an exercise in patience & positivity...

I'm beginning to feel like a walking accident.

I never used to get hurt or go to the hospital, but since coming back here in August it's been one thing after another. My first time entering the Health Centre here was in September, even though I'd been living here for 4 years. (That should tell you something!) In September I went to emergency for a swollen, sore eye; in November I sliced my finger badly on a screw (but didn't go to any doctors); in January I twisted my left knee skiing (went to emerg & got x-rays, went to another doctor later, and I finally start physio this Monday); and yesterday I fell on an icy sidewalk and sprained my right elbow. (I fell on my hands but that jarred my elbow.) Way to start off February!

Seriously, this stuff never happens to me & I never get really sick with anything. What's going on? Am I hanging around accident-prone people too much?

I fell at 1:30, on my way to practice a piano concerto with a friend, so that ended up not happening! I could bend it quite a bit at first and nothing felt broken, so I figured I could leave it and see what it was like in the morning. I decided to still go to work but it got progressively worse. I had to do everything left-handedly (except write logs - that was painful!) and hold my arm as though it were in a sling.

I decided to go to emerg right away after work, and phoned my boss, whose husband picked me up. Bless their hearts. I was crying by then from the pain & frustration. I was there nearly an hour for the registering, getting examined, and getting some Ibuprofen and a sling, before I got home. I went back this morning for x-rays and "wasted" nearly 2 hours there, just waiting to find out that nothing was broken and get a thing to rest my arm in. Fun times.

Thankfully it's MUCH better today, more mobility and less pain because the swelling is down a lot. Honestly, have you ever tried to do everything left-handed or with one hand? It's awfully hard to brush your teeth, change clothes, put on coats, etc. But today I can even type and do some things with my right arm. :) I'm supposed to rest my arm for 4-5 days, ice it, etc.

So the things I'm thankful for in the midst of this:

• it didn't happen before my piano exam
• I can still sing
• I don't absolutely have to play piano soon
  
• the girls I accompany for will be understanding that I can't play for them on Monday (I think! ;))
• my elbow didn't break
• I didn't fall on my bad knee
• I carried home a bunch of heavy groceries the night before, and did laundry the day before too
  
• health care, even though it means lots of waiting
• my job yesterday involved taking clients places and not a lot of physical work
  
• a good coworker who was able to do a lot of the harder work last night while I did more fun things (and things easier on my arm!)
• a kind boss and friend
• pain killers
• I was able to sleep well last night
• I have a weekend to get somewhat better
  

I was reading yesterday morning about the Shunammite woman and how God tested her faith in various ways. So when this unexpected thing happened, I refused to get too discouraged, but looked for ways to still praise God. After all, it's not like it's the end of the world. Maybe He's trying to teach me patience through these things, or empathy for those I work with, or something! It's definitely made me realize how I take my working body for granted, never thinking about those joints & ligaments until they don't work properly!

Hope you all have a better weekend, and don't fall! :)