---

   Last fall, my doctor informed me I would need to have surgery on my right hand to repair a ligament. It was not an emergency but was one of those things that will only get worse with time. In spite of my best efforts and positive thoughts, it would not go away if I ignored it long enough. I carefully weighed my options. The recovery time is long enough I did not want to have it done before deer season. It would simply not do to have limited mobility in my right hand when I needed to shoot. I also needed it fixed before spring when fishing starts. I decided to have it repaired last week. There are not a lot of outdoor activities that require both hands in January and February.

   The surgery was uneventful. The two-hour trip home from the operation turned into a four-hour trip in a blizzard. Upon arrival at home, I immediately got into a routine of discovering things I did with my right hand or both hands that now have to be done with my left hand only. The dressing on my hand extends from the tips of my fingers almost to my elbow. The only use of my right hand at this point is it would make a good club. The simplest tasks are now a challenge. Brushing my teeth is awkward. Eating is a chore. Have you ever tried to wash one hand while only using that hand being washed?

   Most of my work is done on a computer these days. I have reverted back to the hunt and peck style of typing. Half of the letters I need, and all the numbers are on the right side of the keyboard. Both my speed and accuracy have suffered from my temporary handicap. What used to take me a few minutes now takes an hour. It is very frustrating.

   As usual, my wife has been a tremendous help during my tribulations. The only thing with which I needed help where she could not assist was fastening my blue jeans. I never thought my jeans were that tight, but I must be wrong. With her attempting to pull both sides together, while I sucked in my stomach, we both started laughing so hard the task could not be completed. I decided to wear a sweat suit.

   Since the day of my surgery, I have been outside very little. There is a two-fold reason for this. There is very little to do out there when it snows every other day, and the temperatures range from cold to really cold. I could go shovel snow, but a person that is a little bit handicapped such as I, can not even do that very well.

   Rather than have a pity party for myself, I have decided to do those things that I still can do. I have started working on taxes. If a person is feeling awkward and miserable, one might as well top it off with a miserable job like taxes.

---