Perspective

Do you know what you were doing 7 months ago today? Was it a memorable day for you? I was in Virginia, celebrating my cousin’s wedding. It was also when I took a tumble down a large staircase, and ended up breaking my clavicle as well as my C1. Yup, I managed to break my neck. I’m lucky, though, and other than 4 weeks in a neck brace and sleeping in a recliner, I went back to work and kept right on trucking. I think my sister has had more long term effects (she is the one who found me, and she is the one who still calls me to check in and tell me how happy she is that I am ok).

Last week I had what I was hoping was my last appointment with the bone and joint doctor (who is awesome by the way), and after having what I had hoped was my last x-ray for a while, I found out my clavicle still has a crack in it. So I’m not totally healed yet. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy about this. Come on – it’s been 7 months and I have been taking my vitamins, drinking my milk, eating my yogurt, and taking it easy with that arm. Still, my clavicle is not whole yet!

So, when I got in my car I did what I do when I am upset – I called my mom. And my mom of course made me feel better. She simply reminded me to keep everything in perspective. If a sore clavicle and another appointment at the bone and joint center is all I have left from a major fall down a staircase I’m lucky. I have family and friends who took care of me, kept me laughing, and overall showed me how truly blessed I am. I went out to dinner, stopped by work, and even played darts all trussed up, and everyone made me feel normal without staring (at least not too long).

With that said, I guess I am living proof that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I don’t know if I would say I’m better because of the fall, but I would say that I am more self aware, and I love every day. I can whine a bit about aches and pains, and I can feel a bit self-conscious about the bump I will always have on my left clavicle, but overall I am happy. I am just going to keep on moving, finding joy in everyday things, and finding the extraordinary around me every day. Not too shabby!