Even in middle age, he was still playing tennis, golf, bridge and snooker with his left hand. Everything except handwriting!
This week I was walking down the street, never less than 2 metres away from the closest person. Yet two hoons ran up from behind, yelling about the stupidity of allowing elderly people out of their houses. In fear I fell over on the concrete footpath, breaking one finger, dislocating another finger, cutting the face above the eye and bruising the jaw like a boxer. All injuries were on my right side!
Phalanx Dislocations of the hand
Orthobullets
Even after the pain reduced, my right hand, fingers and wrist were immobilised. My father had been forced into a type of ambidexterity, but I had never been. So here are the things that I cannot do for myself:
1. Put on or take off a bra
2. Take off any clothes below the waist eg slacks, undies
3. Push tablets out of their metal foil pockets
4. Brush teeth as well with the left hand as I would with the right
5. File my nails
6. Open the fridge door
7. Open soft drink bottle tops
8. Chop vegetables
9. Peel fruit
10. Type on the computer with any fingers on the right hand
11. Use the remote control for TV
12. Turn on the cold tap (which is always on the right side)
13. Put the key into the front door lock etc.. etc..
Thank goodness the spouse was still self isolating at home and was prepared to cook dinner each night. But what do people who live alone do? What do people who permanently damage their dominant hand do? And how long will my clumsiness last?
14 comments:
Dearest Hels, how absolutely awful for you, both the experience and the injury. I really hope you recover quickly. Like you, I would be lost without the use of my right hand, and I had some experience of it last year.
Oh, Hels, this is awful! Ambidexterity is a wonderful skill to those blessed with it but without, a partner is that blessing. I wish you a speedy recovery and wish a hex on those hoons.
Andrew
the slanging match about social distancing and isolation for older citizens was from a very ugly man in front of me, yelling at someone else. I turned around to see who he was snarling at and saw an OAP behind me. I would have gone back and protected her, but tripped over while not concentrating on my own path. Every shop keeper came out on the street, with water, chairs etc and one even called Hatzolah Emergency Care who arrived within 8 minutes.
Most people are very decent.
Pipistrello
The swelling and pain have gone down from the hand and wrist, thankfully, so now only the end fingers are immobilised inside the rigid support system. The thumb and index finger are exposed again, so I can type with all fingers on the left hand and one finger on the right.
It is true about partners! My beloved has been wonderful.
Hello Hels, What a terrible experience you went through! I hope that you mend quickly. Be sure to do just what the doctor says. A couple of years ago I had a painful shoulder injury. I withstood the painful reconditioning exercises, and now my arm is good as new. --Jim
Parnassus
I always obey the instructions of authority figures *cough*, except perhaps for the anti-Vietnam Demonstrations back in 1967-70 :)
You know what is worse? Finding that many of the movements we normally make, automatically and without thought, have to be changed. Shooting pain is the body's way of saying "think before you grab a jam jar to open the lid, or turn on the cold tap, damn you".
Helen,
I wish you a speedy recovery. Left handers had a lot of trouble at schools all over the place, but not any longer, I believe.
Hi Hels - that's awful ... I hope they stopped to help - but guess not. Glad your hubby is home to help you regain food strength at least while your fingers, wrist and hand all heal. Such a nuisance ... some things you'll find ways round, others there's probably techie helps out there ... but others such is life - await healing. A shock and a rotten experience ... take a few weeks off ... and healthy healing thoughts - Hilary
Deb
that was true last century, yes indeed. Teachers were told that lefties should be strongly encouraged to use their right hand because left handers would become socially awkward, difficult to teach and unfit for most normal equipment. But even if teachers were not being intentionally cruel, they must have harmed the students they punished.
Today I say "if only my right hand wasn't so TOTALLY dominant".
Hilary
there have been no lectures at universities and TAFEs because of the pandemic, so all the staff have been on leave or doing other work. My only contact with students over the last two months has been via informal tutorials on line.
I think the pandemic might have made me a bit lazy, cause I don't mind a few more weeks off :)
Ugh - well that really is too bad. Hope you heal quickly and glad you can still type!!!
I am so so sorry to hear about your misadventure . Did the idiots at least help you ? .... Probably not . It will heal and you will be left with a bit of stiffness in your finger but all will be good and for goodness sake dont let the buggers stop you from doing what you want . total idiotic toads .
ArchitectDesign
imagine the days before computers etc when people could no longer communicate in writing if their hands were damaged. I was depressed enough when I retired on my 70th birthday and when we were socially isolated inside the house during the pandemic. At least typing (even with mistakes) allows blogging, tutorials on line and publishing journal articles.
mem
after the elderly lady behind me yelled at them for not keeping 1.5 ms from other people in the street, they ran away as fast as they could, screaming and cursing at her. Those two toads (not 15 year olds, by the way; probably 30-35) didn't stop for a second. But at least 10 other people came out from the shops to help me, and to curse at the vulgar thugs.
I know the pandemic has made people very antsy, but the toads' behaviour was unforgivable.
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