Klutzy

I am a klutz. I am not graceful or poised. I am clumsy and about as uncoordinated as anyone could possibly be. I try really hard to walk without tripping and to cook without hurting myself. I try not to shut my fingers in doors, burn myself on the oven, cut my fingers while I chop veggies or grate my fingers with the cheese. Sadly, I do not always succeed. I often do damage to myself.

More often than not I trip over my own feet or over level ground. Sadly, sometimes my clumsiness results in real injuries. A few years ago, I had a heck of a time with clumsiness. It all started when I was making dinner one day. I was tired and not really wanting to cook, but I was doing it anyway. I had pulled a big, plastic cutting board (not the thin flimsy kind, the heavy thick plastic kind) out. Well, when I pulled it out, I proceeded to drop it... right onto my right foot. It crashed down onto my big toe. I was on the floor in tears. I had never experienced pain like that. My toe immediately turned purple and started to swell.

Popeye was at work so I called him and told him I needed to go to the ER when he got home. We went to the Emergency Room and they did x-rays less than an hour after it happened. The ER doctor said nothing was broken, but to go to my regular doctor in a couple of days if it was not feeling better.  So, a couple of days later when the swelling was still terrible and the pain was no better, I went to my doctor. They did more x-rays and found a fracture right along the joint in my big toe. It was decided that I needed to see a specialist so off I went.

The specialist said the swelling and pain were so bad because every time I walked in a regular shoe I was re-opening the fracture and any healing it had done. They put me in a huge walking boot for 6 weeks. The boot stabilized my foot and kept me from re-breaking my toe each time I walked around.

Well.... Four weeks after breaking my toe, I got my finger squished flat by a heavy metal door. Once again I was in tears and headed for the emergency room again, with my walking boot on still. The people at the ER laughed at me for breaking multiple bones. They put my finger in a splint for 2 weeks. It was so much fun trying to do stuff in a walking boot and with a splint on my finger. It was, of course, a finger I need to do useful things like cut stuff and write.

So for two weeks, I walked around in my walking boot and splint looking like a total klutz. Thankfully, that was the last time I broke bones, although I was reminded of this time when I dropped something on the same toe last week and wound up with a giant bruise and knot, but thankfully no injuries that have required actual medical treatment since the broken finger.

Some Simple Ways to Help Our Veterans

As a military wife, veterans have a special place in my heart. We all know military life is hard on its members and their families. Veterans have been through things most of us could never imagine. I am grateful for all the work they do. I am grateful for their sacrifices, even when those sacrifices make life hard.

Many of our countries veterans need help, Often they try to hide that they need help. Even if you do not know anyone who has served in our countries armed forces there are a few things you can do to show your support.

 1) Pray for them. 

A friend of the family always says "Praying is the most and the least you can do for someone." You don't have to know a person to pray for them and prayer can always help. 

2) Write a letter or send a package. 

There are several organizations that can connect you with veterans. Operation Gratitude has several ways to connect with veterans as well as active-duty service members. They have a lot of other volunteer opportunities you can check out.

You can also share letters with veterans through A Million Thanks. They have some sample letters available on their websites. 

3) Share their lives. 

If you know a veteran with a wonderful story you can share that story as part of the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project is a really great project that helps people to preserve and collect stories and record them. There are lots of forms to fill out and information to help you prepare for interviewing the veterans. The project will help to tell the stories of veterans who served in many of the wars the US has been involved with. When the stories are completed they can be turned in to the Library of Congress to be archived for generations to come. 

4) Spend time with some veterans. 

Often times you can visit veterans at your local VA hospitals. You can also sit and talk with veterans through many local organizations in your area. A great organization to volunteer with is DAV. They have many opportunities to volunteer such as hospital visits and driving disabled veterans to appointments.  

5) Help build homes for troops. 

Homes for Troops is an awesome organization that provides help building or renovating homes for wounded veterans and service members. If you cannot physically help with their projects you can make donations through their website. 

Take this Veteran's Day and thank a veteran. Show them you care!