Mistakes happen and sometimes they have consequences. Nine days ago, I burned my hand — badly. I mindlessly reached into the oven without an oven mitt and grabbed a scorching hot pan. Stupid, I know. The result: lots of screaming and crying, a messed up dinner and second-degree burns across my right palm and thumb. According to the doctor, I will be without the (full) use of my right (read: dominant) hand for two to three weeks. Not good.
Thankfully, the radiating pain is now gone, I have finger dexterity again and this disability is just a temporary nuisance. Other than the projected scarring, no permanent damage … Phew! It could have been far worse, so I am very grateful. But let’s be clear: I am a hot mess. Quite literally. But at least now I have an excuse for looking like one because many hygiene and appearance-related tasks require two hands, or at least the use of my dominant hand. To illustrate my point, here’s a short list of what’s currently doable and what’s not:
- Washing my face with one hand: Manageable.
- Washing my hair with one hand: Less manageable.
- Brushing my teeth with one hand: Manageable.
- Brushing/curling my hair with one hand: Less manageable.
- Shaving my legs with one hand: Manageable.
- Shaving my underarms with one hand: Less manageable (at least on one side).
Luckily, I have mastered a few tasks rather quickly, including tying my shoes, getting dressed and undressed (although I am limited to tank tops and shirts with very wide sleeves, of which I only have 3 so don’t judge me for wearing the same outfit every other day for the next few weeks) and how to apply concealer and mascara with my left hand (which is huge, as I no longer look like the walking dead).
Despite my minor, one-handed successes, some other daily habits have proven to be difficult without the use of my dominant hand. I’m talking about:
- eating with a spoon
- using a knife
- washing pots and pans (yes, I am still cooking)
- writing with a pen and paper (thank goodness for one-handed texting)
- typing (can you say ‘hunt and peck’?)
- putting on and taking off a sports bra (fixing those ever-moving inserts is nearly impossible, too)
- lifting weights, especially a barbell
- drinking (water) while driving
- opening my bottle of prescription antibiotics
- and the most difficult task of all: WIPING! (I’ll spare you the elaboration)
I guess we all have our burdens to bear, and learning to be a left-handed person is apparently mine for the next couple of weeks. As a mother, I have years of experience functioning with just one hand while holding a baby in the other, so I know I got this. I may be a little rusty — it has been well over a decade since my boys were that small, after all — but I will manage.
Regardless of the struggle, I am trying to take all of this in stride and use the experience as a chance to learn something new. Thanks to my trainer, I’ve already discovered how to use resistance bands for more than just banded squats, so there’s that. And of course I now fully understand the importance of an oven mitt — I learned that one the hard way.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning of my skill-building and enlightenment … Who knows, maybe I’ll even become ambidextrous?!
– LJDT
