Keep to the Right

Having a broken arm is a right pain in the neck - although that might be something to do with the sling. Aside from the pain the big shock is the instant disability. It really never occurs as to how much you rely on having four working limbs until one of them doesn't.

First of all, I can't drive. As I can work easily at home this isn't such an issue but if I want to do anything else I have to be chauffeured around. I can still walk, of course, but I can't tie my shoelaces and have to rely on a rather worn pair of slip-ons. I suppose I could always get Velcro shoes but I'm hoping things will improve before too long. Working is OK to a point - although a spate of network timeouts whilst I'm in the middle of something is infuriating. However, the one thing that really surprised me is how much I rely on my left hand for typing. I have been touch typing for over thirty years and it is a huge shock to the system to suddenly have to stare at the keyboard and prod away. The other thing that flummoxed me when I first booted up my laptop is: How do you type Alt-Ctrl-Delete one handed? I managed it eventually but it involved using the little finger on my right hand - a bit of a stretch as this finger doesn't work properly.

The thing is: many people get by without the use of arms or legs quite happily. If someone has had a disability for a long time they are naturally adapted to it. Even one of the Children's TV presenters, Cerrie Burnell, is quite at home on TV despite having part of one arm missing - although maybe reading the birthday cards on CBeebies isn't the most challenging of tasks. In fact, when she started appearing on TV there were some complaints from parents that she was appearing at all. The Daily Mail ran with the story and the responses on their website at the time were very supportive of Cerrie and criticised those people who complained. I actually rather liked this. Daily Mail readers get a reputation for being small-minded bigots so it's nice to see that they are fundamentally decent people who can see obvious injustice - it's just a pity that the Mail spends most of it's time trying to frighten them.

So, for the most part I'm just adapting. The only problem I'm finding is that every so often I will try do something with my left arm without thinking. For example, yesterday I knocked a book from the table and, as a reflex action, I tried to catch it with my left hand. The book hit the floor anyway - as did I a moment later as I was racked with pain right down my left side. I suppose that's why I have some top quality pain-killers (another reason why I can't drive). In fact these have helped immensely whilst sleeping. Even so, I do keep waking up in some pain although this may be because I end up sleeping in odd positions because of a bent up left arm.

Anyway, I'm meant to bee seeing the doctor again in a fortnight's time. I'm hoping the arm will have improved by then.