Healing Through Time Part II

Please note: This post has some graphic images.  No images with blood are posted.

I broke my elbow in a biking accident last summer.  The very blessed news is that I didn't get run over by a car as I sat on the edge of the road. 

I got to Urgent Care that afternoon of June 7, 2018 and the next day, I had a visit with my surgeon  and scheduled surgery for Monday.  My friend, Kim Hammer, gave me some suggestions  about questions to ask my surgeon about how he would care for me.  Asking if he would do the same kind of surgery on a 30 year old male as a woman of my age.
Answer: "Yes, exactly the same." Asking if I will have full mobility of my elbow? Answer: "Yes." Asking how long all the healing would take. Answer: "It will take time."  No definitive answer.

Me faking a smile post surgery with flowers from Kendra. The flowers do make me smile. During this time, I couldn't comb my hair, bend my arm, drive a car, ride a bike, paddle a kayak.  I could take walks, hang out, and listen to audio books.  Lots of that happened.  Bob brushed and braided my hair.  I needed to wear a plastic sleeve when I showered and Bob had to help me put that on.  I had to learn to ask for lots of help.  For an independent person, that was a tall order.  I also had lots of pain.  I used the medicines prescribed, but they made my stomach hurt.  I moved off them quickly and went to Ibuprofen and a homeopathic remedy called arnica.

The lucky part of the summer was that I had many weddings and gathering scheduled.  That got me out and about and helped my mood stay happy!

My BFF, Jenny got married to Steve on June 19, 2018 at the Children's Museum in in Madison, Wisconsin. My good friend, Lyn helped me get there by giving me a ride.

 June 26, 2018 Partial cast on

 June 27, Partial cast off

June 27, 2018 My hand very puffy from lack of use.  

July 1, 2018, Amaliya and Deva came to visit and cheer me on!

 July 2018, Grand Marias Art Festival.  Karen, Lyn, Inge and I painting on the grand mural.

 Compression tape to help bring the inflammation down.

 River walks to cheer my spirit.

July 7, 2018, Heather and Mark's wedding reception.

In early July, I began orthopedic therapy.  It hurt and it helped.  I began many repetitions of carrying a heavy suitcase and bending my arm up toward my shoulder.  It would be many months before I could touch my shoulder.

Something is not healing correctly.  Hmmmm, not so good.

 Joann, Tracy, and I

 Jamie and Jodi

Women's cabin weekend, July 30, 2018 to celebrate Jamie's 60th birth year!

Lori, my sister, put on a beautiful shower for her daughter Jen, and new son, Austin. August 11, 2018.

 Little vases of summer flowers from the yard.

2nd surgery to clean up the infection called pseudomonas, August 16, 2016.  Had to keep it dry once again.  This time the incision did heal within one week.  No more infection!  Hallelujah!!!!

 August 29, 2018. School starts in a couple of days.  

First Kindergarten art class, September 7, 2018.  The beginning of a year of 6 art classes back to back on Mondays and Fridays.  200 students per week.  Woosh.  Here  we go!!!

September 9, 2018, beginning to look a little better.  It is amazing how old and tired a person feels when injured.

 September 15, 2018, Farmer's Market Flowers.  Oh what a delight.

September 21, 2018, Amaliya and I loving our "Minnesota" sweatshirt and "She is Fierce" t-shirt!

 Dancing in the streets of Winona, September 22, 2018

 Bob and I heading to the Renaissance Fair to meet up with Amaliya, September 29, 2018.

 Amaliya and I celebrating Jen and Austin's wedding. October 6, 2018.

 Bob and I at Sioux Falls Park, October 7, 2018.

Grandparent's and Special Person Day,October 12, 2018 in the Art Room with Marcus and Grandpa Dave and Brenden.

 Halloween 2018, Kylie and her brother, Lane.

 October River Walk feeling stronger.

 Wang Ping and making peace flags with Ana at the Winona Public Library, Nov 10, 2018.

 Life Source event with Amaliya, Melony and Bob and I, November 17, 2018.

 Bob and I on a hike, November 23, day after Thanksgiving for free State Park Day.

