Fighting The Mean Girl On My Shoulder

Day 21

  I have never been off work this long.  Before this medical leave, my longest vacation was in Germany for two weeks in 2009.  I wish I could be more productive but being on crutches gets in the way. I do less in one day then I did in one hour when I could walk.  This is discouraging. Of course, I've been trying to occupy my time with this blog, teaching myself how to sew and working out but that doesn't cover all hours of the day.

  Teaching myself how to sew is not an easy task.  I've finally taken my sewing machine out of the box from last Christmas. I've bought most of the essential materials it takes to complete a successful project. I've broken a needle already and have pulled half my hair out.  Over the course of the past two days, I've watched about a dozen sewing videos. There is sewing vocabulary that I had no idea existed!  Apparently, my experience making scrunchies as a child does not qualify me as an experienced seamstress.  So now, I'm at a standstill.  There is no way I can teach myself without going bald. Tim's mom, Maryke, advised me to take a step back so I wouldn't launch my machine into the street.  Thankfully, she is stopping by tomorrow to give me some tips.  Thanks Maryke!!  Maybe there's still hope for me!

  Since I spend a lot of time on my crutches, I've mastered a few skills.  Going up and down stairs being one of them.  At week one, with a heavier plaster cast on, I would scoot up and down on my behind.  Look at me now!  The trick is to make sure your crutches are as wide as possible so your center of gravity is lower which maintains better balance.

  I didn't end up getting a new cast after I got it wet last Thursday.  The cast looks and smells alright and my new Sealtight shower bag purchased from Shopper's Drugmart Home Health Care is working well.

  What I did notice...this is totally gross so stop reading of you don't want to know....

New scratching post

is my accumulation of toe jam.  Yes, this is a real thing!  I've been so focused on protecting my cast that I forgot to clean my toes.  Now, I can understand why some laser eye surgery patients come to their exam the day after their surgery with gunk all over their eyes.  I can testify toe jam is way worse.  Nasty!!!