What a finale to Portland Open Studios! Sunday afternoon as I was taking a quick lunch break from the action, I slipped on a slick patch on my hardwood floors, braced my arm and dislocated my shoulder. I have to say that the pain was worse than tearing my ACL a few years back. Fortunately, my phone was just a few feet from me and low to the ground. I now know the real meaning of “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”! Had my phone been further away or up on the kitchen counter, I might be still laying there by my front door!
But that’s now how it went down. I called a good friend who lives just about three minutes away. Luckily he was home and came straight away. Those few minutes seemed like and eternity and so did the 10 additional minutes before the paramedics came. As soon as he arrived he knew I couldn’t be safely moved so 911 was the call.
The paramedics took my blood pressure and pulse; faint pulse and very low pressure which meant no pain meds until those where stabilized. More minutes passing. The door was open and I was starting to shiver. Finally I could feel the warmth and relief of the pain medication washing over me, enough to partially of sit up with their help. Onto the gurney and into the waiting ambulance. Warm blankets, more pain relief.
All the preparation and effort to put on Open Studios, getting the studio bright and shiny, sending out emails, putting out signage, the packing and organizing for a workshop…all forgotten in an instant. My trip to Arizona to teach, not forgotten but certainly not the priority. So so, sorry!!
Ok, I’ve had a bit of adversity lately and just when things seem to be handled, a monkey wrench gets thrown your way. This is obviously something to pay attention to. Life, isn’t something to ultimately get a “handle on”. It isn’t something that can be resolved or made right, or good or found some ultimate solution to. It is only a process to be given over to.
As I was sitting in the emergency ward waiting to have the doctor reduce the shoulder, I felt a kind of bliss, a kind of ok acceptance. Yeah, yeah, I also had some pretty powerful drugs on board, but this was different. It was surrender into the understanding that in any and every moment, we are ok, we can be already happy. We can be happiness, understand that “being” is that.
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| Amazing what a little morphine will do! |
2 Responses
I am so very sorry to hear about your fall. At first I thought I was reading an older post, but then saw the posted date. Harsh things can happen in life, but don't despair. It's important that we reach out to our friends during these times, because they have different experiences in life, and they can help us get through the tough times. Then, they will be even closer friends. Here's hoping for a quick recovery for you with some rest for now.
I'm hoping for a short recovery time but also hope that if there is anything positive to come to you from this, it will appear quickly and not keep you waiting! Rest and be kind to yourself! Susan