 Art Room, November 26, 2018

My Birthday Weekend with Amaliya, Kim, Inge, Lyn, Kathy.  Wow, what a treat.  December 8-9, 2018.

 Winter Concert 2018, Wow!

 December 16, 2018. Filled with wonder.

 First Graders stringing popcorn and cranberries for the birds.

 December elf looking to find good children every where.

 Christmas stolen arrived on December 21, the day that I touched my shoulder!

 Playing with Amaliya and Bob for a holiday joy! Minnihaha Falls, Holidazzle, cookie making!

 Christmas Eve with Bob's Dad's Birthday!  Happy Day!!!

 I won at Mexican Trains.  Bob and I playing on Christmas evening!

Looking at the lovely lights on the river in La Crosse, Wisconsin

 Cozy with two cuties, Norris and Tara.

 June and Becca.  June finished her dissertation!  Wonderful to celebrate her on New Year's Eve.

New Year's Day with friendship, healing, and love.  Happy 2019.

Here is another post about bringing peace to healing pain that may be interesting.

Healing Injury through Time Part I

Love heals.  Here's the beginning of the story of my injury and coming back to be fully mobile.

It was June 7, 2018.  I'd gotten  a new road bike a couple months earlier and just purchased clip-less shoes and peddles.  I'd been practicing clipping out and back in again when I needed to stop.  Clip-less shoes and peddles are the kind that literally clip you onto the peddle.  It increases speed.  Veteran bicyclists would not bike without this great invention.  I'd been a bit unsure. After talking with the woman at our local bike shop, I decided to go for it! I was up for the challenge and excited about a full summer ahead for riding, paddling, walking, dancing and making art.

Bob, my husband and I were heading across the new bridge in Winona on our way to Fountain City, Wisconsin.  I don't have any pictures of how cool all of this looked.  It was a hot day, still early enough in the day to enjoy.  The breeze from the bike was great! Bob and I are both teachers and having a bit of freedom from our busy teaching responsibilities was a great feeling.

We were almost to the signal light.  We were going to get to the left to make a left turn to Hwy 35.  The road shoulder had a soft down hill curve from the road.  I needed to bump over to get to the road.  Instead of hitting that bump at a 45 degree angle, I hit it parallel.  My skinny road bike tires reacted to this dilemma by throwing me and the bike over to the right.  I hit my elbow and came crashing to a stop.

Everyone asks, "Were you wearing a helmet?"  Yes, I was.  Or another question, "How was the bike?"  Bike was fine.  I was not so fine.  My elbow hurt so bad and I was bleeding from a small rock that entered my arm.  I began crying, wailing actually as I sat on the edge of the road.  I called to Bob who was riding ahead of me.  I told him that I didn't think that I could go all the way.  He said no.  He got me off the road and to the edge.  He washed my bleeding arm and we rested there for a bit.

A very kind person in a white car stopped and asked if we needed help or a ride to the emergency room.  We said no.  I didn't think that I needed to go and I didn't want to bleed all over her nice white car.

We got up and began walking back. I was still crying and quite a mess.  Bob offered to walk both of our bikes.  At that point, I thought that I'd calm down and get on my bike and ride home.  But in my mind and heart, I was hoping for a ride.

And then along came a Fish and Wildlife Ranger from the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge.  He asked if I needed to go to the hospital.  I said no thanks.  He didn't have enough room for both of us and our bikes in his truck.  Bob said he could stash the bikes in the weeds along the side of the road.  I was so scared that someone would steal our bikes.  Bob said no, they'd be ok.  The wildlife guy told us to wait here a bit and he'd be right back.

What he did was radio another ranger fellow to give us a ride.  And within about 10 minutes, another truck came that could haul two humans and two bikes.  He gave us a ride home.  What a relief.

When we got home, Bob helped me clean us my injury.  He asked again, if we should go to the doctor.  I decided that we should go.  We went to Urgent Care.  They took an X-ray and found that I'd broken my elbow in three places.  I'd need a surgery to repair the broken bone.

More to come; stay tuned.