When you mix trampolines, water, and "Blind Man"...

It was SO much fun.  Jessica, Natalie, Josh, Andrew, and I were jumping on our trampoline on Tuesday with the hose hooked up to one of the netting poles.  We were soaked and happy.  Then we decided to play "Blind Man"... you know, the game whicj is just like tag only the person who is "it" shuts their eyes and relies completely on sound???

Yeah, that game.

I still love it... but I have a bone to pick with whoever invented that game.

Literally.  A bone.  Namely, my left ring finger.  You know, the extra special finger where purity rings, engagement rings, and wedding bands go???

Don't panic.  I still have my finger.



When I was "it" I managed to get my finger caught in someone's t-shirt, get it twisted as they tried to get away... and... let me just say that I heard the snap and could tell immediately by the angle of my finger (which looked something like a "dot-to-dot") that something was wrong.

So, amidst pain from low-pain-tolerance me, Andrew drove my mom, sister, and me to the ER (I've never driven to the town next to us so fast!).  I waited for almost two hours, muscles jerking and tears falling, before I found out that my finger was, indeed, broken.  Near the top knuckle.  In three pieces.  Twisted sideways.  And splintered.  As the doctor put it: "You did a very good job breaking this.  No small job here." 

I won't go into the graphic details of what followed.  I won't mention the shaking arms and legs, the needle stuck into the wounded area that caused more pain than I've probably ever experienced in my careful life, the tugging and jerking, the strange, giggly sensation once I was all numbed up ("I thought I'd never NOT feel pain in this finger again!")...  Those are horrors I will leave unspoken for fear of causing my readers to bubble-wrap themselves the remainder of their lives to keep from ever breaking a bone.

I WILL, however, mention how nice the doctor and nurse were, how supportive my mom was (and this all happened ON her birthday too!), how concerned and caring Andrew was, how helpful in lifting my spirits Jessica was, how wonderful Dad was to get the word of my injury to our senior pastor, how great my pastor is to have let my church family know what had happened and asked for prayer, and how AWESOME Natalie and Grandma were to have supper still ready for us when we got home hours after the meal was served.  My church family are so wonderful too as I've been getting emails from people, letting me know they are praying.

Today I have a doctors appointment to see if I will need surgery to get a pin put in.  My x-rays after having it set look pretty good, but, because I'm a pianist and use my finger quite a lot for that and other things, there's a small chance of surgery being needed. 

In the meantime, I'm learning to get along using one hand.  My right hand.  Did I mention I'm left-handed???  :-P  It will be about four months till my hand is feeling almost normal again... not so fun, but I'm trusting that this is exactly what God had in mind.

Please pray for me.  Not only for my finger, but also for travel mercies as my Dad and I will be flying out to Utah on Sunday for a week of ministry at a Christian camp run by Andrew's parents.  I'm not sure how much help I will be with my arm in a sling...  Hey, I can wipe down tables after meals!!!

Also pray for patience as I learn to use my right hand... you should see me try to hold a fork!  I must be pretty comical.

Don't forget to read the post beneath this one!  It has pictures from VBS!!!  That was SO much fun!!!  I'll try to get pics from the wedding I went to last week up before I leave.

God bless!
Rachel

PS.  Not that I recommend it, but playing "Blind Man" on the trampoline with water spraying everywhere is a very fun way to spend your afternoon... as long as you don't mind not spending your evening at home afterwards!  ;-)