Well, not too much of an update. My left arm feels pretty normal. The only time I feel something’s off is when I’m lifting weights and there seems to be an imbalance in strength. I also occasionally hear clicks in my left arm while moving it, which I understand is scar tissue. But, I’m told that over time this will all heal.
Being naturally right-handed, more so when I was injured, I also have to remind myself to use my left arm more often when doing simple tasks like grabbing a mug from the cupboard or opening a jar.
Other than that there’s really not much else to say. I had the opportunity to go treetop trekking again this month and a part of me wanted to go so I could say that I conquered it and have a happy ending to gloat about (or worse, break something else!). But, ultimately I chose not to go because I recall it not being an enjoyable experience for me. At the risk of sounding like a negative Nelly, I personally didn’t find it fun and still don’t think it was entirely safe (despite all the harnesses and their promises). It’s still a scary and painful experience if you slip and fall while on an obstacle course and trying to get back up is difficult.
The only thing I gained from treetop trekking was that it made me want to work on my upper strength more because I didn’t like the feeling of struggling while trying to support my own weight.
Despite the long road and painful memories, I’m still satisfied with my decision to heal naturally.
Remembering to be grateful for what I have and what I’m physically able to do helps ground me. If I’m ever feeling stressed or down about something, I remind myself of those times when I wasn’t able to change positions when I slept, or even wash my own hair, and then my mood changes.
Us, broken-arm folk, are part of an exclusive club and have a unique experience that provides us with better perspective.
Wishing the best of luck to those on this journey!
