Dumb Thumb

About 10 years ago, I broke my thumb while skiing in Brianhead, Utah. I wish it was a colorful story, like I was skiing down a triple black diamond during a blizzard and merely escaped slamming into a tree, saving my life at the expense of my thumb. Reality is, it was the dumbest little fall, landing my thumb backwards in the cold snow. That is that. I had surgery to piece it back together, a few pins to hold it in place, and a neon pink cast that got me more attention than I ever wanted.

Little did I know that that "dumbest little fall" from 10+ years ago, would still haunt me today. For the past couple of weeks my thumb has been driving me crazy in pain. Although I never followed through with the physical therapy, and it has never bent correctly since the accident, it has never really bothered me like it has been recently. Today I paid attention to the movements that aggravated it, and I can see why my little thumb is not happy with me.

Let me count thy ways:

Combing and executing three pair of perfect piggy-tails. Wrapping a rubber band round and round tight enough to hold hair in place all day, would drive any thumb nuts.

Holding my beloved broom and sweeping up the crumbs from three meals plus two snacks. I think my crew has learned the art of spilling their meals on the floor so there is less to eat from their plate.

Snapping not one...

Not two...

Not three...

But four pictures before it is deemed acceptable.

Wrapping 36 foam curlers around 6 piggy-tails, all while fighting with a head that thrashes about from this way to that.

Frosting 24 cookies which the kids will take to preschool tomorrow, and frosting another 24 cookies for the father of those kids who complains that all the baked goods that come from our oven are always meant for someone else!

Folding enough clean laundry to clothe a small army.

Turning the pages in a wonderful novel that I am reading right now, The Mulberry Tree, by Jude Deveraux.

Never did I think that an appendage such as the thumb could be so useful in life. I guess I should have appreciated it more while it was in good working order.

I must retire this post at this time, as the tinkering at the keyboard is bothering my dumb thumb!