learning grace, shutting up, updating
I've been very busy this week and the universe taught me many lessons.
On Monday it was a historic day at work. I can't really explain more than that - it was a great celebration and we were all excited and too distracted to work. The boss wore an orange traffic vest!
We all wore orange and that's all I can say.
That evening I took a long route to an even bigger event where I worked hard and was thrilled, as usual, to be with the men and women I work with. I am grateful every single day.
What a time for us at my job!
I encountered, this week, someone who had cut their thumb badly and was bandaged and hurting, and though I wanted to say something like: oh, yeah? that's all you've got? a cut on your thumb?
I regrouped and thought better and commiserated. I realized that every person's injury is important to them, significant and painful. I am told this every week at PT but this week it became real. With no easily visible injury, I don't get much attention anymore. I heard another PT patient lament this a few weeks ago and scratched my head but I am exactly in that place right now. I am surprised to say that I feel there is some injustice if people don't realize I am injured at this stage of my recovery. And where am I in my recovery ? (I do want to tell you!)
My magnificent PT person spent a great deal of time with me on Tuesday and repositioned my thumb. It has been in an odd position (I can't explain that) since my cast came off and had pulled some tendons the wrong way in my wrist as well. She worked hard to break down scar tissue around the base of my thumb and then slowly pressed it into the right location. I felt tremendous relief. Unfortunately, this also meant losing some mobility in my other fingers and in my wrist (so complicated!) but I'm working on it. All of the swelling in my hand is gone, my fingers are still somewhat oddly shaped, my numbness continues. But this thumb business is big!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday were busy-ness as usual, but yesterday I coordinated an off site meeting for the upper management at my job. What does this involve? Booking a space (chosen by my boss), coordinating with the event manager, catering, dressing the place up, shopping for snacks for an after-party, prettying up the after-party locale, making platters of beautiful food...all this after renting a car and getting myself up to the venue. Under normal circumstances, this would be a very busy day - under the present circumstances, it was close to impossible to accomplish alone. So, while asking a coworker if he thought one of the assistants might be able to go with me, he volunteered and proved to be invaluable. I cannot easily drive (I cannot feel my palm or thumb), he hauled groceries, he cut and sliced (I cannot use a knife), he made things beautiful, found a lunch spot for us and was great company. I needed to let myself ask for help. Blessed, I am.
And he completely understood the need to consult our phones/emails at lunch.
We did a good job.
K and Oldest are at his dad's farm helping out this weekend. I am alone with Middle and Youngest and we are eating poorly and being lazy and snuggling in as it is pretty-wonderfully cold outside.
Upside, aside from helping out on the farm?
Grass-fed, organic beef, coming our way!
Saturdays without Tom Magliozzi will never be the same.
On Monday it was a historic day at work. I can't really explain more than that - it was a great celebration and we were all excited and too distracted to work. The boss wore an orange traffic vest!
We all wore orange and that's all I can say.
That evening I took a long route to an even bigger event where I worked hard and was thrilled, as usual, to be with the men and women I work with. I am grateful every single day.
What a time for us at my job!
I encountered, this week, someone who had cut their thumb badly and was bandaged and hurting, and though I wanted to say something like: oh, yeah? that's all you've got? a cut on your thumb?
I regrouped and thought better and commiserated. I realized that every person's injury is important to them, significant and painful. I am told this every week at PT but this week it became real. With no easily visible injury, I don't get much attention anymore. I heard another PT patient lament this a few weeks ago and scratched my head but I am exactly in that place right now. I am surprised to say that I feel there is some injustice if people don't realize I am injured at this stage of my recovery. And where am I in my recovery ? (I do want to tell you!)
My magnificent PT person spent a great deal of time with me on Tuesday and repositioned my thumb. It has been in an odd position (I can't explain that) since my cast came off and had pulled some tendons the wrong way in my wrist as well. She worked hard to break down scar tissue around the base of my thumb and then slowly pressed it into the right location. I felt tremendous relief. Unfortunately, this also meant losing some mobility in my other fingers and in my wrist (so complicated!) but I'm working on it. All of the swelling in my hand is gone, my fingers are still somewhat oddly shaped, my numbness continues. But this thumb business is big!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday were busy-ness as usual, but yesterday I coordinated an off site meeting for the upper management at my job. What does this involve? Booking a space (chosen by my boss), coordinating with the event manager, catering, dressing the place up, shopping for snacks for an after-party, prettying up the after-party locale, making platters of beautiful food...all this after renting a car and getting myself up to the venue. Under normal circumstances, this would be a very busy day - under the present circumstances, it was close to impossible to accomplish alone. So, while asking a coworker if he thought one of the assistants might be able to go with me, he volunteered and proved to be invaluable. I cannot easily drive (I cannot feel my palm or thumb), he hauled groceries, he cut and sliced (I cannot use a knife), he made things beautiful, found a lunch spot for us and was great company. I needed to let myself ask for help. Blessed, I am.
And he completely understood the need to consult our phones/emails at lunch.
We did a good job.
K and Oldest are at his dad's farm helping out this weekend. I am alone with Middle and Youngest and we are eating poorly and being lazy and snuggling in as it is pretty-wonderfully cold outside.
Upside, aside from helping out on the farm?
Grass-fed, organic beef, coming our way!
Saturdays without Tom Magliozzi will never be the same.
Comments
Sounds like that adjustment will matter and I'm glad you have a PT who discovered the issue and worked it out for you. Healing is SUCH work.
Things sound interesting where you work! And that co-worker is a treasure, what a nice spread you put on.
Your food platter looks delicious. I have been thinking about a coffee table like that to replace the one we currently have. You have to be very careful moving around it because one of legs is no longer attached. I can't decide though and the few I have really liked are (of course) insanely expensive :-)
I know I've had some serious grace in my life.