Overcoming Injury ~ Life Lessons

Overcoming Injury ~ Life Lessons

Life is great when all’s going well :))

No problem!

But what about when stuff goes South?

When illness or injury stops our earning, or enjoyment, poof! — mid-stride.

Dawn with Starboy and Aria — Note the size relationship between human bones and horse bones — note wrist!

Wrist Injury!

So sometime later on this summer, I injured my wrist, and was unable to work for nearly three weeks . . .

(For those of you who don’t know, I work as a farrier — trimming and shoeing horse hooves — a very physical job that demands much strength from every part of a complete, strong, physically fit body!)

I’m thrilled to be back to work now, and I wrote this piece somewhere in the midst of the healing, as a reminder of how to deal when an injury happens.

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Previously Hurt

Unfortunately, this (left) wrist has been injured before.

First, about four years ago, working on a very strong mare who resisted me — over and over — with her right front leg.

(You see, in order to work trimming or shoeing a hoof, the horse must cooperate. Yield. Or nothing can get done.)

Eventually, I finally got the shoe on — I’ve always been strong.

But after shoeing the mare that day, it felt like my wrist had broken!

And as it turned out, radiographs later showed, it had!

Hairline fracture.

Just from trying to restrain the pressure of the big mare throwing her leg forward, over and over, in resistance.

Innocent looking hoof — capable of breaking a wrist!

Ever since then, I’ve kept that wrist in a brace/wrap while working.

(I know, with the weight and forces a horse is capable of — just a twist and a lean the wrong way could tweak it, strain it — or even break it, all over again.)

It’s an honor-system agreement I have with myself:  Keep brace on!

And it’s worked wonderfully, until about a month ago . . .

Me with my Horseshoeing gear :))

So I ask myself:

What happened?

How did I injure it, even with the brace on?

How can I take better care of my wrist, my entire self? Prevent this, or another,  painful, work-shattering event from happening again?

What lessons have I learned in the three weeks I wasn’t able to work?

(Note the physical riggers of working on horses hooves . . . )

Answers:

I must have gotten cocky.

Everything with my body (and my physically demanding work), was going along well.

I felt great! Top of my game.

And then I got in some new work.

Thrilled at the opportunity to both help my new client and earn some much needed money, I started in.

Two solid weeks of work.

And tucked into the midst of that, two very difficultly behaved horses.

Resistance! Over and over again! Stressing all my stamina.

But I’m tough!

No worries — I held up.

Kept on going, no matter what!

(“Die Hard Dawn!”)

Shoeing horses, end of day — Shadow Jeep

So how did I tweak it, even with the brace on?

The straw that broke my wrist (again!) was a definite break in my usual work routine.

At the end of the two straight weeks, more work than I’d been doing, I had to trim hooves on an older, arthritic horse who can barely lift up his hind legs.

The weather was hot. The hooves were dry — hard as steel. And my friend’s husband is pretty good at helping me squeeze the nippers in these dry hoof conditions.

So I decided to try a new strategy.

I held the heavy hind hooves up, first the right, then the left, for maybe five minutes each . . . with all the arthritic weight of the large horse pushing onto my hand, pulling on my wrist, while my friend’s husband crouched down and worked the nippers.

It didn’t hurt at the time. I really didn’t know til later  . . .

By later on that night, both wrists were sore. Unusually so.

The right, previously uninjured one, healed in a few days.

But the joint on the left (previously injured) wrist, pulled completely apart.

“Subluxation” :(( affecting tendons, ligaments — full blown PAIN and weakness!!!

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At first, my wrist just HURT.

Then I saw my Osteopathic doctor.

He snapped the joint back in place . . . it felt fantastic!

But I worked on a horse later on that same evening, and it went out again. Immediately.

Then it went completely gimp!

Lame.

(Regardless of wearing the wrist brace!)

OUCH!!! It HURT!!!!

Now, even the weight of holding a phone was too much for it . . .

(Not a good sign, if your work involves lifting the legs of thousand-pound horses!)

And I finally realized I had to STOP working!

Lay off all hoof work in order to let it mend.

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“Time Heals”

That’s what they say.

But I know, it takes even more.

It takes good practices in both the physical realm, and the metaphysical.

The mental, as well as the Spiritual.

Good care and good thinking.

Going up into Love and Light, and focused Goodness.

Strategies:

So I went up into my Light-God-Goodness space, and applied the following:

“Good wrist, good baby!!!!”

Love.

Gratitude.

“Thank you for being quickly healed!”

Strapped.

Wrapped.

“You will get better . . .”

Adjusted.

Injected.

“You are better!!! You are well!”

Taped.

Braced.

“You’re such a tough, hard worker . . . “

Time off.

Let it heal . . .

“I’m grateful for all you’ve done.”

Ignore the pain . . .

Focus on the good.

“All things, even this, work together for good . . . “

And I set about working on other aspects of my Life.

Uplifting. Affirming . . . Ignoring.

Reading. Writing. Journaling.

Overcoming, as best as possible.

Working my Life Strategies.

(See my: Depression Emergency Kit)

Lessons Learned

And the take-home lessons from this incident are many.

• No more working on really bad, resistant horses. When these come up, I’m putting down my tools, packing my car, and walking away!
• Once again, watch for breaks in my usual routine. (No bowling!) A break in routine can trigger an unfortunate accident or incident. (See: Anatomy of an Accident)
• Be VERY GRATEFUL for the physical ability to do my wonderful, satisfying horse hoof work! It’s a great blessing that my body has held up — not every body can do what I do.
• Be thankful, appreciative and take good care of the physical condition and abilities I have :))
• Realize I’m in a different phase of my life now — in my 60s. (Not my 30s or 40s or 50s!) Pace myself. Set my good boundaries.
• Love my abilities. Love my horses. Enjoy my Life’s beautiful ride!

Strategies

So when illness or injury happens. When things go South:

Remember, there’s always a series of Life Lessons involved.

• Immediately affirm Goodness — “I am fine! All is well! I am safe and protected!”
• Take necessary ACTION to resolve the problem.
• Re-write my mental thought patterns.
• Learn what I can from the experience.
• Stay in Gratitude and Love.

And discover fresh awareness from the events.

Take good care of myself!

Shine. Love. Give!

Self-Reflection

In reviewing this piece, now that the healing is complete, I’ve noticed that I’ve changed my Life in several wonderful ways:

• I’m much happier now :)) (Previously I had been working too much, and had been in a bit of a funk.)
• I’ve been riding my horses more and really appreciating and enjoying them!!!!
• I’m more in-tuned with my inner, intuitive voice. I’m listening first, and acting later :)) :)) :))
• I’m less worried and less stressed about finances, and more certain that all will continue to manifest and be here, as needed, as it ALWAYS, somehow, has! :))
• I’m really, really glad I can still do my awesome hoof and horse work!!!!!!! :))
• I’m grateful for my wonderful Life and all the Goodness and strength I have :)) :))

So remember: When stuff happens to us that appears to be bad, Good abides. Right along side.

Bless it! Transform it. Learn from it.

This too shall pass . . .

And we will come out the other side stronger, better, renewed!

:)) :)) :))

(See My Yoda Story — and remember, it’s true! :))

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                  Find out more about Dawn’s HoofCare Services and Soul Horse Rides in the Frazier Park Outback of Southern California :))

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Please visit Dawn’s sister blog: Soul Horse Ride

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