First Shot

Today’s walk wasn’t long, although my intention was to take a full day if I decided I wanted to (Mondays are my day off). My back was just not cooperating.

Here is my lengthy story:

On our hike out from our pack trip adventure I took a fall, slipping on wet, smooth granite. It was a very hard fall, and after going down I immediately said, over and over, “I’m okay, I’m okay.” I suspect I said it as much to myself as to Dan, who saw me go down. I had used my left hand to catch myself, and I hit my butt pretty darn hard, but all seemed okay when I got back up and checked things out. One of our friends (thanks, Karl!) suggested I quickly stick my hand in the very cold running stream and I did that for a time which felt wonderful. Miraculously I could wiggle my fingers and thought I’d really dodged a bullet. (Dan later told me he was worried, having seen the fall, that I’d have a broken hip!)

We continued our trek out, and I seemed okay. When we reached a very wonderful high spot I was still feeling pretty good.

From The Top (I, II, III, IV), 9.3.17

Later, that wasn’t the case. Suddenly I realized my left hand was hurting. Shortly after I could no longer hold my left trekking pole, as the hand had no strength. It started to swell up, and hurt enough that, when Dan met up with me again (I had gone ahead) he had to help me get my pack off on and then help me put on my rain jacket (we thought it might rain). Even touching the hand at all caused me to let out a moan.

As we continued to walk out (now staying together along with our friend Scot) I was thinking about the opera rehearsal in two days and assuming I might have to move to second oboe because I really wasn’t sure I could play much. Mozart seems to go very easy on second oboe so I was at least bound and determined to play that book, as our finances do demand that I work! I did noticed that while the hand hurt, I could continue to wiggle my fingers, so I assumed there was no break.

I admit to being horribly disappointed for the remainder of the hike down. I saw so many amazing wildflowers, but I no longer had any inclination to get the camera out due to the pain, and I knew we really had to move to get back down in any case.

Finally, getting out, I felt the hand was actually improving somewhat rapidly. Whew! Maybe I could play principal after all (and I have … now having done three rehearsals and two performances.)

So today, my wonderful day off (my “weekend”, as I call it), was to be a good long walk day.

Alas, not so.

As it turns out, my back DID have a bit of damage and now walking, and even sitting, hurts. It’s not bad enough for a doctor’s visit, but it’s bad enough to know I need to take it easy.

Still, I say the pack trip was WELL worth this little injury! I’d go back today if someone suggested it (and I didn’t have work).

So there’s my little “ouchy story”.

Now for the “First Shot” photo from today. I only did a small amount of shooting, but a first shot is, as I say, a first shot. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

First Shot: Dahlia, 9.11.17