Therapist Heather said the best thing I could do is just USE my left hand. Which is what I've been trying to do. I didn't practice my exercises much last weekend, but I did do some yard work until my hand got tired. Clipping back clumps of decorative grass, a little raking, and picking up the obnoxious huge leaves from a neighbor's tree. By the end of the day, I felt like I'd made a breakthrough, particularly in the side-to-side flexibility in my hand.
Yesterday I took Indy into PetsMart (one of his favorite stores) and held the leash in my left hand much as I would a rein (between little finger & ring finger, thumb on top to grip). The Fluffy Puppy was really pulling to check out all the marvelous smells, and my left hand was able to hold him in check. That made me feel good!
Today Heather upped the ante. More reps with the one-pound weight, giant "clothespins" to pinch open and closed, and the killer was a hand squeezer (are we done yet?!). I LOVE the moist heat wrap and massage. I have a new set of isometric exercises for homework to increase wrist strength.
So...making progress.
LOOK MA, NO CAVITIES!
Our twice-yearly visit to the dentist today after my therapy session. Both mother and I got a clean bill of health. I don't mind getting my teeth cleaned (I swear I have more crowns that Queen Elizabeth!), but could do without the flouride treatment. Eeeuw!
My parents started going to Dr. B. when he was just beginning his practice and had his office in the old neighborhood. When he moved his practice out to east Portland, they continued to see him. I went to him when Kiyara relocated my teeth. I was Dr. B's first horse accident and he was so excited! His wife still works in the office, and assistant Roxie has been with him forever. So it's a welcoming place to go, even if it is the dentist. :-)
LEGACY
I'm continuing to work on the story, even though I'm back to using the keyboard with both hands. Writing the old fashioned way -- ballpoint applied to lined notebook paper. Every incident happens to teach a lesson. For all I know, falling back on this story may have been part of the reason for my broken wrist. (Obviously, being more careful when working around horses was the first message I took from the accident.) Anyway, I'll forge on and see what happens.
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