fbpx

Breaking My First Bone

Greetings readers!

Kotsy here, your go-to photographer currently in recovery. Recently, a major life event has inspired me to start blogging about my personal life. So without further adieu, here’s my first broken bone story!

A couple weeks ago when I was cycling, a driver opened his door without looking, causing me to collide with it. Being my first time being in an accident that caused significant injury, I was not aware of how adrenaline makes you not feel an injury for the first while. So, in typical male fashion, I downplayed my injury while thinking I could sleep it off. It was only after walking to the street car and wiggling my fingers did I see bones moving in my hand like they hadn’t before.

After visiting to the emergency room at Toronto Western Hospital, I discovered that I had, in fact, broken my first bone. A broken metal carpal bone – digit 3 – the middle finger (my favourite), to be specific. In and out of the ER in less than two hours impressed me greatly, considering what I’ve seen in the news recently about ER wait times being as long as 10 hours.

The good news: I was slowing my bike to a stop so I was traveling at a slow speed, minimizing my injuries. Also, it was a clean break on only one bone without any nerve damage. This means I’m expected to have a relatively quick full recovery. 🤞<- left hand

The bad news: It was my dominant hand and a bone attached to a finger I use to operate one of the dials on my camera. Not only can I not pick up a camera, but I would have to learn how to do pretty much everything using my left hand. This was obviously quite an adjustment, but has certainly gotten easier with practice.

The silver lining: After all this practice, I’m much more capable of doing things with my left hand. Maybe I’ll be ambidextrous by the time this is all over? I’m also lucky enough to live in a time that voice-to-text exists. This has made typing on a computer and phone much easier and quicker than doing it with my left index finger.

I wouldn’t be as capable or comfortable as I am without my partner at my side from the moment the injury happened and through the hospital & clinic visits. Nicci’s assistance, positivity and creativity have gone so far to helping me cope with this temporary set back. And how can I forget her the beautiful art she put on my cast. She’s honestly the best and I’m so lucky to have her in my life! ❤️

And, of course, Toronto Western Hospital, their Hand Program and Dr. Persitz + team have been absolutely amazing throughout everything so far. And on the topic of health care, having most of it for free in this country is a real blessing.

While I use this downtime to catch up on blogs and other office work, I can’t wait to be back behind the camera later this Spring. In the meantime, these are the photos I can share with everyone.

Kotsy


Kotzy in leather coat with hand on a bag of frozen peas
Kotzy and Nicci pretending to arm wrestle while Kotsy's arm is in a splint
Kotsy at checkout counter with an orange cast on his arm and hand
Close up shot of an orange cast over a hand with text reading "Kotz"
Top down view of orange arm and hand cast with artwork on it
Top down view of orange arm and hand cast with artwork on it
Share This Story