It has always been important to me to hang out with my grandkids, and really enjoy the time we have together. Not living close to my grandchildren, I want to take advantage of every minute that we have together.
My husband had a conference where our 2 grandsons live, so I went to spend a week with my 2 grandsons. The first day the energetic boys wanted to go to a fun place where they could climb, bounce, and roller skate. I was all in. We first headed to the bounce houses, then a climbing structure. Within the first half hour the oldest of the two boys talked me into putting on some skates and roll around in circles. None of us were super steady. The boys switched to rollerblades and began enjoying themselves. I did not follow their lead.
As these cute little guys got comfortable on their rollerblades, they were having a great time cutting in and out of people while skating in circles. The youngest whizzed right by me, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground. The pain in my left funny bone was not so funny, in fact, unbearable, but that happens when you hit your funny bone, right? I struggled to get on my feet, but my left arm wasn’t cooperating. Once I got to my feet, it took several minutes to skate/walk against traffic to the nearest exit. My plan was to sit for a few minutes, until the pain subsided from that left arm then head back out on the wooden floor to try some moves the Olympians preformed on ice at the last winter Olympics. My oldest grandson was teasing me for leaving floor, and not hanging out with them. After 30 minutes, I looked down at my swollen arm and noticed it was bruised from my shoulder to my fingers. I had to confess to my two grandsons that I may have really hurt myself. The oldest ‘grand’ suddenly changed his tune and insisted that I call the hospital. I called the local Urgent Care, they told me they could see me in two and a half hours, so we stayed where we were, the boys skated, had lunch, and enjoyed their time while I sat in the food court holding my arm with all the other moms and grandparents as I watched my arm get bigger and more colorful.
When it was time to go to urgent care, I could not move my left arm so the oldest grandson had to buckle me into my seat and shut my door.
Once I got to see the doctor and x-rays were done, things were a little worse than I had anticipated. My wrist and elbow were sprained and my shoulder was broken in two places. After putting me into an ‘immobilizer’ they made me call my husband who was in a session at the conference. We needed him grab an Uber, come get me and my car, and take me to a Ortho Surgeon before they closed for the day. After seeing an ortho Doc there and saw shoulder ortho surgeon for a second opinion once we got home, we were happy to learn no surgery was necessary.
During the healing process of sleepless nights and physical therapy, I really found this time very humbling. I could not cut my food, fix my hair, or even dress myself. I felt like a toddler. I was at the mercy of my husband. Depending on my husband’s schedule, we would have to get up at 4, 5, or 6am to get me dressed for the day and he would attempt to do something with my hair. This poor bald man did his best to put my hair in a ponytail, a messy bun, and even attempted a braid. (We know that he will never make it as a hairdresser for a second career.) Although my husband was a saint for taking such great care of me, it was humbling to not be able to do anything for myself, to do everything on someone else’s schedule, and to not be able to care for myself.
About a month into that healing process, I found the right scriptures at the right time.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God,
so that He may exalt you at the proper time.”
1 Peter 5:6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
This was a great lesson for me. I cannot rely on myself. I need to humble myself, let God take care of everything. Not just the ginormous things and events in my life, but I need to give everything to God, even the everyday tiny things.
