Dealing with Limits
Way back when in this 2013 year, long about April, I shared that I had a reverse shoulder surgery on my left shoulder. The healing progressed and the body acknowledged that the ball for the shoulder and socket have literally been reversed. The surgery was required after a fall that severed the rotor cuff as well as damage to the axillary nerve that was cut off of blood supply. There was no repair that could be done to the damaged nerve and consequently the range of motion was not going to be 100%. I was willing to have the surgery knowing I could and would work around the mobility and leave the pain behind.
I decided to share the rest of the story. Thank you Paul Harvey for that wonderful phrase. I had a great season out in the garden this summer that included pushing the lawn mower. Dennis and I made great strides on repairs of our garages and I wore out several paint brushes one of which was used when I painted the tip of the garage gable on a ladder. Every chance I had in between times I was at the sewing machine. One of those instances lasted several weeks as I helped out our neighbor Jan and whipped out a pieced flannel queen sized quilt that needed to be tied when the piecing was done. Successes after the healing was complete and the best part – no physical pain.
So what limits are there to deal with? I do catch myself admiring hair styles that compliment silver and white hair. My hair will always need to be an inch to an inch and a half long as I cannot control my arms to reach the top or back of my head to style my hair. Yes, I did say arms. During the two years it took to regenerate the axillary nerve to be able to have the surgery my right shoulder that is riddled with arthritis did double duty to the point that it just can’t rise to all occasions any longer. Oh, I think perhaps there may be a second surgery in the works but not so much right now.
Happy Painter will Hire Out
My arms have a lot of strength for anything that is no higher than chin height, anything beyond the chin height I really have to think about before taking hold of something and thinking I can manage it. Gosh, I hated cleaning up a 5 lb. bag of flour that was on the top shelf of the pantry. Oh yes, I painted the tip of the garage gable and cleaned out the eave troughs on the garage and garage porch on Wednesday but I had to be higher on the ladder so I would not be doing any work higher than my chin. I can do these things just with a method that works for what I have to work with.
Several windows in our home are the long 60 plus inches with double sashes. The beauty of it is that we have inserts that tip in for cleaning. The bottom sash tips in after being pulled up a bit and the top sash is pulled down a bit and then it tips in. Cleaning is a one person job and I don’t mind being that one person. Yesterday the the temps were in the high thirties and I was sure I could whip these windows out quickly. Wednesday Dennis had washed the outside of the house off and with the city’s hard water supply the gray hard water drops were not acceptable to look through for the entire winter. Humbling as it was I did find out when all the water drops and streaks were gone I did not have the power to push the top sash up far enough for it to click in place so the two sashes would meet and then the window could lock. Of course I had told Dennis I was fit and able and he could go have coffee with the buds.
Yesterday in Minnesota the temps were plunging by the hour and snow was forecast coming in with the north wind. This window happened to be on the north wall of the living room. Even standing on the small step ladder I could not get the leverage I needed. I decided to cool down a bit and poured some coffee as a few more minutes of cold air coming into the living room wasn’t going to throw the furnace into a total flat line as it heaved it’s heart out. As I was leaning against the kitchen counter I spied with my little eye my Swiffer Mop. Total success! All I had to do was hold the mop handle waist high, stand close to the wall and position the flat head of the mop against the frame of the top sash and push straight up and hard enough until I heard the glorious click. Wham, bam, thank you very much.
Yes, there is a lot of life that happens higher than my chin and come hell or high water I will find a way to deal with it when the situation arises as I don’t feel limited.