Getting my ball back!...........

When we arrived home from the hospital two weeks ago, one of the things John did for me was to put my big gym ball in the spare bedroom. Normally I use it when I'm sitting at the computer in the belief (probably mistaken!) that sitting on it, gently bouncing, is better than just perching on a hard wooden chair.

So this morning I felt I had reached a significant moment on the road to recovery when I got my ball back!

I'm still fairly well dosed with paracetamol and some ibuprofen, but I've been able to stop the codeine tablets which were making me too dozy. However my arm is feeling a little less painful. It is a remarkable purple, blue and yellow colour though! There's also quite a lot of swelling around my elbow.

Gentle finger, wrist and elbow movement is possible, with some support of the other hand.

Life using my 'other' hand is getting more comfortable too. It no longer feels so awkward typing with one hand or using a spoon or fork. I haven't tried a knife yet. That's probably a step too far!

Sleeping in a sitting position continues to be a bind. Apart from waking often during the night with a numb bum it's also hard to support my neck adequately. However I did manage to miss an entire electric storm two nights ago - so it can't be that bad.

Without a cast to keep dry, taking a shower is also a daily activity. The cut-off top of a bin bag (30 litre) makes a great waterproof sling. Feeling clean and fresh is wonderful and worth all the hassle.

No decision has been made about cutting my hair. There is no way to tie it back, clip it up or plait it with one hand. Believe me I have tried. In the long run it will be either a complete disaster leaving it as it is or it just might encourage me to get the injured arm back into service asap. We'll see!

There's a bit of a plan to try a short, slow wander round the little lake this afternoon. If I can do that it will be a real milestone!