One-hand Wonder

If you haven't experienced it yet, let me tell you that you do A LOT with your left hand. Seriously, try to put your hair into a ponytail with one hand, button a pair of pants, zip up your jacket; you can't can you? That's what I've had to learn since I broke my hand two weeks and three days ago on December 29th during our game against Rhode Island (this is what happens when I go for loose balls...). It was pretty poor timing, being in the middle of the season right before league play, but it definitely could have been worse and I will thankfully be able to play again this season. Quite a blessing if you ask me.

I decided to document my progress here through pictures because I think they are much more fun...


12-29-11
My hand right after the injury- I thought I just jammed it bad or dislocated it at worst, and kept playing; no way it could be broken...


12-30-11
...I was wrong. Fracture of the left third metacarpal :/


12-30-11
Surgery scheduled for the next day- had an awesome nurse named Karen who insisted a take a picture with my stylish outfit


12-31-11
My amazing teammates were so good to me as usual-so much love, flowers, gifts, candy, and cards.


12-31-11
They wrote all over my arm and asked me at least 10 times that it was indeed the LEFT hand they were operating on. I guess I'd rather have them ask before rather than after surgery!


12-31-11
Drugged up and nauseous in my little sling..not the best way to spend New Years Eve but my teammates kept me company!


12-31-11
Hilary brightened up my cast a bit :)


1-2-12
Because I got surgery, I was able to get my cast off a lot quicker than usual (good thing too; I was already tired of that thing!). Had a nice Frankenstein hand waiting for me


1-3-12
Sausage fingers!


1-4-12
Stylish new splint that I get to wear for the next few weeks




1-8-12
Stitches out! Not too bad of a scar considering I had 7 stitches...pretty discolored and fat still!


1-8-12


1-12-12
Now you can hardly tell I broke it! Pretty amazing recovery-I definitely had some help from above!

I have learned so much from this experience already. Let me tell you, it is no fun to sit out. I have been so lucky in my basketball career to have never missed a game in high school or college until this point, and thank goodness because it's hard! I've only been out for a little over two weeks and I feel like it's been two years. This injury has really renewed my love for basketball and make me value it a lot more; all I want to do is to have full strength in my hand and just go out there and play! If only I lived in Harry Potter's world and could drink some Skele-grow and be back at it the next day...

Although I would never wish for something like this to happen, I am grateful that it did. I've almost come to see it as a blessing in disguise. So many things went right it was clear I was being watched over: it could have been a knee, it could have been my right hand...if I HAD to have an injury right now, this was definitely a good one to have. My bishop from my church also just happened to be at the game on that day(the first one he has been to), and he was able to give me a Priesthood blessing that same night. He blessed me with strength to get through this trial and a quick recovery, and it was so comforting to be able to get a blessing right away. It was pretty humbling and clear to me that Heavenly Father was watching over me and would be there every step of the way.

This experience has also helped me to see just how many people I have in my life that love and support me. Like I said, my bishop was at the game and he and his wife came up to me afterwards and asked if there was anything they could do for me or anything I needed. I thought about it and then said: thank you so much, but I have 14 girls in there that will help me with anything I need. I hadn't thought about it like that before but it is so true! I have so so so many people around me to help me through life during its ups and downs, and sometimes trials are the best ways to remind us of all we have. Seeing all of these wonderful people around me and being able to count my blessings really took my mind off the negativity of the injury itself, and allowed me to gain something positive out of the experience.

So, although trials are not very fun and I've really had to put a lot of work into physical therapy, keep my body in shape, and practice a lot of patience while my team enters league play without me, I've come to know that they are necessary for our progression. This has increased my faith so much and helped me to put more trust in the Lord, knowing that, in the end, everything will be alright!