Broken not So Much

It is now post 4 plus months since I fell. The cast has long been removed as well as the sling for the right shoulder. Thus making it easier to do things…dishes, cleaning, and cooking. So I have been slowly working my way back to doing normal stuff. Light weight stuff, working my way up to more weight for both the wrist and the right shoulder.

The wrist healed up and has improved with PT very well. Though using it will give even more improvement. I have a small lump where the ulna has repaired. I will have to be careful to not hit that lump. It is still quite tender and touchy.

The shoulder has taken a bit longer. As it was the more broken part. The ball pieces have come back together as a “ball”. The ball has reattached to the humerus. Time has been given to make sure those repairs have healed strongly. I didn't get to do strength training, though I did more than the surgeon or PT approved just around the house. But I was very careful to listen to my shoulder and not over due anything. I do not want to do more harm but yet there is a life that needs to be done. I am not lucky enough to have helpful elves to do my daily work.

Come March I will have had 20 PT sessions - 12 the first round and 8 the second (mostly centered on the right shoulder). I have range of motion now just above the shoulder. I would like to have a bit more because doing my hair is not all that easy - no bun yet. Throwing wood upon the pile above my head will not be possible. Reaching with the right arm is just not where I would like to have it. Hopefully I can get a few more session that help get that range of motion back. The arm can stretch farther, the muscles just are not working at that point yet. PT has not felt I have reached my plateau yet.

Most everything that was done or used to make things easier for this has been returned to normal - the mug w/straw, extra cushions on my chair, the cot, extra pillows, slit shirts, sling, and wipes. I still wear the removable cast whenever I leave the house. It is added caution for my wrist just in case I should fall. Iowa this winter has been challenging. Ice and snow cones and goes often.

So my long over due update is good. I have made leaps and bounds of improvement. But there is still room for more. Hopefully over 90 percent if I have my way.

Sub and I are discussing how the garden will go this summer. Digging will take working into so sub gets to do my digging. How to trim and clean up our fruit trees - set the ladder much better, sub holding the bottom, and me taking my time to do things stopping when I feel tired or sore. Post pounding will be his job…tomatoes stakes.

Many say “stay off of ladders!”. I can't do that. There are many projects that use, or have, ladders involved. It is inevitable that I will use a ladder. But the project that got me damaged will need other(s) to help me get it done. It will be an early season project and I know my stamina will not be there. Stamina that will be needed to accomplish the project safely. As well as most other projects.

I'll work on that stamina all summer to get myself better able to do more and more. Even splitting wood is not going to happen until June or July. I'll be starting out with a very light stick to get the motion back. Then adding a light ax with eventually getting back to my normal splitting maul. Sub figures I may have to adjust my swing to do it. We'll see how it feels and goes. It will make my swing much less interesting to others. But I just want to be able to split the “easy” pieces.