I'll second that ! Hope you are feeling much better Celeste . We miss you and your wonderful pictures of your plants.

Ditto. Te colors are always so intense there, and I miss all your purples. I hope you are feeling much better, even though healing just takes time.

kay

I miss your comments and photos too, you have some of the best colors on your daylilies.

I miss you too, Celeste. Hope you are healing well and you aren't going stir crazy!

Debra

Hope you are enjoying looking at your blooms and are healing well. And that you've been getting rain :)

The same here, Celeste. Praying for a speedy recovery.

Brad

THANK YOU Sherry and all of my forum friends. I MISS YOU ALL and my inability to share photos has been frustrating....but I am determined to get my right side back to where I can do so without so much pain. I am today just now able to take my arm out of the sling so I can peck at the keyboard enough to update. I don't have a smart phone so still using a desktop and can't use my arm for long periods...…...and of course, I smashed up my dominant side.

It has been 22 days since I fell (hard) off the stone wall and onto my right shoulder. In doing so, I snapped my collarbone into 5 pieces and tore my rotator cuff. I had surgery 9 days ago for the broken clavicle and now have a 6 inch titanium plate and 7 screws holding my collarbone in place. The torn rotator cuff is the main issue now that is a wait and see and trying to avoid more surgery. It still hurts like hell and I have limited movement in my arm. I am just now slowly doing some things unassisted but still can't do much. For 12 days before the surgery I had 2 of the bones sticking up and tenting my skin to where if I sneezed hard they were coming through. Believe it or not, the doc was hoping my collarbone would heal by itself without surgery.....but on the 5th day the bones shifted way out of place. Some fragments of bone that splintered were way up near my neck. I am still black and blue from my shoulder down my right arm to my elbow and my chest from the fall. But here is the thing that only you all will appreciate: when I was falling off the wall I pivoted my body so I didn't fall on my daylilies and that's why I got hurt so badly. I made sure I landed on the concrete pavers instead. The daylilies were in full bloom, after all....LOL. You will also appreciate that even with my collarbones poking out and in terrible pain, I walked outside every single day to take photos of my daylilies (one-handed with the other hand, of course....the right was in a sling). So I DO have hundreds of photos of my daylilies to share once I have less pain and more movement. And they were spectacular this year! I will be sharing them in the coming days/weeks so please stay tuned. I just have to get my photos organized. But I can't do any gardening chores and that is frustrating me. I had plans to put in another garden bed. As some of you know, I make raised beds out of native granite rocks and I will not be able to lift anything more than a cup of coffee for 6 months. That brings me into winter and snow season so my accident halted all gardening for 2018. And I need to stay away from rocks....haha.

When I was at the emergency room, the nurses, x-ray techs and doctor all asked how I hurt myself so severely. I told them it was a 'gardening' accident and they looked very skeptical. My orthopedic surgeon said my break was akin to a skateboard, snowboard. skiing or motocross bike mishap. Now when I tell people I love my flowers they know I mean it! I broke myself instead of them...haha.

Here's the new hardware:

OOOOouch ! Wow! That is scarey stuff Celeste. Sounds like you very wisely did not take your doctors advice . Your image is startling although It is amazing what they can do these days but I can almost feel your pain as you describe it . I hope things heal up well now and your rotator cuff mends cleanly and leaves you with no resultant pain. We will enjoy your pics when you are able. Wishing you fast healing .....

Celeste, it is even worse that I imagined, and I have a pretty vivid imagination. So very sorry for you to go through all this. Selfishly, I am looking forward to seeing your photos though. Seems amazing that a doctor might think it would heal on its own, but I can't think of anyone I know who has broken a clavicle before. At least you can be in touch a bit more now that you are a little better. I have been wondering how you are. Get better fast

I had no idea you were injured that badly, with so many breaks. Keep taking it slow, even though I know that's hard for you.

Debra

Good Grief Celeste. That's some serious hurting going on. How tall was the wall? And yes, I think only gardeners would understand why you would chose to fall as you did. I'm thinking the daylilies would have not been as harmed as you have been though. A shoulder injury with rotor cuff damage is no laughing matter............Maybe when Sherry does the Alphabet listing in January you will be up to posting some of your pictures. I will look forward to that...........Maryl

My goodness you have been through a lot.. Don't over do it and heck, forget about carrying a camera around and possibly causing yourself more pain. Relax and let yourself heal.

I also had no idea you had such a serious injury. I second Julia's recommendation - relax and let yourself heal. It's horrible to feel unable to do the things you love; I was so frustrated last year to break my ankle at the beginning of the summer, but it wasn't anything like the damage you're showing there. Take care of yourself. And I miss seeing your beautiful purples, too, but will be just as happy to see them 6 months from now!

Alex

Thank you, friends for your kind remarks. I still am angry with myself for being so clumsy on those rocks. I tend to flutter around the garden without a care in the world and those rocks aren't stable, especially when wet. I haven't quite forgiven myself for putting myself in this situation. It's very life-altering and also expensive as the bills are coming in. I was so healthy, independent and strong before this incident and now DH has to help dress me, brush my hair, help me bathe, and do the bulk of the housework. I'm not good at sitting! I don't think I've ever sat so much in my life and I'm bored and restless. I've just started taking my daily walks again (with arm in sling) and driving again with the left arm. I used to power walk 8 miles a day before this happened....I'm pretty proud of myself that I am doing half that already. I have an appointment Wednesday to talk about the rotator cuff, now that surgery has put my collarbone back in place. Will need an MRI to determine the extent of the damage. I have excruciating pain and pretty much have to keep it iced non-stop. To answer your question Maryl, the rock wall is only about 3 feet high but it's the way I pivoted my body and took the hit to my shoulder full-force that did me in. I felt my bones snap (horrible!). I was laying on my right arm & it was tucked underneath my body at an unnatural angle but I could not get up. I quickly learned that when a collarbone is broken there is no support for the arm and it is useless. DH was inside taking a shower and did not hear my cries for help. I could feel the bones sticking out of my chest and knew it was bad so I rolled over (excruciating!) and crawled on my knees to the house. He still didn't hear me so I had to crawl up the basement stairs. It is like something out of a nightmare for sure. Thanks again everyone for your support. It means so much.

Oh my gosh! I am sitting here, ouch! I can't imagine your pain. I know you are restless. And you are back to walking? You do better now than I do on a goid day. Before my joints went out i power walked, maybe 5 miles a day. Now I walk 2 to 4 miles. My hips are good after replacement, but need knee, so no real walking. I feel like a wuss now.

I'm amazed you're able to do any walking, considering how extensive your injuries were.

Debra

So sorry to hear the extent of your injuries! I hope you continue to heal well and have a smooth recovery. Sounds like you are keeping a positive attitude and staying as active as you can. Look forward to seeing your photos during the fall and winter months!

Lori

First time I've become aware that Celeste had this accident. How really awful! Since that was August of last year, I'm wondering if anyone has heard how she is doing this year?

She has been posting recently, and is doing much better. I am sure she will spot this soon

Glad to hear you are doing so well, Celeste. Stay off the wall - lol.

BTW - you sent me so many seeds last fall, I decided to try some direct-sowing. Some of them have sprouted this spring and are showing little green shoots. :)

Alex

Celeste! :-) . That's wonderful news. What a time of it you have had. It is amazing what can be done with Physical Therapy. Our bodies are amazing the way they can heal and adapt. I hope you continue to improve. Now if we would just get some sun for our gardening efforts this spring! [g] I'm sure you are going to enjoy the gardening season, sun or no sun. :-)