The Thumb Is A Very Important Appendage

I fractured my hand. See?

These pictures were taken with my camera phone earlier today after I got back from the doctor. It looks much worse than it really is. Fortunately the cast/splint thingy he gave me is removeable, so I'm not completely immobilized.

How did I do it, you ask?

After weeks of rain, I was so excited that the spring weather was finally here. Wednesday evening I took my bike out for a ride after work. Needless to say, I had a nice fall. I turned too slowly/too sharply to cross the street and the next thing you know I've fallen and can't get up!

Some funny things happen when you've fallen and no one is around to hear it. I wanted to curse the heck out of the sting, but I realized it didn't matter whether I cried or sat there because no one was around to help or to care. It was one of those ironies of life, I guess. I equate it to the time my nephew fell down and hurt himself. None of us reacted to him when this happened. He looked around and realized he wasn't getting any response, so instead of crying he just got up and continued on. And that's exacty the same kind of moment I had too. I truly wished someone was around to help me out, and I really wished someone was around so that I could have cried and whimpered, but instead, I got up, picked up my bike and walked the rest of the way to my car. I was limping, bleeding, scratched up, banged up, and just tired. I don't think I've ever had such a bad fall like that from a bike ride.

I banged my knee and my shoulder and shin. I have some serious cuts on my knee and arm, and in the pic you can see my middle finger got scraped, too. But the worst part was whatever I did to my thumb.

I woke up today and it hurt! I couldn't squeeze toothpaste out of the tube, putting on clothes was a chore. It was challenging buttoning clothes, not to mention hooking the bra! I could barely turn a page in a book, open mail, and it's been awkward trying to open jars or even a door with my left hand. I could barely hold a spoon! Any sort of pressure on it hurt, although typing seems ok. All of my woes today made me realize how important the thumb is. It's been comical and yet so sad when I think about it. I have a whole new attitude towards little thumbkin for sure. This little piggy is not laughing all the way home. No way!

Anyway, the doctor took x-rays and you could see the tiny piece of bone that got chipped off. It was actually kind of cool. Now that they confirmed it's fractured, I guess they want to make sure none of the ligaments, tendons, etc. got torn or damaged, so I'm going in for an MRI tomorrow.

Let's hope it's ok!