Two Broken Wrists and a Business To Run

What happens when you fall and break a wrist, not once but twice? Well, let me tell you all about it. It’s like a bad dream that you initially can’t wake up from. Then reality hits, and you realize how crappy the next weeks are going to be.

It all started when my clumsiness kicked in and I fell off a bench when trying to sit on it. I hit so hard that my Apple Watch asked if I needed help. I immediately knew something was wrong because of the pain and the fact I’ couldn’t cut my steak. But being stubborn I powered through to the next morning before my first of many visits to the doctor.

Fast forward three weeks and I was exiting our boat when a large boat came “barrel assing” by the dock. At the perfect time for me to walk on the dock. When I got the the part where floating meets solid so did the wake. Which resulted in a second broken wrist.

Thinking back, the first brace was easy because I still had the use of my dominant hand. But the cast on the right arm is what did me in. And all my fingers! I could type even though the cast and brace got in the way. As an entrepreneur who works digitally, I was thrilled to have use of my fingers.

Over the next twelve weeks, this is when I quickly found what worked and what didn’t. But let me backtrack to say, that having help and processes in my business kept me from going off the deep end.

Let’s start with what was right.

My clients!

After fifteen years, I have the most ideal clients. Mostly because of the boundaries I set, and they know I don’t drop the ball often. Having clients who respect your processes, boundaries, and ideals outside of a workday is most helpful.

My team.

Sure, you can run a business by yourself, but eventually, if you want to grow or have any semblance of sanity, you need help. I could call on those I needed to make sure that things continued running smoothly with my limitations.

The systems.

When you have an outline of what needs to happen, you can be sure that your customers and clients are getting the level of service they are used to. Even with tasks I was personally handling, without a process to rely on, I don’t think I would have had the mental capacity to do it.

Flexibility.

My workday is set up to meet my needs and schedule. This came in handy because being in pain is exhausting. Without taking breaks, I would have never been able to make it through some days. And there were others that I needed to start late, thanks to doctors’ appointments and x-rays. I spent a few days for rest and recovery in the early days.

The best part of where I am currently in my business is that I was set up for success, whether I was laid up with two broken arms or traveling the countryside for a few weeks. It was a decision that took planning and pivots, but I’m here to tell you it’s doable.

Everything wasn’t sunshine and roses.

The pain.

When you operate under consistent pain, it’s exhausting. I was not prepared for the amount of pain during and now after as I continue to recover. The days consisted of a few or two hours of working and then a good hour of napping or resting. Even planning out the day to funnel work to the team took a lot of effort when the pain was constant.

Technology isn’t always helpful.

Thank goodness for Talk to Text and Alexa. I was able to create content, schedule appointments, and more. But, neither listened very well at times, or maybe it was the cadence of how fast I talk – and I found myself repeating myself a lot.

Websites were harder to use, too. I try to make sure I am as accessible as possible on my site and those of my clients, but boy, did I learn a lot between the no hands and foggy brain. I still have a lot of work and learning to do on that topic.

I was cranky.

I know it had to do with my pain because I wasn’t keen on medicating myself 24/7. As a glass-half-full gal, I generally can roll with any punch. Not this time. I noticed I needed to walk away from emails a few times because I was reading too much into them, and I didn’t feel balanced enough to respond. I even noticed that I wasn’t as present or thoughtful as normal in meetings.

What now?

Now that the braces and casts are off, it’s time to build myself back up. Both physically and mentally.

The bonus of my never-wish-this-on-anyone adventure was I learned a lot more about myself, business, tolerance, and everyday trials that those with disabilities tackle in real life.

The new plan is to spend more time on self-care, including balance, learn more about accessibility, and continue to be present with clients – new or not.