My domestic partner, Tom, has a vacation condo in Florida. He decided that we needed to spend two weeks of vacation before Christmas and return just after New Year's Eve. He thought that being in a warmer climate would help the arthritis. It did help. It was sunny most days. I was even able to swim a little with the help of a kick board.
One day after Christmas, we decided to meet some friends for dinner in a nearby town. My friends had been neighbors who retired early and moved to Florida. It rained that day. We were hurrying to the restaurant in the rain when I slipped on the slick sidewalk and broke my arm. It turned out to be a small bone chip with a dislocated elbow. It didn't hurt, but it looked awful. The doctor at the hospital easily moved it back into place and set it in a soft, removable cast. I never had dinner that evening.
I am sure that my arthritis contributed to my fall. I was in pain and having trouble walking. Now I was really in trouble. My left arm was in a cast and my right shoulder was frozen. I couldn't even dress myself. In addition, my wrists were both painfully swollen. I had to wear wrist guards on both wrists. I felt lucky to have such an attentive and loving partner who was by my side the whole time to help.
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