February 1, 2008 7:19 AM
Here I am, just a little broken but rarin' to go
It's Friday. I went to bed last night looking forward to having a whole day while the kids were at school to catch up on stuff. My office looks like a cyclone hit it - as much as writing might seem like a rather unmessy activity, I somehow seem to create chaos around me. Mailing books - not only my own, but I'm always selling used books or trading at paperback swap - plus pulling out files for reference, paying bills, taking care of kids' paperwork. I don't know, perhaps it goes along with creativity.
It gets worse as days go by where I have errands to run or kids' appointments away from home. Somehow, if I am gone for a few hours, the laundry room and my office seem to take on a life of their own - looking much worse when I return.
Since my best energy is in the morning - how about yours? - my perfect day is when I finish getting 6 kids off to 5 schools on 3 buses, start the laundry, clean up my office and get to work on things I've gotten behind on - like email and an ever-growing list of topics I want to blog about.
This week I had a lot of stuff to take care of away from home (DMV, Costco, some church business (for a later discussion) which took me to Arlington Wednesday, State Taxation bureaucratic tangle because on months I didn't sell books I didn't send in a form saying zero, necessitating a trip to Winchester Thursday) - plus letters trying to deal with Daniel's education crisis (more on that today). So much to blog, so little time.
It didn't help that Tuesday night I fell and broke or sprained my right wrist. Yes, I fell - and after the first flash of searing, shocking pain which seemed to rise from my gut threatening to bring up everything with it, my first thought was "Oh no, is this the first fall of me as an old lady?"
It was an extremely dark night and I had taken Jonny (my 15 year old son with DS) and another young man with different abilities to their rehearsal at The Barn - Franklin Park's new theater. On the way there, our rider had mentioned being hungry and I had promised the guys we'd stop at McDonald's after practice. They were both sitting in my BMW - Big Mama Wagon 12 passenger Ford with license plate MEGAMOM - and I was walking up the steep driveway chatting with a mom pushing her little sweetie in a stroller and managing two other children. The exterior lights were off so I should have been being more careful, but I'm the kind of person who forgets everything when talking, and so suddenly I stepped on the edge of the driveway and tumbled over, landing on my right wrist.
It felt the same way it had 20 years ago when I broke my left wrist while flying a kite with my kids - so I was expecting to see the hand dangling down at a sickening angle like I had then. But everything seemed intact. After five minutes, the pain was under control - meaning I was still nauseous from it, but I could stand myself up and get in the van. All I knew was that I had to get those guys their food - I couldn't disappoint someone whose delights in life were so simple - and get myself home.
So I did it - without ordering anything for myself, which is normal for me now as I'm still trying to lose the 10 pounds I put on over the holidays. And when I got home Maddy made me an ice pack and put my arm up on pillows while we watched American Idol, Tripp went to Walmart and bought me a wrist brace, and I took 4 Advil and hoped for the best.
I still don't know for sure whether there's a hairline fracture or it's sprained. I can type okay (obviously) and I'm not in pain, but I can't do things like turn the ignition key, shift gears, lift things, or do anything that puts pressure on that arm. I'm reluctant to invest the time and money in doctor/xray/doctor visits when both money and time are tight. And last night I felt like it was getting much better.
I really would rather get my office cleaned up, the laundry done and my Inbox emptied. Though I'd made a doctor's appointment for this morning, I went to sleep last night pretty much decided to cancel and looking forward to that wonderful moment when I could begin catching up this morning.
One slight hitch: we woke up to an ice storm and a two-hour delay for school starting. It is quite beautiful outside as the ice has coated the trees and grass - I will take a picture when there is a little more light if the temperature doesn't rise and ruin this beautiful nature art.
Right now the kids are still sleeping and I'm going to make myself a pot of coffee and start in with my email for a while before the getting-ready-for-school routine starts.
You can expect a lot of posts today, because answering email generates even more than I already want to say :) I love that you all send me stuff that generates discussions that help many people. Thank you for sending them and thank you to those who share ideas and encouragement with other readers.
Oh, first there's the laundry. . . .
Comments
Barbara take it easy on your wrist. I fell last summer while holding my 3 year olds hand with my left hand and carrying the infant car seat on my right arm. Thank God she was buckled in, but my ribs into the side of the carrier and the twisting of my ankle trying to stop the fall were not fun. No breaks, but many x-rays and doctors telling me a sprain can take longer to heal than a break :(
Posted by: Margaret | February 1, 2008 8:29 AM
Oh no! What a bummer!
Posted by: Mel | February 1, 2008 2:28 PM
I'll pray for a quick recovery!
Posted by: Judy | February 2, 2008 2:46 PM
