That Was Left Handed

Today I have accepted that I am going to have an operation on my shoulder, and that I’m not going to be able to strengthen my rotator cuff muscles to the extent that they provide stability to my labrum for the rest of my life.
When I encounter strangers while my arm is in a sling, they won’t need to ask, “Do you play basketball?”
(They'll already know.)

At least there will be one less hand to constantly sanitize for a few weeks.

Despite only accepting it today, I have been booked for the surgery for over a month now. And so I have spent a lot of the past weeks practicing daily tasks with my left hand to prepare for the recovery period. So far I have successfully, left handed:

• Buttoned my pants
  
• Put headphones on
  
• Taken slippers off
  
• Cleaned my teeth (but not flossed).
  
• Peeled a banana
  
• Made a coffee (although the bottom of the milk frother will probably not be looking great by July.)
  
• Patted a dog
  
• Got up from the ground
  
• Toilet

I have a suspicion this will effectively cover all my daily activities from May 19 to June.

Surprisingly, nearly all of these things came naturally and didn’t require much honing at all.

I suspect I have been preparing for not having a right arm ever since I got addicted to my smartphone.

Welcome, Autumn

Twice daily soup.
Football without a jacket.
The occasional porridge.
Crisp, clean and vibrant landscapes.
Good cycling weather.
The simple pleasure of a blanket on a lap.

The Light at the Beginning of the Tunnel

I was supposed to wake up this morning in a hospital bed and my right arm in a sling. Instead, I rose two handed to birdsong and a vibrant, violet-orange sunrise over the mulberry tree. A pre-admission COVID check was enough to convince my surgeon that the tail end of a cold was worth delaying my arthroscopy another two weeks.

I'm not sure if it's appropriate to feel good about this. There's something about my right arm that makes it my favourite of all my limbs. I think that's because it holds the pen, holds the mouse, taps the screen. I'd say I do about 90% of my communication through writing. Going without my arm, just for a couple of weeks, makes me think of having duct tape over my mouth rather than missing an opposable thumb to crack a tray of ice into a blender, steer a car, or reach above my head in a yoga pose to open my hips. I can live with two arms for a little while longer.

Potential frustration also fermented into philosophy. What if this delay was fate. What if I don't really need this surgery. After all, my shoulder only hurts when it's away from my body, pushing something, or trying to hit threes in community centre basketball courts. Can I live without those things? Maybe. I don't know. Maybe it doesn't hurt that much. I can't tell if I'm in denial about my injury, or in denial about being in denial.

Either way, I wasted a lot of time cleaning the house last week.

On The Other Hand

Is a covid throat and nose swab the cure for the common cold?

Fleurieu Weekend

A short but sweet trip to some of the dog friendly attractions of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Friday Night - dinner in the garden at Forktree Brewing overlooking the ocean at sunset.

Starting the weekend with the appropriately named Sunset Amber Ale

Saturday morning, balmy and cloudy, a view over Encounter Bay after a sunrise drive through the backroads and hills.

Nash gets a quick pet stop on the way to the top of the hill.

Top of The Bluff. The Victor Harbor Heritage trail along the cliffs led to some rocky beaches and pools.

After a coffee, early lunch at Port Elliot bakery. Steak and onion pie, followed by caramilk donut. Good thing I climbed that hill first.

After a nap at the holiday house, a brief trip to Normanville for another walk and some late afternoon sunshine.

Saturday Night - the only board game in the holiday house was the 1983 edition of Trivial Pursuit. After three hours someone finally managed to answer a pop culture question.

Sunday Morning - walking the length of the Carrickalinga Esplanade Walking Trail.

Weekend Escapes

Mood.