Injured Farmer

Well, it seems I managed to break my right hand. I'm learning all sorts of new coping methods, being I am right handed, very dominant right hand.

I am working on perfecting left hand only typing. Since I can't do much else, internet communication which requires typing is about all I can do (and catch up on some TV shows).

How I broke it remains a mystery. I hurt it some time during the day on Sunday. When I was settling in after dinner on Sunday, my hand hurt, especially my pointer finger. I figured I sprained it or jabbed it while we were doing chores. All day Monday it was sore, but I went to work, was able to type with minimal discomfort. Then came Monday evening. I was doing my regular barn chores, but when I went to scoop up poop, it hurt! the raking motion hurt not only my pointer finger, but into my hand. I wondered if my injury happened by my pointer finger being bent back too far. I insisted on finishing my chores, as I am not one to let an injury be an excuse. But, the pain got worse and worse, I didn't even finish scooping poop. I settled on essential chores only (food and water for the alpacas), and I went inside the house. That is when I took off my gloves (it's been cold enough here to wear gloves), which revealed a very swollen hand.

I can be stubborn, and I was still convinced this was not an issue. The pain was mostly in my pointer finger, so J taped it to the finger next to it. This gave it support, and helped lessen the pain. Though even after taking some ibuprofen, it was a rough night. I woke up around 2:30 a.m. with pain that I could not get under control.

Even in the morning, I pretended it was a normal day. Got the kids ready for school, and did my barn chores (morning chores are minimal anyway). I even went to work with full intentions of going to court (had a hearing I needed to attend). Well, the reaction to my swollen hand from my co-workers indicated this was more serious than I realized.

Diagnosis is that the bone in my hand just below my pointer finger is broken. Still no idea when or how, but doing chores Monday night clearly aggravated the situation.

Now I am home from work (left handed typing is better than sitting around bored, but not ideal for writing reports, and the pain meds make it so I shouldn't drive). I have mixed thoughts on which is worse, the pain when I don't take the pain meds, or the nausea when I do.

So, J and the kids are taking over many of the barn chores. The worst part, to me, is that I can't knit or spin. A few days off work, yet I can't work on any projects.