More than an injury …                                                                October 2, 2014

     As you know, my right hand is in a cast, I broke it!  There are three useful fingers poking out of the eight-inch long cast that has almost immobilized my pinky and its ring finger partner.  What is my problem? I still have a good left hand and a working upper right arm and shoulder.  Women friends try closing or opening your bra with one hand.  And my men friends try signing your credit cards lefty or right-handed with a jutting cast trying to “help”. I have not decided yet whether I want to tame the cast and make it obey or just teach my left hand how to sign my name.

     It has been rumored that I do not take my own advice.  When I was writing a column for the North County Times, I wrote often about falling.  Twice I have fallen and broken bones.  Accidents happen to us all, but long time tested advice about scatter rugs, caution, impediments, lighting etc is necessary to remind us that caution is always necessary as we age, as we slow down.  I did not place the rug I tripped on prior to my first fall; I did not tell my friend not to let me out on a slant, then I turned down her offer of help, the second time.  I broke my own hand this third time because I was expressing anger. I did not fall!

     I am also not infallible.  Accidents happen and anger can explode.  If one has a sound piece of advice that is worth sharing, it needs to be shared.  For those who criticize me for not taking my own words of advice and precaution, I have a few things to say. First, a fall is an unplanned event.  Words of caution simply add to the possibility that we will not have an accident or be seriously hurt if we do.  Second, taking precautions helps us to build wall against serious accidents.  Third, by being aware and careful, we protect our friends, family and visitors in our home.  Fourth, I always felt that perhaps my words would at least help one person avoid a bad spill.  Most of the stories I told and the words of warning I sounded were meant to be helpful to others.

     If it worries some that I did not heed my own advice, I am grateful for your concern and sorry for your disappointment.  It is like many old stories about the shoemaker’s barefoot kids or the psychiatrist’s acting out teenagers.  Accidents happen, bones break, hopefully, we survive to talk about it. But even at this ripe age, I do have to control my temper, should not have blasted that stool in anger; happy it was not a person.