HEALED ENOUGH TO TYPE

I know it's been awhile since I apprised you of the great bike accident. As you can imagine, I haven't posted since then because a) I've been overwhelmed with fatigue, especially when it takes me so much longer to do my daily tasks, and b) because I could type only with my right hand. But things have improved.

After spending 10 days with my arm in a splint and sling, I was finally able to see an orthopedist. He looked at at the x-rays and determined that the bone would heal with or without a cast if I were careful with my arm. Furthermore, a cast would keep me from regaining full mobility of my arm. I told him I loved him for the good news!

What I actually had was a hairline fracture in a bone right where it attaches to my elbow. That makes sense, especially since all my weight landed on that spot when I fell off my bike. Perhaps I'd better back up a minute and explain the accident. I'd ridden all the way to work and was just about to get off my bike at a bike rack near my office. My front tire slipped off the sidewalk onto some wood chips surrounding a huge tree. I tried to just get back on the sidewalk, but the dip was deeper than I thought and my bike and I fell over to my left onto the sidewalk. It hurt.

I immediately saw stars and thought I was going to pass out. But I sat there for awhile (many people kindly offered to help) and eventually was able to get up. That was about 2:00. I then taught a 90-minute class until 4 p.m., waited until 7 p.m. and taught a 3-hour class. I walked around for 3 days before I thought I should go to a doctor. My arm started turning black and blue and I couldn't extend it all the way. (I still can't.)

At this point, the worst of it is how sore I am all over from the fall. My back hurts more than my arm, but I'm extremely grateful that it wasn't worse, that Kent has been kind enough to drive me to work and that I didn't have to endure a cast for six weeks. I go back to the doctor in another week for new x-rays to see how it's healing. Thanks to everyone who wrote messages of sympathy and encouragement to me.