Things have been bad and are getting better. As I tell my chiropractor, “Every day is better than the day before…”
Tuesday, June 16, I was helping Jim remove the hand pump from our well so the electrician could connect the electrical wiring the next day. We agreed it would be easiest to remove the unit in one piece — about a 20 ft. length of pipe. I offered to stand on our 12 foot orchard ladder to support the top as Jim was pulling the pump out… to be brief, the ladder tipped sideways, I fell about 6-8 feet and landed in a little clump of fir saplings on the forest floor. Cushy, but not cushy enough!
We were able to see a chiropractor within hours and x-rays revealed one, or perhaps two broken ribs and some stretched ligaments in my left shoulder. Not fun. Jim arranged for me to stay with a friend where I could convalesce with a cook and laundress, (Kathy), plus ice and a recliner to sleep in. It felt like someone had fast forwarded my life 20 years to “advanced Parkinson” - every movement slow and painful. But God is good and healing has been remarkably fast. 10 days and very little pain now, except my left shoulder, which can’t be adjusted until the ribs heal. My left hand is pretty useless, and yes, I’m left-handed.
The same week I fell, my sister emailed that she’d broken a rib while replacing a garbage, disposal. We commiserated and then she texted my brother suggesting he wrap-up in bubble wrap! His response? "Too late!” He is harvesting his cherry crop and was backed into with a four-wheeler and is suffering with bruised ribs and an injured knee! — so, "Y’all be careful now, ya hear?”
Despite my injury and chiropractic appointments, Jim has managed to coordinate with electrician, inspectors and PUD so that we have permanent underground power to the garage and the well. We can pump water and will do a water test next week. Huge progress…and of course more work to do. With this much accomplished we plan to spend 4th of July weekend with Daniel and Rebekah in Grants Pass. :-)