Geewillingkinwinkings!

Two years ago yesterday my feet became entangled in the handles of a shopping bag as I jumped out of our car.  I hit the tarmac of the car park at just the right angle to snap my left femur, pushing the top part into my hip joint and wrecking it too!  I had no idea – I brazenly told the Doctor as I lay on the trolley in the Emergency Department that I was pretty tough and was thinking it was just soft tissue damage.  The Dr said gently “I don’t think so.”

My recovery

My recovery after a full hip replacement was long and painful.  There were long, dark days full of pain and tears.  Days when I wondered if I could go on – whether I wanted to go on.

Why am I telling you this on a Monday when a main aim of my blog is to brighten your day?!  Because, while I wish it hadn’t happened and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, there were, in hindsight, many ‘silver linings’ and knowing about them may just help you in adversity.

Obviously I did go on – maybe due to a glimmer of survival instinct but I think it was the unconscious (at the time) thought that I might ‘miss out’ – and I would have missed out.  I’ll list what I would have missed out on later but first I want to share what I learned that is treasure.

Silver Linings / Learnings

The most valuable things I learned are:

• My DO and I will be able to maintain our home on our steep, gravelly bush block well into our 80’s or beyond!  How do I know?  Because although I could hardly walk on crutches, I was able to manoeuvre steps and an incline to hang out washing – with the aid of a ‘nosebag’ hung around my neck for wet clothes and pegs.  Where there’s a will….!
• My DO is a patient and gentle carer which bodes well for the decades in front of us.  It was nine weeks before I was able to dress without his help before he went off to work.
• I don’t have osteoporosis.
• Get out of a car like a princess!  Swivel, knees together and put both feet on the ground / or in that direction first.

Silver Linings / What I Didn’t Miss – So Far!

Just what comes to mind right now:

• Walking the trails around and over Wave Rock 16 weeks after surgery.  Not without some pain and difficulty but I did it!
  

  Wave Rock, Hyden, Australia

• A marriage proposal from my DO – and eloping for a most memorable wedding day, which was followed up with an engagement party with family and friends 🙂
• Seeing son Leo healthier and happier than in years – and with a beautiful and intelligent lady.
• Son Leo coming in second at the Kulin Cup after only a few months horse riding tuition from his lady.
• Son Alex becoming a fully fledged lawyer.
• Being at son Alex’s wedding to the lovely, also intelligent woman who is now bearing their first child – a son!
  

  Alex and Shazzy Posing On Their Wedding Day at Matildas on the Swan River, Perth, WA

• Enjoying times with and news of all 6 of our ‘children’ and 8 grandchildren.
• Visiting the world heritage Ningaloo Reef on a glass bottomed boat.
  

  Ningaloo Reef From A Glass Bottomed Boat

• Having more time to spend on art related activities as I decided to quit my IT career as a result of the accident.

I’ll stop there 🙂

May you find silver linings too,
🙂
Helen