ON SATURDAY NIGHT, JULY 15TH, I DIS-LOCATED MY RIGHT SHOULDER.

I’D LIKE TO SAY SOME HEROICS WERE INVOLVED, LIKE I HURLED MY BODY AGAINST A BUILDING IN ORDER TO SAVE A KITTEN FROM A CAR-JACKED, CRAZY, JOY-RIDING TEEN, BUT I ACTUALLY FELL IN MY KITCHEN.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES, WHAT HAPPENED [I CAN’T TYPE A QUESTION MARK, OR EVEN STANDARD PARENTHESES AND CHANGING FROM UPPER TO LOWER CASE INVOLVES SO MUCH WORK, I HAVE CHOSEN TO FOREGO THE CONVENTION.]

I CAN ATTRIBUTE MY ACCIDENT TO MANY FACTORS THAT CONSPIRED TOGETHER AT 9;50 THAT EVENING. MY BALANCE IS NOT GOOD, TO BEGIN WITH. I HAD NOT PUT AWAY MY STEP LADDER FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN EVEN HOURS AFTER ITS LAST USE. I WAS RUNNING FROM MY OFFICE TO SHUT OFF A BURNER ON THE STOVE AFTER THE SMELL OF A SCORCHED POT REGISTERED IN MY BRAIN.

OH YES. I HAD GONE TO A WINE TASTING AT 4;00.

AFTER THE FALL, IN A MILD STATE OF SHOCK, I MANAGED TO GET UP AND TURN OFF THE LEFT FRONT BURNER. I WENT DOWN A FEW CARPETED HALLWAY STEPS TO SEE IF MY DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR WAS HOME, FORGETTING THAT SHE WAS AT WRIGLEY FIELD AT THE JIMMY BUFFET CONCERT. [OH, TO BE IN MARGARITAVILLE INSTEAD OF IN GREAT PAIN ON MY KITCHEN FLOOR.]

THEN, BEFORE THE SWELLING AND PAIN GOT SO BAD I COULDN’T THINK STRAIGHT, I SAT ON THE EDGE OF MY BED, CELL PHONE IN HAND, AND TRIED TO FIND A FRIEND WHO WOULD TAKE ME TO THE ER AT SWEDISH COVENANT, THE NEAREST HOSPITAL.

MY FRIEND VALERIE WAS HOME. A MASSAGE THERAPIST BY PROFESSION, NURTURING, GOOD-HUMORED AND PRACTCAL SHE WAS THE PERFECT PERSON FOR DRIVING MISS DEBBIE TO THE ER.

AFTER A LONG NIGHT IN THE ER; INCLUDING 2 SETS OF X-RAYS AND RE-SETTING MY ARM BONE IN THE JOINT IT WAS MEANT TO OCCUPY [AN EVENT THAT I WAS, THANKFULLY, UNCONSCIOUS FOR] AND COUNTLESS IBPROFEN, I FOUND MYSELF GRAPPLING WITH HOW I HAD TO LIVE DIFFERENTLY – AT LEAST, FOR A WHILE.

YES, I FELT EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR VALERIE’S QUICK RESPONSE TO MY CALL, GRATEFUL TO MY FRIEND PAT, WHO OFFERED SUCH GOOD ADVICE ON THE BEST COLD-PAKS TO BUY, AND WAS EVEN GRATEFUL TO MYSELF FOR NOT LOSING MY SENSE OF HUMOR AS I ENDURED A LOT OF PAIN. [IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY WHEN THE YOUNG MALE NURSE IN THE ER WAS FUMBLING UNDER MY TOP TO REMOVE THE ADHESIVE BACKED METAL MONITORS FROM MY CHEST AND BELLY, AND I TOLD HIM, ‘JUST LIKE WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL ON A DATE.’]

ALL THIS WEEK, I’VE BEEN FEELING PRETTY HELPLESS. I’VE HAD TO ASK FOR A LOT OF HELP AND I’M NOT USED TO BEING IN THIS POSITION.

ALWAYS BIG ON NOTICING LITTLE THINGS, MY EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED TO THE MANY THINGS I MAY HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANTED JUST TO MANAGE EVERDAY ROUTINES. THESE THINGS ARE RIGHT IN MY FACE NOW THAT I AM DEPENDENT ON OTHERS.

MY DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR TOOK CARE OF MY DOG FOR THE WEEK FOLLOWING MY FALL. I’VE BEEN ABLE TO RE-DISTRIBUTE MOST OF MY PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS AMONG CO-WORKERS. MY FRIEND NICKI CAME OVER THIS PAST FRIDAY, BRINGING ME WONDERFUL HOMEMADE PULLED PORK, CHANGING MY BEDSHEETS AND CLEANING MY KITCHEN.

I’VE LINED UP SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO WALK MY DOG [WE WERE REUNITED 2 DAYS AGO]. INDIA TAKES WALKS THREE TIMES A DAY. I HAVE TAKEN A CAB ONCE, BUT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ARRANGE RIDES TO MY D.O. FOR THERAPY AND FOR GROCERY RUNS.

THANKS TO HILLARY, FOR RAISING A CHILD TOWARDS A HEALTHY, PRODCTIVE ADULTHOOD, WE HAVE THE EXPRESSION, ‘IT TAKES A VILLAGE.’ CONSIDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE GRACIOUSLY STEPPED FORWARD SO THAT I COULD SIMPLY HANDLE THE NEEDS OF MY DAILY LIFE, I MIGHT SAY, ‘IT TAKES A COUNTY.’

WE’RE NOT MEANT TO LIVE ALONE. WE ARE MEANT TO HELP EACH OTHER…AND MEANT TO RECEIVE HELP. WE’RE MEANT TO FEEL LOVED AS MUCH FOR OUR VULNERABILITIES AS WE MIGHT LONG TO FEEL ACKNOWLEDGED AND APPRECIATED FOR OUR TALENTS AND SERVICE.

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO SO MANY.

HAVING FRIENDS WHO WILL CUT YOUR VEGETABLES AND UNSCREW THE TOPS OF YOUR VITAMIN JARS IS NO SMALL THING.