Where I've Been (The Big Thing)

So it's been a while since my last blog post a few things that happened. One thing that was kind of small I thought it was the big thing at the time... and then the Big Thing happened.

So first the little thing. That would be Girl Scout cookie sales. If you've ever been a troop leader you know that takes over your life for a few months. All those cookies, all that paperwork... But I'm a leader and it's our troops budget for the next year so there's no getting around it.

And then when cookie sales were done, the Big Thing happened.

It went like this.

It was Friday, the last day of spring break and it was rainy. My daughter wanted to go to the roller skating rink... I think you can see where this is going, right?

Me and my daughter cruising around the rink... My tween age girl, actually wanting to hold my hand! The sweetest moment.

And then it all came crashing down. Literally. Another child on the rink fell down and ran into me and my daughter. When the dust cleared, I looked down and saw that my arm was not right.

Arms are supposed to be straight but now my arm had kind of a dogleg at the wrist. And it hurt. Bad.

Seven hours later I left the emergency room with my arm in a splint to the next week I would have surgery to put a steel plate in.

And so now roughly 6 weeks from the accident I still have a cast on my arm, one that goes all the way over my elbow.

This arm thing has pretty much taken over my life. I have to keep it elevated most of the day. Typing is all one-handed. I've gotten pretty speedy with the hunt and peck, but it's nowhere near as fast as I type with two hands. Which kind of sucks when your job is blogging.

I can't drive. I can't shower or get dressed without assistance. I can't sleep in my own bed.

To say it's have an impact on my family is an understatement.

My daughter... She's having to get used to mom not having a car, not being able to pick her up from school (she's riding the bus now), and not being able to bring her friends home or stop after school for afterschool snacks. No sleepovers at our house because of that whole I'm sleeping on the sofa thing. She is not the center of the household riht now. That's a lot of adjustments for an 11-year-old. But she's taking it in stride and I am super proud of her.

And my husband. My sweet, patient husband who has taken on all the responsibility of running this house and caring for his wife, without a word of complaint. I am now a second job after he gets home from working all day. I don't deserve this man. Very soon, he totally deserves to be treated for all his hard work. Maybe, come Valentine's Day, I'll plan out a whole thing, make it personal and arrange something special for him, reciprocating all his love and affection for me.

And my mother, who comes over every day when my husband is at work to make sure I have food to eat for lunch, and who helps get me showered and dressed. Every day. My mother loves me.

And my mother-in-law who is always so quick to jump in to provide transportation for me or my daughter. And who came over and spent her day sewing a beautiful new sling for my cast. And then did it again and again so I now have a whole wardrobe for my arm cast.

It's been a challenging 6 weeks (with more to come) but I can say I'm truly blessed. I have individual critical illness insurance so that half second of an accident isn't going to make us homeless. And with a bit of creativity and continued healing, a lot of my "I can't"s are turning into "I can"s. And more than anything I am loved. Actively loved.