know what to expect.) We stopped by a gas station for ice on the way home. I couldn't believe it, "I never get hurt!", was all I kept saying. They reassured me that it's probably just a sprain and there was no need to worry.
The next morning came and it felt worst than before and looked as though someone had pumped my arm with air overnight. BUT, it was Christmas Eve and we had things to do, so my dude wrapped it for me and I popped a few pain pills and went about my day, well actually 3 days... SMH.
It wasn't until the day after Christmas, while at work, that I was in unbearable pain. I went to the emergency room right after work and sat there for 6 hours. When I went in for an x-ray, the prognosis was a distal radius fracture. That’s when I finally cried “I do not have time for this!”. Hearing those words made me sick to my stomach. All this time I'm thinking it was just a sprain and now this. Not to mention the lady sitting next to me telling her broken arm horror story. They wrapped my arm in a splint all the way up to my elbow, prescribed me pain meds, and sent me home to follow up with an orthopedic doctor.
Two weeks later, I found out it broke BROKE and I was going to need surgery to fix it. In fact, a metal plate and a few screws would be needed to secure the bone as well. I almost fainted when she told me that! (I'd only had two surgeries in my life, wisdom teeth removal and a c-section).
Once that was over -- surgery performed, wrist casted -- life marched on. But not really. Because I still couldn't use my left arm or hand. Now I had to spend an indefinite amount of time staying put, allowing the bone I couldn't even see to heal. It meant I had no choice but to stop, reflect and figure out how to survive being laid up.
I can honestly say that I’ve learned a lot about myself and the people in my life through this accident and subsequent days in bed, in and out of the doctor's office, and physical therapy. All good, all positive though! So in no particular order, here they are!
LESSONS LEARNED FROM A BROKEN WRIST
WE MUST APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS.
OMG. The physical impact was intense, I found the simplest task impossible and everything felt like it took forever to get done. I couldn’t sleep comfortably and I couldn’t pick up or carry anything. Things I always took for granted were suddenly really confronting like doing my hair, putting on my bra, bathing my baby, cooking, and even plugging in my phone charger. Tragic, I know.
Listen, when things go smoothly, we take so much for granted. Of course, we know how to walk and talk and hear, we think. But what we forget is how much of a blessing is it that we are able to make hundreds of muscles move in sync to achieve these routine tasks (Trust me, I still struggle picking up small items, laying my palm flat, and lifting my ring finger). And not to mention how euphoric it can feel to breathe in fresh air outside the four walls of our rooms.
So, please guys, before we even fix our mouths to complain, let’s pause for a bit, look around a little, and count our many blessings a lot more.
REST+RELAX=JUST CHILL. IT'S NECESSARY.
Man, did I have grand plans for 2019! Losing my dad in November was already hard enough. I mean, I couldn’t wait to hit the ground running with a very full plate of flavorful projects waiting to be completed and/or started. Every day was Ready, Set, Go... BUT I was forced to stop. God was giving me a very big message to slow down and chill. To just stay with the present moment and the present task at hand.
The big Truth is that’s all there is, this moment, in this realm, in this space. And the truth is you can only accomplish one thing, well, at a time. Multitaskers, like myself have a really hard time with this. So I instantly went from Multi to Monotasker, wow! Ya'll better listen!
BEAUTY IS A LIFE SAVER.
Of course it's tempting to hibernate until you're all better, but some things are necessary in this recipe for disaster. Like getting your hair and nails done. (Yes, I gladly placed my little casted paw on the table to get a fill in, lol) As superficial as it may sound, looking good IS feeling good, and if you sacrifice your fill ins, your hair appointments, your wax, or any other routine that makes you feel like you, you'll find yourself feeling even worst! It's easy to get over the stares when your hair is bomb! And of course a cast draws attention to your hands, why not have nice nails to complete the package?
I HAVE A HIGH PAIN TOLERANCE, THANKS TO TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS.
There’s induced pain (tattoos/piercings) and real pain(breaking a bone), but I’m sure the fact that I went three whole days with a broken wrist was because I’ve practiced handling pain during various tatting sessions. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
I’M SURROUNDED BY AMAZING AND LOVING PEOPLE.
It is pretty amazing how everyone comes together to support you. My boyfriend and son were simply amazing, taking on many of my chores, taking care of me, nursing and worrying about me; my job and clients were considerate when timelines were set back a few weeks or more; other friends and family pitched in and checked on my progress as well. My mom and bonus mom cooked meals for us that were simply delicious! I am pretty blessed to have such a fantastic network of family, friends, and clients. I am very grateful for this and I truly feel loved.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL MAN.
I already knew this but, the thought alone helped begin my healing process. The hardest thing was watching how much my ‘disability’ affected my dude. I mean, I'm super mom and now one incident has changed all of this. He had to take on all of my tasks.
As the days went by, I could see the fatigue growing, and an increasing effort was required to endure. But he endured. And then he endured some more. My love for him has grown. I'm so proud of my man and I thank God for him everyday.
Now, as physical therapy strengthens my wrist, I continue to keep these life lessons in mind. And, I'm happy with what I'm doing.
Turns out, my broken wrist was one of the best things that ever happened to me! (crazy, right?) Love you guys and thanks so much for loving and supporting me!
P.S. Details on this look are below!
wearing: thrifted blouse, shorts, and blazer|necklace - burlington coat factory| charlotte russe boots |kendra scott ana statement earrings in gold|mac, ruby woo on the lippie