This may surprise you, but….I just learned how to type normally again in the last couple of weeks. A announcement which seems weird on a lot of levels, I know. Obviously I have a blog, and I’m pretty up to speed on texting and Facebook messaging too. So what’s been going on this whole time?? Especially since, at least recently, I’ve been down a right thumb and wrist as well as a left hand. Well, just to get the phone point cleared up right away, Siri is my friend. I approached our relationship with a healthy amount of skepticism at first, but she’s been decently accurate on the texting and messaging front for just about 9 months now. So thank you, Siri!

And that brings us to computer typing. I remember at the end of January when one of my therapists sat me down in front of a computer and asked me to type something…anything. I stared at my left hand for a while and finally tried to aim one finger at a key and drop my whole hand toward it ( somewhat reminiscent of a missile). I missed. At that time I couldn’t move any of my left fingers independently and I couldn’t feel them, either. Clearly not the ideal combo for a star typist. But on the other hand, there was the blog…and I’ve always loved writing ever since I was a small child. So yes, up until last week I’ve typed every blog post using just my right hand. More recently, after my right hand issues started becoming more problematic, I’ve reduced using my right thumb and have often just created posts using the other four fingers on my right hand.

So anyway, back to our main story: when my occupational therapist sat me down in front of a computer 10 days ago and asked me to try typing using both hands again, my expectations were minimal to say the least. You can imagine my and Ivan’s surprise when my left hand fingers started moving. Moving independently, and moving accurately. True, I still can’t feel them, but it’s amazing the number of things it’s possible to do using just your eyes and a whole lot of concentration! Every new step of progress is a gift from God as well as a gentle reminder to be open to what He views as a successful recovery. I used to obsess over whether or not I’d ever get feeling back in that left hand again…. but recently, I can’t remember the last time I gave it too much thought. Who defines “successful”, anyway? For now, I think regaining skills – and/or learning unconventional ways to adapt around the missing ones –  is the best measure of success. My newest picture of a successful recovery is achieving some basic priorities for my life. Priorities like trying to keep a nice home for Ivan on my own. Priorities like being able to take better care of myself by myself, with the goal  that Ivan can focus on work and look forward to a relaxing and (at least somewhat) normal evening when he comes home. Priorities like learning to type again, with the hope that I might have a chance to finish my own education one day too. And if that’s success, then God has been pouring it into our lives in abounding measure. Including independent left fingers!