HI . . . I’M BACK! BY RITA KARNOPP

Oops… wish that was me to the left . . . but that’s actually my lovely daughter, Jamie!  And yes, she got all of the lovely Native American (Chippewa Cree) features I never got!  LOL

I’ll bet you’re wondering where have I been?  I hope you missed me! 

Six months have flown by . . . the longest time I’ve been away from writing in maybe thirty years!  Wow.  Of course by now most of you know it wasn’t by choice. 

About three years ago I hurt my wrist . . . but in time it felt better . . . and when it hurt, I truly thought ‘crap – I now have carpel tunnel.”

I work full-time and do my writing at night - I truly didn’t have time for wrist surgery.  So as time passed – the pain increased until I realized I was dropping things or losing strength at the most inappropriate times (like there’s an appropriate time – right!).  Finally at the request of my doctor, and since I had my major medical met for the year, they did an xray, then ultrasound, and finally an MRI of my wrist.

Hmmm you guessed it.  As time passed – I had developed an even greater cartilage and ligament tear with all eight bones in my wrist separating.  Well, if you’re going to do it – do it right!

Feeling blessed we were getting a new hand doctor in my town – I waited two weeks and saw Doctor Teen (not his real name of course).  I’ve never felt so old.  He looked younger than my two children at thirty-one and thirty-three! 

Dr. Teen informed me that if I didn’t get my wrist fixed ‘now’ – in one year it would be too damaged to do surgery at all.  In two years or less arthritis would take over and I’ll cease to have use of my right hand completely.  Say what?  I’m a writer!  I type 140 wpm . . . and there is no way in bleep bleep I can accept this.  Dr. Teen’s as cute as a button . . . but did I want him to perform surgery on my wrist?  Hell yes! 

It’s been a lonnnnng, struggling, painful, six months that included six casts that hurt 24x7.  Due to meds that made me dry-heave, putting strain on my torn retina, – no pain meds except Extra Strength Tylenol were given.  Really?  That’s about as effective as a band aid on a rubber raft.  (May I use the expression my uncle used on the farm? – “About as useless as tits on a bull.”  LOL)

Having said that, I’m feeling so blessed to be on the mend.  I’ve been doing my own PT for the past two months and the improvement has been expediential! 

I might not have been able to type during those six months, but the plots and characters for Whispering Wind and Whispering Spirits have developed in my mind.  Although I’m not typing 100% yet, I just sent a completed Whispering Wind to my publisher for edits. I couldn’t be more pleased or proud of myself.  J

I’m currently typing blogs for our Dishin’ It Out – since my lovely friend and sister, Ginger Simpson, has held down my end as well as hers these past months.  She’s been fabulous as always – supportive beyond words.  I can only imagine my royalties if she hadn’t cared enough to get me noticed!  When you have Ginger for a friend – you’ve got a caring, loving, supportive, sister of a friend!  I feel so blessed.

I’m glad to be back – and I hope you’ll enjoy my blogs in days to come.  I know I’ve missed all of you.  J  hugs, Rita