Saturday, January 19, 2013

Wow!  What a time I've had!

Shortly after I last postd here I delivered the Wurlitzer cloth to the man who had commissioned it.  I met him at his workshop on 12/29/12, AKA Jukebox Nirvana.  I took a picture of the nearest thing he has to the model for which I had been weaving.  His collection is astonishing and every machine has been restored to perfection. 

Often the machine is worse than derelict when Steve obtains it.  No detail is too trivial:  the workings of the player are often rusted so he cleans them up by blasting them with tiny glass beads in a glove box to get down to clean metal.  Steve is a grahic designer and makes decals when needed, pieces wooden pieces and refinishes everything.

When I had delivered the cloth I started preparing to re-paint my living room  First, the walls needed to be washed using TSP (tri sodium phosphate) and then rinsed by wiping it down with clean water.  Once dry, any repairs were made and then paint was applied.  Of course all that work meant moving a lot around to clear a place for my trusted ladder.

Alas, my ladder was not deserving of my trust.  I was up near the (11 foot) ceiling on 1/3/13 when I felt the ladder torque beneath my feet and I knew I was headed down.  It seems I never do anything half-way and this was no exception.   I landed on my right arm shattering the humerus (the upper bone) into several pieces.  At the same time I landed on a board with a nail protruding 3" that the ladder had conveniently moved into position.
The gash in my leg bled freely so when I was able to sit and scoot toward the kitchen and a phone I took a freshly washed terry cloth hand towel which I folded over the wound before pulling down th telephone to dial 911.

When I could scoot to the front door to open the deadbolt (not a trivial act, either one) to let in the EMTs, things started to get better.

I got to the hospital at 5:15 PM and was moved to a room at 11:45.  Surgery to put my humerus back together was performed the next morning.  I received very good care at the University of Utah Hospital and went from there to a nursing facility (the one where I volunteer every week) to start recovery.  I can't use my right arm at all because the bicep muscle had to be removed from the bone to repair the bone and then put back.  Not only does the bone need to grow into the plate and screws but the muscle (tendon) needs to re-attach.  How long will all that take?  TWELVE WEEKS! 

Ouch.

20 comments:

Sandra Rude said...

Ouch is a vast understatement! I'm so sorry to hear about the fall. Take it easy, so the arm has a chance to heal well - you'll want to throw a shuttle again when that 12 weeks is up. All best wishes - I'll be sending get-well thoughts to you.

Laura Fry said...

Oh that sounds so awful! Hope you heal well and are soon back to the things you love...
Laura

heather said...

what a terrible way to start the new year! very admirable of you to not mention the crazy pain you must be in. i have been through a similar fall/break experience and remember how painful it was and how much it affected my everyday life. im so sorry you had this happen and wish you a speedy full recovery.

Laura said...

Oh man - I can't imagine... But now that you have all of this out of the way, the rest of the year will just get better, right?

Sending healing energies your way.

randi said...

O, that does sound painful! I'm glad you are on the mend now though! I've been thinking about you because I am in the process of planning a vest with one of your pieces from Handwoven.
Take good care Sharon!

Deanna said...

I was sorry to hear about the fall. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with. I'm sending healing thoughts to you, keep comfortable and content.

catherine said...

So sorry about your accident. As they say, most accidents occur in the home. Take good care of yourself and my good thoughts to you for a complete recovery. -Catherine

Cally said...

Oh my goodness, what a calamity! Thank goodness for emergency services and modern surgery -- not to mention nursing facility volunteers. I hope you are soon making a good recovery and finding arm-appropriate activities to keep you from going bonkers.

Maggie said...

Oh, no! I am so sorry! I live alone, too, and am always worried about stuff like that happening when I'm working around the house. Take good care, and know that lots of us are out here wishing you well!

msvos said...

Dear Sharon,
I hope that much healing is taking place. You are in my thoughts.
Laurie

Linda said...

You did weave the terry cloth towel, right? Hope you are doing better.

Linda said...

You did weave the terry cloth towel, right? Hope you are doing better.

Sharon Alderman said...

I can't get access to my blog to post. I spent three fruitless hours today working on finding a way in. No luck.

But, I can post here which is slightly better than nothing....

I had my right shoulder replaced on May 24th. It is a reverse shoulder which means that the top of the humerus which did have a ball now has a socket. the ball is attached to the front side of the scapula. I have only recently been told that I will be able to weave again. For months that was in question. Not nice.

I am doing my exercises and getting better. A week ago I caught a falling computer monitor (old, heavy CRT kind) with my right arm and that set me back but I have been very careful since then and am back to where I was before that happened.

Yes, it has been a very painful business!

Cathy said...

Oh Sharon, it sounds like this has all been a very long, painful ordeal. I imagine probably as much so emotionally as physically if it is just recently that you have been told you will be able to weave again. I do hope you continue to heal and are back at your loom soon. You will continue to have my thoughts and prayers for a full recovery.

Unknown said...

b HI Sharon, I am so glad to hear that you will be able to weave, I am a great admirer especially your huck in Gift for my house, and small cloths for a lamp table.

Marlene Toerien

Kat orinda said...

Hi Sharon, Here's to hoping that you have recovered and have been able to get back to weaving!

Twillwemeet said...

Oh no! I just read this, because I have been thinking of you. Actually I'm reading 'Mastering' to find a pattern for our Swatch Swap. I might do 'spider weave' since "Silver' is our topic for 25 years of swapping. Back to YOU. How horrible to take that horrific fall. I wish I could somehow make you all better, but I will leave that to re-hab. I broke my ankle last year and know only slightly what pain you had. Hope you are home by know with kitty. Much love to you, Rosemary & M

celtichope said...

Hi Sharon ... have checked your site since you wrote about your horrible accident and so sorry to learn that it interrupted your weaving journey not to mention the long healing process. I like thousands of other weavers love your work and fervently hope that you have healed and are much too busy weaving to blog. I wish you well and hope that the weaving community will once be able to learn from one of the very best.

brendapie said...

Dear Sharon, I am very sorry to hear of your injury and hope you mend quickly and strongly. Based on my own experiences, I recommend you work hard on your physical therapy so you can return to your work safely and comfortably!

Today I googled you because I was curious -- back in 2005 I purchased two of your works at a gallery in SLC and we met there briefly. The pieces traveled with me to AZ and now to CT, where I continue to enjoy them everyday.

Best wishes!

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