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!
- 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!
- 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.
- 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