On the Other Hand

I could not wait to use this title!  This is my first blog typing one handed, let’s see how I do.

It was last Tuesday morning and it began like any other day except that my dog wanted out early so I dragged myself out of bed. Then she decided to change her mind and curl back up to sleep so I said “Oh no you don’t if you got me up then you’re going out to pee.”  I moved the doggie gate and lifted my right foot to nudge her… see, my dog is 14 and deaf so we all touch her now to get her attention or we flick the porch light on and off to remind her to come in after dark.

There is always adaptation with an aging pet.

So, there I was at 5:30 am half asleep with one socked foot in the air and the other socked foot slipping on the hardwood floor.  Counter balancing and correcting did not happen fast enough and I splattered all over the floor.  I knew I was in trouble when my left hand would not respond to the automatic brain signals saying…. rotate, push up off the floor so I can I stand up.

My first thought …. something is wrong.

My second thought….I do not have time to deal with this ________.

My third thought……..oh, Lord, what have I done?

My dog never moved.  She was back asleep and my fall did not even rouse her – I wanted to blame her but I looked at her sleeping and could not blame anyone but myself – socks on a hardwood floor – yep, I was to blame here.

As I used my right hand and arm to raise myself I thought maybe I was an important writer of truths and inspirations,  that the devil was angry and had dispatched a demon to take me out of commission – because the last blog I had written and scheduled was the black and white typed proof of a goodbye to the man that had faded in and out of my life for over 30 years.  I finally had the strength to say goodbye and now the floor was satan’s response.  Or, maybe it was because of the email I received from the prodigal who professed that our communications had brought them back home to God after a long run in opposite direction.  A lot can run through my  busy mind while processing the malfunction of the left arm.

Standing tall, and taking a moment to collect my thoughts I said to myself….

“IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE IN SOCKS ON A SLICK FLOOR !!!”

Okay, I was back to reality.

So I broke a bone in my left wrist – not very painful but seriously inconvenient.

Let me give an award here to my son who was house sitting across town and came to my rescue within minutes of my distress call.  He took a day off work and chauffeured me around all day without any complaint.

On the other hand….things could have been worse…I could have fallen on my dog!!