A dislocated Easter

On the Thursday before the Easter weekend (Maundy Thursday), barely 4 hours before we had to leave for Bonnievale, I misjudged my step on a traffic island in front of my office and fell. I dislocated my shoulder in the process.

After a gruesome struggle through a traffic-gridlocked city, something that has become the norm in Cape Town but aggravated on that day by a bus-drivers’ strike, Keith fetched me at work and took me to the trauma unit of the new Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital.

Following the procedure of relocating the shoulder, I stocked up on painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets. With my arm supported in a sling for the next six weeks or so, we headed home.

My new motto and my master for the next six weeks.

Joining the Easter exodus belatedly, we arrived at Towerwater after dark. Although I was in pain I was happy to be home, and walking down the steps into the lamp-lit garden lifted my spirits. I was feeling quite sorry for myself at that stage.

I had two days of rest before our big Easter Sunday lunch. Carol visiting for Easter was a big help. Carol is an excellent sous chef and that made the preparation of the 7 course lunch a lot less traumatic. I could not bear to let my injury impact on a lunch that had been a couple of weeks in the planning.

Easter lunch table detail

Luckily everybody contributed to making the lunch a memorable 7 hour long sharing of food and traditions.

I was painfully reminded by my injury of just how many things depend upon one having the use of two arms. My blog writing and food preserving had to be scaled down until I could regain some use of my arm again.

This year our Easter celebrations were nearly dislocated by my injury.  But with the help of good friends we managed the celebrations in true Towerwater style.