Friday, March 30, 2012

I'm starting to feel more like myself.

It has been an interesting month to say the least. This new adventure began February 24th on a Morale snowboarding trip. My husband had asked me to go with him on the CG Morale trip to Mount Bachelor's. It was less than a week before our annual trip to Lake Tahoe and we both thought it would be a great warm-up session for us. We loaded onto the charter bus at about 3:30 am for the 4 plus hour trip to the resort. When we arrived the sun was shining and it was warm (considering we were on a mountain covered in snow). As we all got dressed in our gear the excitement built. Once we were off the lift at the top of the mountain we realized how icy the conditions were. It was pure ice, not a flake of snow in sight. I strapped onto my board and away we went.

If I do say so myself I was doing pretty good for me. I was carving and having a great time. A little more than halfway down the run, I caught edge and, as my husband tells it, went flying backwards through the air. Once I landed I realized I couldn't lift my left arm off the ice...damn! After meeting several members of the Snow Patrol and a sled ride down the mountain I found myself in urgent care being informed that I had a left radial head fracture (broken elbow). It was 11am when I was released and the bus wasn't leaving until 4:30. I found the bar. My left arm was in a sling and essentially useless. I had hours of uninterrupted knitting time (and yes I had knitting with me), but couldn't knit.

I found myself with A LOT of down time, but unable to knit. I have decided I would prefer to break my leg next time...at least then I could knit.

Once in Lake Tahoe I attempted to knit after purchasing yarn for 2 patterns and new long straight needles. I think in the 6 days we were there I knit 4 rows. It was very frustrating. The thing about the broken elbow was severe pain in my forearm, the inability to grip anything, and severe pain when the wrist is twisted in anyway. Not to mention my arm was "immobilized" at an angle in a sling.

A little over a week ago I gain the ability to 'assist' my right hand with my left. That led to all kinds of new and exciting pains. It has only been in the last few days that the pain is better and I have much better mobility in my hand/arm. This translates to me finally being able to knit!

I have modified the way I knit completely in order to hold the needles and feel the comfort of knitting. I now (temporarily) hold my yarn in my right hand. I usually prop my left arm up on 2 pillows and put the end of the left needle in between the pillows. This way I only guide the needle/yarn with my left hand, but do not have to hold the weight of the garment in my hand. It has worked out well. I have been able to make tons of progress on my Wrapped in Red. I currently have over 17 inches knit. I love the ease of this pattern. I chose to use the yarn called for in the pattern and in the same deep red. I can't wait to finish and wear it!






I have also been obsessed with my stash and planning new projects. I have several new projects that I bought on a trip to Bend, OR that we took the weekend before I broke my arm. One that I am really excited to start is the Jane Bennet's Flowered Headband, but that will have to wait until my arm is a little better. I also bought the yarn for the Lace Back Top by Vicki Square. I bought this wonderful shade of blue yarn for it.

I go back for more x-rays April 5th. I'm hoping for good news, but I'm still having bone pain in my elbow. Maybe I'm doing to much, but I feel whole again now that I can knit. My husband made the comment yesterday that it is nice to have knitting in progress out again, and I couldn't agree more.

Knitting has become part of who I am, and I am lost in some ways without it. I am so happy and thankful to be knitting again.