slipping on ice ..... still time for Christmas~

This week I discovered once again how sneaky ice can be~ Just when you think you are about to finish your simple task of moving the tote garbage container back to it's spot while holding a great pile of mail in the other hand you realize there was some surprise ice by the downspout. It has been melting all day after snow the night before.

So my surprise was landing on that little ice skating pond that had formed in a place i had not expected. So down I went ------ mail and all spilling on the ground. At first as I lay there after the slow motion event, I looked at my right hand and thought to myself ---- surely I did not hurt my hand and wrist. I had screamed and looked around to see if anyone was around but the winter day was as quiet as could be so I started to get up.

I was sure I had injured myself and kept telling myself it did not hurt. As I went to unload the three sacks of groceries from the car and start to recover from the spill, I started to realize my hand and wrist were throbbing..... so I went to call my dear husband realizing I probably had hurt something in my wrist area.

I finished bringing things in from the car and went to lay down and calm from the trauma and wonder what I had done AND this would be my SECOND trip back to the doctor IN THE SAME DAY if i needed an xray ------- as I had just come from the doctor before lunch to get checked for a sinus infection that went longer than a week, gone to the pharmacy and I was now home ready for some rest..... so I put the idea out of my mind realizing this would be rather embarassing to say the least and no fun to drive back the same day!

My dear husband came home from work as I was not sure I should be driving myself anywhere including an emergency room or the doctor's office again ---- and by now I had found the FROZEN corn and the FROZEN peaches in the fridg that would become my way of keeping the swelling down for this next week and again today ~ and then they would need to be thrown out from all the thawing and refreezing rather than being eaten ----- for sure.

We determined I had better have it xrayed as it was hurting more all the time; so off we went with the frozen corn on my wrist even if people might wonder what I was up to ---- and even if I had to see the same doctor TWICE in one day~

So after that doctor's visit (rather embarassing but they were very kind xraying it and wrapping it up carefully in a new splint) even thought it was my second visit in the same day to the doctor amazingly. Then I had another visit yesterday with an orthopedic doctor to find out if I needed a cast (as they wanted the swelling to go down either way from two days ago).

I did fracture part of my wrist and had caused a chip to be broken away at the top of my wrist and strained ligaments which was why it was hurting and why I needed keep ice on it when possible. My regular doctor had handed me a photocopy of the fracture on Wed and he jokingly said it was for my SCRAPBOOK.

After yesterdays appointment, I am glad now to just be in a SPLINT for up to six weeks and NO CAST which was great news for showers and many other things in my life. It could have been a lot worse from stories I have heard of broken wrists and limbs. So I am definately slowing down for Christmas this year now whether I want to or not ~ and this has changed my perspective of what needs to happen in a few days till our kids all fly home from PA and CA.

So Christmas is still coming ---- but in new ways as I learn to appreciate my right arm even more, my wrists and my left arm as well. Once again, I learning to slow down and do ONE thing at a time, to think of a simpler Christmas rather than long lists of things to do ---- and I hope we can all watch for those LITTLE PATCHES OF ICE that are sneaky~ as they can surprise you if you are not looking!

And after a month of raising the awareness of the AIDS crisis in our area for myself and others in town, faith groups and the Conference offices in Lincoln ---- establishing a new AIDS Emergency Fund at our church for direct aid to NAP offices, Kearney (by giving to Trinity UMC and specifying AIDS Emergency fund) sending the gift to 511 N Elm, Grand Island, NE 6880l.

We were able to establish a new AIDS Task force for Global AIDS funds staying in NE for local AIDS projects, a new account for these funds, after writing press releases and the local paper doing THREE stories which surpassed my greatest hopes (editorial, front page story and one promoting World AIDS Day forums two sundays) ---- and finding a new network of folks who care about AIDS education, possibly a Benefit for AIDS coming in feb ------ and 12 boxes / bags of AIDS crisis items going to Kearney...... telling friends through email, alternative giving cards, posters and a Letter to the Editor -----and recruiting friends to help along this journey, I am ready for a long winter's nap~ and healing to my wrist. It was a remarkable Advent journey.

I HOPE you have a blessed Christmas ------ and do watch for those little surprise ice skating rinks where you least expect them by downspouts melting in the winter sun ----- even if they are where the trash container wants to sit.

And time for less email, new ways of seeing things and doing things with a SPLINT on my right wrist area ----- and a simple Christmas for a change ----with prayers for those on the Waiting Lists as clients with AIDS through NAP kearney, NE. And direct aid coming from our new fund, AIDS crisis items and offerings for the Global AIDS fund with part staying in NE now ... as we remember the pandemic of AIDS in our world and Nebraska as it affects persons who are having a tough Christmas ..... at this time of Waiting during Advent & Christmastime coming this weekend.