How to survive a broken wrist
About 10 days ago, I broke my wrist. I went through the usual cycle of change. I started with denial, until my father, my pharmacist, my Mom/doctor, all urged me to go the emergency room. Everything was fine, X-rays included, until the doctor confidently pressing my wrist from both ends said: “What’s important is that it is not broken here”. I think he had shared my denial until he saw my scream and grimace then, and it all started going downhill from there.
Broken scaphoid. Up to 3 months with a cast. No sport, no use of the left arm, driving strongly advised against.
So here comes stage 3: resistance. Trying to do things with my arm, ending in pain and having reminiscence of the doctor saying I might need bone transplant if it doesn’t heal well…
Then I just became depressed, because I couldn’t exercise, I could barely wash the dishes, I had to cancel planned activities, life just became a lot harder and not according to my plan.
But then I realized a few things and came up with a strategy :
- I asked my doctor, insurance and the police, and they basically all told me that driving was not advised but not forbidden 🙌🏻 (well… 🙋🏼).
- My doctor said I could still run… As long as I don’t fall. And hike.
- I have a Netflix subscription.
- I can still do my conference in Paris and Bastia. And I’ll get super extra pity-attention 😈
- Looking up videos of how to handle life with one arm, I realized mine was “just” 3 months, not for life…
6. I have a great boyfriend and parents who take care of me from time to time, while respecting my stubborn need for independence for various things.
7. I try to constantly remind myself that of everything I usually do, some are more complicated but very few are impossible.
8. It forces me to take time for myself, reflect, slow down a little and it brings me closer to people by needing them for once.
Although I’m still not completely my happy self again yet, I understand from the inside what it is like to be temporarily and partly disabled, and I feel for all the people who have been there. It may seem like something trivial from the outside, it is just a broken bone, but your whole life has to readjust around it. Add a little control freakishness and strong need for exercise and independence, it is not a happy combo for those who have to deal with me at the moment 😇
Oh and whether you have one or two functional arms right now, I challenge you to this below, let me know how you go in the comments !
