Sunday, December 15, 2013

Normal

This past Thanksgiving, I celebrated by shaving off the end of my thumb with a peeler. Just enough to get below all the skin.

Blood everywhere, but I could staunch the bleeding myself, so no trip to E.R.

But that's not what I'm here about. You see, the section of thumb I lost was rather insignificant, size-wise. Bleeding stopped, life goes on. Right?

Sort of. I no longer have any padding there; the nerves are unprotected. That insignificant little piece of thumb just happened to be where I pick out DVDs from the player. The pressure point when tightening laces. The point where the band sits when tying up my hair. The point that bumps against the dashboard when turning the ignition, or releasing the parking brake. The running point when putting on my underwear. Oops, TMI?

Anyway, seems everything is important, no matter how insignifant it seems. It plays a role that we only realize when it is gone. Pretty much took my thumb out of commission for awhile. Ever go without a thumb? It was on the right hand. Acute realization how right hand-centric our clothes are. Buttoning and zipping without a right thumb Go ahead and try.

It is scabbing over now, and new padding is slowly growing in. Not nearly as thick as it used to be. That section is still visibly...flat. I am adjusting to life without this formerly insignificant piece of flesh that was once a part of me. And I miss it. Sorry for taking you for granted, little guy. You were important to me.

Can't even imagine what those that lose whole body parts go through. So, belatedly, I am thankful for still being whole. It's a new normal. 


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