Wednesday

 I thought I could wait on the pain pill yesterday.  I was wrong.  That was really unpleasant.  This definitely ranks up there on my top 5 illness/injuries.  

It's colder so I'm wearing my coat and the drivers can't see my arm, but they still act very surprised when I hand out the candy.  I am not going to let injury derail my ministry.  I have forgiven the guy (doesn't mean I want to get on a bus he drives, ever), and will pray for him every day.  

Work has been going OK.  The spicy boss hates the smell of my "Pain Relief Balm" so I think she's been avoiding me.  I've been working my butt off in spite of things.  

Personnel came by "to see how I'm doing".  I guess they have a protocol.  Anyway I told them my team lead has been very understanding and accommodating.  Accommodation is a very loaded word in HR, what people with disabilities require.  The last thing HR wants is me calling corporate saying they are mean.  

[I went to work, worked my butt off, came home]

So I thought I might share what worked, and what didn't, after the accident, along with some suggestions on things to put in your first aid kit.  

Now they suggest ice and compression after a muscle tear.  Nothing sounded worse.  I couldn't wrap the arm by myself, and I found the icepack unpleasantly painful.  I have been resting it as much as possible (reaching, and shaking my hands when I dry them off, or trying to shake wet cat food out of the can - all very painful still).  But it wouldn't hurt to have a bag of peas in your freezer.  Maybe 2 and then you could rotate them.  

Arnica.  I've used this in the past and really liked it.  The nice thing, the homeopathic arnica preparations are generally unscented.  

Speaking of scent, how about a nice stinky jar of "old man" cream?  I've used two and a half jars of it so far.  Generic Tiger Balm Ultra  Downside: it does smell and it leaves my arm greasy, but it works.  

Aleve or prescription strength: Naproxen 500 mg.  

A few days ago I decided to get serious and added antioxidant vitamins.  If you want to take one pill do this.  Ideally I would also add this.  I didn't take the second one but that's something I'd like to add to my daily routine.  

I keep forgetting Epsom salts but I plan to put some in a bucket, soak a washcloth, and apply that to my arm.  That worked very well a few years ago when I fell doing the Bible Handout.  

Protein.  I went cheap.  I can't do the commercial premade shakes, I get terrible headaches.  So I make my own, a tried and true recipe I've been using since 2003.  One scoop of this in a couple of cups of whole milk, in a blender  You can use a different flavor if you like.  Add about a half (small) carton, or a half cup, yogurt, some fruit (I like half a banana, sliced, you could do frozen peaches, mango, whatever), blend it up.  That bad boy has a whole day's worth of protein.  Have one of those a day, two if you want some serious healing.  Take your antioxidant with it.  Ron went back to the hospital after about a month home with me, drinking one every day.  He kept asking for "Heather's shake" to the point the dietician tracked me down and asked me "What is in this shake?"  I told her and she said "Oh I wish we could do that".  We were told his badly broken (in 3 pieces) tibia (the big lower leg bone) would take "a long time" to heal, it was ready to go about two and a half months after his operation.  In part because he had adequate protein.  

I wish I had been doing this from day one but I am now, and I see progress.  I still have a hard, palm-sized, knot on my arm, the bruising is fading but I think that knot's going to be there a while.  Plus I was pretty sick last month; my body can use all the help I can give it.  

I am also a big fan of Ginger root.  It helps with inflammation and it also prevents upset stomach from the pain pills (a very real threat).  You'll notice none of this is very expensive, either.  

That's it for now!